First DayParis, France
First Afternoon on the Seine
An easy riverside loop from the Louvre to Notre-Dame and back over an island, built to settle you into the city on day one without any queue.
- Duration
- 3 hr 40 min
- Distance
- 5.6 km
- Difficulty
- Easy
France, Europe
Paris on foot
Compact, flat and built for strolling, with river bridges and grand avenues linking almost every major sight.
Photo: Cafe de Paris Geneve
Why walk here
Walking Paris
Paris is one of the most walkable capitals in Europe simply because of its size. The whole historic centre fits inside a ring you could cross end to end in under two hours, and the arrondissements spiral outward in a logical pattern that makes orientation easier than it first looks.
The Seine gives the city a natural spine. Walking along its banks links Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay and the Eiffel Tower without much detour, and the many bridges make it easy to cross back and forth as sights catch your eye.
The trickier stretches are Montmartre's hill, with its steep staircases, and the wide, busy boulevards around the Arc de Triomphe, which are more about crossing traffic than distance. Cobblestones in the older quarters can be uneven, so comfortable shoes matter more than they might in a newer city.
Practical notes
The first hour questions
Written for someone who has just landed and does not want to read a guidebook.
Getting around
The Paris metro is dense and frequent, with most of the centre within a short walk of a station, and the Navigo Easy card is the simplest way to load single tickets or day passes. RER trains cover longer regional hops, including the direct line into the city from Charles de Gaulle airport. Buses and the Velib bike share scheme fill in where the metro does not quite reach.
Safety
Paris is safe for walking through the day and into the evening in central areas, with the main practical risk being pickpocketing around major sights, on the metro and near Gare du Nord. Some outer districts are best approached with the same street sense you would use in any large capital. Political demonstrations do happen and are worth checking for before setting out.
Tipping
Service is included by law in restaurant and cafe bills, so a tip is a bonus rather than an expectation. Leaving a euro or two, or rounding up, is common and appreciated. Taxi drivers are usually given a small amount rounded to the nearest note or coin.
Good to know
Tap water is safe and free at any cafe if you ask for a carafe. Many small shops close on Sundays and Mondays, and lunch hours can empty out entire streets. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, though a little cash helps at bakeries and markets. A few polite French phrases go a long way with shopkeepers. Winters are grey and cool, while spring and early autumn are the classic walking seasons.
Walks in this city
2 routes in Paris
Pick one, screenshot the cards, and leave the phone in your pocket between stops.
First Day
Hidden GemsParis, France
Canal Saint-Martin and the Covered Passages
From the footbridges of the Canal Saint-Martin to the glass-roofed passages near the Grands Boulevards, a walk through the Paris that sits one street back from the postcards.
- Duration
- 4 hr
- Distance
- 6.1 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate