26 Mar 8 Free Things to do in Paris
City of Light or city of love, Paris will always be the place to discover the French art, culture, gastronomy and fashion. Paris is full of museums, festivals and famous monuments. Who has not heard of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum or the Arc de Triomphe? So many beauties to discover – or rediscover – in the capital of France. In this post, find 8 completely free things to do during your next trip to Paris. Good visit!
1. Free museums and monuments in Paris
There are many, many museums and monuments in Paris and the Paris region, with extraordinary cultural and artistic treasures: the Louvre, Centre Pompidou, quai Branly – Jacques Chirac and the Musée d’Orsay.
Several of these exceptional venues can be visited free of cost at specific times on particular days. For example, the permanent collections at the Musée de la Vie romantique and the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris offer free entry all year round. In fact, all of the fourteen City of Paris museums offer year-round free admission.
Other museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of each month, including the Musée d’Art Moderne, the Pompidou Centre and the Musée d’Orsay. Some museums, like the Louvre, the Conciergerie and the Sainte Chapelle, are free all year round for people under 26. For the complete list of free museums and monuments in Paris, click here.
2. Explore parks and gardens
Beautiful parks with exotic varieties of trees, flowerbeds and colourful plants are great places to relax, explore, and enjoy moments of tranquillity. The most popular parks are Le Jardin des Tuileries, Le Jardin du Luxembourg and Le Jardin des Plantes.
3. Notre-Dame-de-Paris & Sacré-Coeur
With free admission, why not take advantage of these two holy places? The famous cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-Paris was built in the 12th century and is a symbol of the city. The Sacré-Coeur basilica was built in the 19th century. These are the two most visited religious buildings in France. Their architectural beauty will charm you for sure!
4. Free guided tours
To explore some of the most authentic places in Paris, get in touch with a ‘greeter’. These volunteer guides take you on free walks through little-known parts of the city and show you around the Paris they know and love. Tours can be booked on Paris greeters.
5. Visit cemeteries
The best known cemeteries in Paris are Père Lachaise and the Montmartre and Montparnasse cemeteries, but there are 14 cemeteries altogether in the French capital. The largest cemetery in the city is Père Lachaise. Peaceful place to walk there, you can meet with celebrities such as Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde or Moliere.
6. Walks on the trail of film locations
Movie lovers will be delighted to learn that the Paris City Hall organizes walks on the trail of film locations, an activity that will make you discover the city’s neighborhoods from famous movies like The Devil wears Prada, Ratatouille and Le Petit Nicolas.
7. Roll the streets
Paris Roller organizes evenings “Rando roller” where people gather to visit Paris in rollerblades. A sporty way to discover the main attractions of Paris for free.
8. Window shopping
Recognized as one of the capitals of fashion, Paris brings together the world’s biggest names in terms of luxury: Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Dior or Saint-Laurent Paris. The Champs-Élysées offerd 2 km of shops.
Now that you have these free activities to do in Paris, your trip will be more enjoyable, without breaking the bank!