Marais and Saint Paul Audio Guided Walking Tour

2–5 hours Private tour

Marais and Saint Paul Audio Guided Walking Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Walk across the heart of old Paris on your own schedule. This self-guided tour leads you from the Place de la Bastille through the Marais and Saint-Paul to the gardens of the Palais Royal, 27 stops over roughly 4 km, in 3 to 4 hours.

You receive a beautifully illustrated digital guide with maps, addresses and Google Maps links, plus recorded audio commentary at every stop that you unlock with a simple QR code. No group, no fixed departure time: start when you like and walk at your own pace.

Highlights include the Place des Vosges and Victor Hugo's house, the oldest surviving graffiti in Paris, the medieval Hôtel de Sens, Philippe Auguste's 12th-century wall, the Pompidou Center with its celebrated street art, and the Palais Royal with its striking Buren columns.

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At a glance

Duration: 2–5 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–30
Audio guide: English
Written guide: English
Operated by: Paris Backstages

What is included

Included

Included: Audio commentary at all 27 stops via QR code
Included: Digital walking guide (PDF) with route map
Included: Addresses and Google Maps links for every stop

Not included

Not included: Food and drinks
Not included: Entry tickets, stopping inside museums or monuments is entirely optional
Not included: Physical printed materials

Itinerary

Jardin du Port de l'Arsenal

Passing by

The old commercial port of the Arsenal, where the Canal Saint-Martincomes up from under the boulevard and meets the Seine.
Place de la Bastille

Passing by

An old fortress stood on the site of the square you are standing in. It was completely destroyed on 14 July 1789 during the storming of the Bastille
Opera Bastille

Passing by

The Opera Bastille is among the largest and most impressive opera houses in the world.
Place des Vosges

Passing by

Its first name was the Place Royale, because it was designed and built between 1605 and 1612 under Henri IV
Hotel de Sully

Passing by

HIDDEN GEMS GARDEN
4th Arr. - Hotel-de-Ville

Passing by

Since 1357 the City Hall of Paris has never left this spot, though the building itself has changed a greatdeal over the centuries.
Centre Pompidou

Passing by

In the 1960s President Georges Pompidou launched the great project of a centre for contemporary art, to extend the reach of French culture
Fontaine Stravinsky

Passing by

At the foot of the Centre Pompidou, the Igor Stravinsky fountain was built in 1983 by the artists JeanTinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle
Place des Vosges

Passing by

Its first name was the Place Royale, because it was designed and built between 1605 and 1612 under Henri IV.
Hotel de Sens

Passing by

The only medieval castle left in Paris, and something of a Loire château set down beside the Seine.
Le BHV Marais

Passing by

The Marais is full of fashion shops and good places to eat, and it even has its own department store: the BHV Marais.
Saint-Merri

Passing by

Above the central doorway of Saint-Merri, at 78 Rue Saint-Martin, a small winged demon is carved, both man and woman
Les Halles

Passing by

The story of Les Halles is much older than people think. Its origins go back to 1137, when Louis VI setup a first market on this spot, on former marshland.
Palais-Royal

Passing by

The palace was sheltered from the eyes of the surroundingstreets while sitting in the very heart of the capital.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Metro line 1, 5 or 8 to Bastille, come out at the July Column in the middle of the square. Also bus 20, 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, and Vélib' stations all around. This is a self-guided tour: no group, no guide waiting. Start whenever you like. Many shops close Saturday, open Sunday.