Paris City Center "the History of Paris" Exclusive Guided Walking Tour
130 Reviews
Paris, France
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City Tours hosted by Babylon Tours Paris
2 hours and 40 minutes (approx.)
Up to 12 travelers
Meet everyone at the start point
Mobile ticket
Offered in English
About
- TOUR GUIDE EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU (Does NOT apply if you choose "SAVE! BOOK SEMI-PRIVATE" option)
- DURATION 2.5 HOURS
- TOUR WILL RUN, RAIN OR SHINE
- PRIVATE WALKING TOUR (Does NOT apply if you choose "SAVE! BOOK SEMI-PRIVATE" option)
- Tour Price Does NOT Include Hotel Pickup or Drop-Off (We Recommend UBER or Taxi)
- Tour Does NOT Include Gratuities (OPTIONAL)
What's not included
Pickup point
Multiple pickup locations offered. During checkout you will be able to select from the list.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop atIle de la Cite
Once at the meeting point, you will start your tour by exploring ile de la cite, the oldest settlement in Paris. Once known as Lutetia, this former Roman city was the predecessor of present-day Paris, from which the city grew outwards.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atCathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris
From here, you will see the infamous Notre-Dame Cathedral – the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, distinguished for its size, antiquity and architectural interest.
10 minutes (approx.)・Admission not included
Stop atPalais de Justice de Paris
Located on the île de la Cité the Palais de Justice, once known as the Palais de la Cité contains some of the oldest surviving buildings such as:
10 minutes (approx.)・Admission not included
Stop atSainte-Chapelle
A gem of Gothic style, the St Chapelle was built in seven years. It was intended to house precious Christian relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns, acquired by Saint louis.
10 minutes (approx.)・Admission not included
Stop atConciergerie
The Conciergerie is the oldest remaining part of the Palais de la Cité, as well as at a time the most notorious prison in all of France. Over a thousand “enemies of the Revolution” were housed there, and famous figures like Marie Antoinette ended their lives there.
10 minutes (approx.)・Admission not included
Stop atFontaine Saint-Michel
You will then pass by the Saint-Michel fountain, a monumental fountain commissioned by Haussmann, under Napoleon III. It depicts the archangel Michael vanquishing the Devil, evoking thoughts of the battle between Good and Evil.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atPlace Dauphine
Afterwards, we will see Place Dauphine, a beautiful historic square, combining all the beauty and romance of Paris. Tucked away on the western tip of the île de la Cité, Place Dauphine was one of the first projects commissioned by Henri IV.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atPont Neuf
From here, we will walk to the bridge, Pont Neuf, which is considered to be the oldest stone bridge in Paris. Today Pont-Neuf is part of the banks of the Seine listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atStatue equestre d'Henri IV
In the middle of the bridge we will see the equestrian statue of King IV. Although the original statue dated from the 1600s, the one you will see today is a replica in its placed, as the original was destroyed during the French Revolution.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atPont des Arts
Before making our way to the Louvre we will see the Pont des Arts, a bridge which connects the Insitut de France and the Louvre. Built between 1801 and 1804, it was the first iron bridge in Paris.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atLouvre Museum
We will then move towards the infamous Louvre Museum, the world’s most visited art museum with a collection that spans work from ancient civilizations to the mid-19th century. During this part of the tour, we will pass through the Cour Carrée, one of the main courtyards of the Louvre Palace and see the Louvre Pyramid, the museum’s main entrance, designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei.
10 minutes (approx.)・Admission not included
Stop atDomaine National du Palais-Royal
Created by the Cardinal Richelieu in 1633, the Palais Royal and its gardens, are just a short walk from the Louvre. The Palace housed royal families up until the Palace of Versailles was built. Here you will be able to enjoy the peaceful gardens surrounded by a fantastic futuristic architecture with contemporary sculptures.
10 minutes (approx.)・Admission not included
Stop atArc de Triomphe du Carrousel
Leaving the Louvre behind us we will walk towards the Tuileries Gardens, passing through the Arc du Carrousel, a huge arc built to commemorate Napoleon’s military victories.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atJardin des Tuileries
We will then enter the Tuileries Gardens, the oldest Park in Paris, with a history that dates back to the 17th century.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atThe Tuileries Gardens Bookstore
During your stroll in the Tuileries Gardens, you will pass by the Gardens’ Bookshop, a quaint bookstore tucked away in a corner which contains a large collection of gardening and landscape design books, along with some garden themed gifts and cards.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
Stop atPlace de la Concorde
We will end our tour at Place de la Concord, a site originally known for having been an execution site during the French Revolution, and which marks the start of the Champs Elysée.
10 minutes (approx.)・No admission tickets required
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- It is imperative that you provide us with guests MOBILE PHONE NUMBER (including country code)
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Notes: The tour route may be affected by national celebrations. When this occurs, we will provide guests with an alternative route still being able to see all the highlights on the tour. In these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts. No large bags or suitcases are allowed during this tour. We recommend comfortable shoes, a bottle of water, umbrella in case of rain and hat during summer. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some can’t be visited from the inside.
- IMPORTANT RE: WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY **Wheelchair friendly tour is only available as a PRIVATE TOUR (if you chose the "SEMI-PRIVATE TOUR" option, you will not be able to have a tour or a refund)**
Cancellation Policy
Free Cancellation: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Questions?
Visit the Help Centre for any further questions.
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Traveler photos
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Reviews
130 Reviews
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Francois knows the history of France
hemavm2014, Dec 2024
Francois was a wonderful guide for our tour. His deep knowledge of history as a resident Parisian and ability to infuse theatrics and humor into the narrative was much appreciated. We did not know how 2.5 hours flew by - even the kids were engaged throughout. And the recommendations and post tour support was a wonderful gesture.
Walking history tour
sara_b, Dec 2024
Tour guide was great!! Knew so much history about Paris and was very animated when talking and telling stories. Kept your interest for sure! We really enjoyed him!
A1 Experience!
maryjok447, Dec 2024
From the get-go Agustina was amazing! She was bubbly, thorough, extremely sincere, delightful, and just a lot of fun! This is our first trip to Paris and Agustina left us with a most wonderful impression of this beautiful city. Her knowledge about the history of Paris and the architecture was impressive and much appreciated! She even graciously allowed us to stop and get coffee and breakfast on the way during our tour:-). What a wonderful way to begin our vacation…thank you Agustina for showing us the way!!!
Fabulous tour and experience with Liliya
N1787ARsamanthat, Dec 2024
Liliya was absolutely fantastic. We had a private tour with her. She was very accommodating and made our tour feel really special. Liliya has deep knowledge about Paris. I was entertained the whole time. She was easy to talk to and gave great shopping suggestions. She also took great pictures of my boyfriend and I in front of different places! Thank you, Liliya!
A TOTAL MUST!
CatherineMelTurn, Dec 2024
A Total MUST!!! We learned so much and discovered secret spots we would have never known about with our Guide Georgia. She was amazing!!!!!!