Paris

Main sights

• Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars

  Best approached on foot from the Trocadéro across the river for the classic view; the surrounding lawns are open to walk through.

• Louvre and Tuileries

  Even without going inside, the courtyards and gardens form the start of the walk along the historic axis towards the Champs-Élysées.

• Notre-Dame and Île de la Cité

  The cathedral reopened after its post-fire restoration; the island around it and neighbouring Île Saint-Louis are small enough to circle in half an hour.

• Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre

  The basilica sits on the highest hill in the city. Steps and a funicular both climb from the boulevard below.

• Musée d'Orsay

  A former railway station on the Left Bank, a short walk from both the Louvre and Saint-Germain.

• Arc de Triomphe

  Stands at the top of the Champs-Élysées; use the underpass, never the roundabout.

Neighbourhoods worth wandering

• Le Marais (3rd and 4th)

  Medieval street plan, aristocratic mansions, the Place des Vosges and busy shops on Sundays when much of Paris is closed.

• Latin Quarter (5th)

  The university district around the Sorbonne and the Panthéon; bookshops, narrow streets and the Rue Mouffetard market.

• Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th)

  Literary cafés, galleries and the Luxembourg Gardens, one of the best places in Paris to sit down after a long walk.

• Montmartre (18th)

  Village-like lanes, steep stairways and the last working vineyard in the city, above the crowds of the Place du Tertre.

• Canal Saint-Martin (10th)

  Iron footbridges, tree-lined quays and independent cafés; a calmer alternative to the riverbanks.

Best areas to explore on foot

1. The Seine quays

   Long stretches of both banks are car-free. Walking from the Pont de Sully past the islands to the Pont de l'Alma covers most of the postcard views.

2. The historic axis

   Louvre – Tuileries – Place de la Concorde – Champs-Élysées – Arc de Triomphe: roughly four kilometres in a straight line, all on wide pavements.

3. Marais and the islands

   The densest concentration of pre-Haussmann streets; ideal for an unplanned wander with a map in your pocket.

4. Montmartre

   Steep, stepped and rewarding; the quieter northern and western slopes are more pleasant than the summit square.

Practical walking notes

• Terrain

  Central Paris is mostly flat. The exceptions are Montmartre in the north and the Butte aux Cailles and Belleville in the south and east, all of which involve real climbs and stairways.

• Surfaces

  Pavements are generally wide on boulevards and narrow in the old quarters. Cobbles survive on the islands, in the Marais and in Montmartre; comfortable flat shoes are enough.

• Distances

  The city proper is about 105 square kilometres. The main sights of the centre sit within a roughly 3 km radius, so a day's walking of 10–15 km is typical.

• Crossings and cycles

  Paris has added a great deal of cycle infrastructure in recent years. Cycle lanes often run between the pavement and the road, so look both ways for bikes before stepping off the kerb.

• Accessibility

  Street level is largely step-free, but most metro stations are not: only line 14 has lifts at every station. Buses and trams are the more accessible options, and museums generally have level access.

When to visit

• Spring (April–June)

  Mild and green, with long evenings by June. Showers are common, so a light rain jacket is more useful than an umbrella on windy quays.

• Summer (July–August)

  Warm, with occasional heatwaves. Daylight lasts until about 22:00. Many independent shops and restaurants close for part of August, though museums stay open.

• Autumn (September–October)

  Often the best walking weather of the year, with a busy cultural calendar and fewer tourists than summer.

• Winter (November–March)

  Cold rather than freezing; January highs average around 7°C. Short days, but Christmas lighting and near-empty museums compensate.

Getting there and getting around

Arriving

• By air

  Charles de Gaulle to the north is the main international airport, connected to the centre by the RER B suburban train and the RoissyBus. Orly to the south is served by the Orlybus and by metro line 14. Beauvais, used by some low-cost airlines, is about 85 km away and served by coach.

• By rail

  Paris has seven mainline terminus stations. Eurostar arrives at Gare du Nord; TGVs from Lyon and the south-east use Gare de Lyon; trains from the west and south-west use Montparnasse. All are on the metro.

Local transport

• Metro and RER

  Sixteen metro lines plus the RER express lines cover the city densely; stations are rarely more than 500 m apart in the centre. Trains run from about 05:30 to just after midnight, later at weekends. Ticketing is contactless via the Navigo card or a phone.

• Buses

  Slower than the metro but step-free and scenic. Routes along the river and the grand boulevards double as sightseeing.

• Vélib' bike share

  Thousands of stations across the city, with both mechanical and electric bikes, bookable through the app for short passes.

• On foot

  For most journeys within the central arrondissements walking is competitive with public transport once you include the time spent in stations.