The History of Paris - City Center Guided Walking Tour & Notre-Dame Cathedral - Semi-Private 12ppl Max
About this activity
Explore the heart of Paris on a 2.5-hour semi-private guided walking tour for up to 12 guests, including an unguided visit inside Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Highlights
- Notre-Dame Cathedral, including an unguided interior visit
- Île de la Cité, the historic birthplace of Paris
- Pont Neuf and the Seine
- Louvre courtyards and glass pyramid (no museum entry)
- Tuileries Gardens and views of Place de la Concorde
Full description
Explore Paris on a 2.5-hour semi-private guided walking tour (12 guests max). An unguided Notre-Dame Cathedral interior visit is included, followed by Île de la Cité, Pont Neuf, the Louvre courtyards and the Tuileries Gardens.
Begin at the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral, where your guide shares its history before an unguided interior visit, as cathedral rules do not permit guided commentary inside. Continue through Île de la Cité, the birthplace of Paris, past Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. Cross Pont Neuf and follow the Seine past Pont des Arts to the Louvre courtyards; this walking tour does not enter the Louvre Museum. Stroll through the Tuileries Gardens and hear the history of Place de la Concorde, from royal Paris to the Revolution. Your guide shares stories of Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis XIV and Henri IV along the way. The tour lasts approximately 2.5 hours. Notre-Dame has no skip-the-line access for this tour, and entry to other ticketed monuments is not included.
Included / Excluded
- Semi-private guided walking tour (12 guests maximum)
- Unguided interior visit to Notre-Dame Cathedral
- Professional English-speaking guide
- 2.5-hour tour
- Tour operates rain or shine
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities (optional)
- Louvre Museum entry, admission to other ticketed monuments, and Notre-Dame skip-the-line access
Itinerary
Cité Métro, Île de la Cité & Notre-Dame
Meet by the Cité Métro sign, explore Île de la Cité, then enter Notre-Dame Cathedral for an unguided interior visit after your guide’s introduction. No skip-the-line access.
Pont Neuf & the Seine
Pass Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie from outside, cross Pont Neuf, and learn about Henri IV while walking along the Seine toward Pont des Arts. Ticketed monument admission is not included.
Meeting point
Start Location
Cité Métro (Line 4), 1 bis Rue de Lutèce, Paris
Paris, Cité, Paris, FR
Meet 10 minutes before departure outside Cité Métro station (Line 4), on the opposite side of the stairs beside the CITÉ sign, 1 bis Rue de Lutèce.
Get directions →Important information
Know before you book
- Semi-private tour with a maximum of 12 guests per guide.
- Provide a mobile phone number with country code so the guide can reach you.
- Full refund when cancelled at least 24 hours before the tour.
Know before you go
- Meet your guide 10 minutes early outside Cité Métro station (Line 4), on the opposite side of the stairs beside the CITÉ sign, 1 bis Rue de Lutèce.
- Arrive at least 10 minutes before your reserved departure time.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing; bring water.
Requirements
Items to bring
- Valid photo ID
Cancellation policy
Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Reviews
We booked this tour to get as much as possible out of our time at The Met. What we didn’t know we were getting was a personalized experience full of captivating stories about the artists' lives and the people who brought the art to the museum. Robin was a wealth of knowledge and a highlight of our trip to New York!
Spent a great day with Charlie he was very engaging and shared lots of information and entertaining stories with us. He took great care of us and we would recommend him for any future tours.
Mark, tour guide for the Metropolitan Museum is an outstanding teacher: engaging; entertaining; professional; personable; experienced and deeply knowledgeable as a result of a lifelong passion and relationship with the Met. He loves what he does and cares deeply about sharing his knowledge and insight to spark curiosity and inspire his clients--his students--to understand context and meaning of each piece or work of art reviewed. My wife, a retired professor emeritas and myself both left thoroughly impressed and grateful to have been taught by best and most captivating guides we have had the privilege of meeting on one of our many travels and adventures. Hire the best. Hire Mark. Worth every penny and every minute of your time you can afford at the Met. Like us, you will look forward to coming back for another teaching session from Mark. In my case, hopefully we will be back on my birthday next year! (Thanks again Mark!)
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Additional information
This 2.5-hour walking tour operates rain or shine and is not wheelchair accessible; the route includes outdoor stairs and uneven surfaces. Notre-Dame Cathedral is visited inside without guided commentary, as required by cathedral regulations; there is no skip-the-line access. The Louvre Museum is viewed from its courtyards but is not entered. Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie are viewed from outside; admission is not included. National celebrations or access restrictions may require a route change while retaining the main highlights.