Everyone says Paris is expensive. The tickets to the most famous things are. The Louvre, Orsay, the Eiffel Tower summit, a boat ride, a day at Versailles, and you’ve spent a lot of money to stand in a lot of lines.
But plenty of the best things here are free and most tourists don’t know they exist. I would happily pay for any of them. Here they are, with the one thing you need to know under each.
Most of the museums and markets are closed on Mondays. A couple of the passages are closed on Sundays.
One other thing: this is a walking list, and most of it is cobblestones. I wear the On Cloud 6 Waterproof, Matt wears Hokas, my mother swears by her Merrells. Whichever you pick, break them in at home first.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
1. Musée Carnavalet
A beautiful free museum dedicated to the history of Paris, right in the Marais.
Free every day, no booking. Closed on Mondays. Metro Saint-Paul.
2. The covered passages near Grands Boulevards
Gorgeous old-world arcades filled with little shops, cafés and incredible architecture.
Walk Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas, Passage Jouffroy and Passage Verdeau in that order. All four are open daily.
3. The Salle Ovale at the Bibliothèque nationale
A spectacular reading room, completely free to enter, with soaring ceilings, thousands of books and one of the most beautiful interiors in Paris.
It’s oval, not circular, which is where the name comes from. Closed on Mondays. 5 rue Vivienne.
4. Rue Crémieux
A tiny residential street lined with colorful houses that feels completely different from the Paris most visitors see.
People live here. Take your photo, keep your voice down, and don’t block a doorway.
5. Petit Palais
The permanent collection is free, it’s steps from the Champs-Élysées, and the building itself is worth seeing.
Free every day, no booking. Closed on Mondays. Metro Champs-Élysées Clemenceau.
6. Parc de Belleville
One of my favorite panoramic views over Paris, without fighting the Montmartre crowds.
It’s a real climb. If stairs are a problem, come in at the top on rue Piat instead of walking up.
7. Arènes de Lutèce
The remains of an ancient Roman amphitheater hiding right in the Latin Quarter.
Free, no gate, open daily. Victor Hugo is the reason it wasn’t demolished. Enter at 49 rue Monge.
8. The Art Nouveau metro entrances
Abbesses and Porte Dauphine are two of my favorites.
They’re the only two left with the original glass canopy. Guimard built 167 entrances and 88 survive.
9. Église Saint-Sulpice
Quieter than Notre-Dame and filled with history, gorgeous architecture and Delacroix murals.
The Delacroix murals are in the first chapel on your right as you walk in. Open daily.
10. Jardin du Palais Royal
Famous striped columns, beautiful gardens and a surprisingly peaceful break from busy Paris.
260 columns, installed in 1986. Free and open daily. Metro Palais Royal Musée du Louvre.
11. The Wallace Fountains
They’ve been providing Parisians with free drinking water since the 1800s, and you can refill your bottle too.
Around 109 of them, and it’s ordinary Paris tap water. Most get switched off from October until spring.
12. Coulée Verte René-Dumont
Paris’s elevated garden walkway that inspired New York’s High Line.
Only the first stretch is actually elevated, and the access elevators aren’t reliable, so plan on stairs.
13. Jardin des Plantes
A beautiful botanical garden that’s perfect for a walk or picnic.
The garden is free. The greenhouses, the zoo and the natural history galleries all charge.
14. Galeries Lafayette
That spectacular glass dome, then the rooftop terrace for one of the best free views in Paris.
Both free, no ticket and no purchase. The terrace closes in rain and high wind.
15. Free days at the national museums
Several national museums offer free admission on the first Sunday of certain months, but the dates and reservation rules vary, so check the museum before you go.
Orsay and the Orangerie still do first Sunday, with a free booking. The Louvre dropped it and does the first Friday evening instead. Rodin is October through March only.
16. Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris
The permanent collection is free, and it has works by Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani and more.
It’s a fifteen-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, not next door. Closed on Mondays. Don’t miss Dufy’s enormous La Fée Électricité.
17. The Eiffel Tower sparkle
Every evening when it gets dark the lights twinkle for five magical minutes. Totally free, and always worth it.
Five minutes at the top of each hour. The lighting shuts off around 11:45pm most of the year, so don’t plan a late one in winter.
18. Canal Saint-Martin
Quiet, local, and full of charm. Great for a picnic, people-watching, or a slow afternoon stroll.
Quiet on a weekday afternoon, packed on a summer evening. Parts of the quays are fenced for works into 2027.
19. Père Lachaise Cemetery
Final resting place of icons like Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, and Oscar Wilde. Haunting and beautiful.
Hilly, cobbled and genuinely uneven. Opens 9am on Sundays and 8am the rest of the week.
20. Marché d’Aligre
A lively food and flea market. You don’t have to buy a thing to enjoy the atmosphere.
Closed on Mondays. Mornings are best. Metro Ledru-Rollin.
21. Pont Saint-Louis
Between Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, it’s a constant free show.
Afternoons and early evenings are when the buskers are out. Busier since Notre-Dame reopened.
22. Saint-Eustache
Bigger than you’d expect, and often has free organ concerts.
The recitals are most Sunday evenings. Times move, so check the parish schedule that week.
23. Parc Monceau
Classy, quiet, and full of statues and curved walkways. Great local vibe.
The colonnade by the pond has been fenced off since storm damage in 2019. Everything else is open.
24. The passages of Montmartre
Go beyond Sacré-Coeur and discover cobbled alleys, ivy-covered staircases, and hidden art.
Walk Rue de l’Abreuvoir past La Maison Rose. The Wall of Love is fenced for repairs, so you can see it but not stand at it.
25. Pont Alexandre III
Possibly the most beautiful bridge in Paris, with views of the Eiffel Tower and ornate golden statues.
Under restoration since 2025, so expect some equipment on it. Still open to walk across.
26. The Printemps Haussmann rooftop
Free rooftop access, fewer crowds than Galeries Lafayette.
Part of the terrace is now a paid bar in season. Head for the open viewing side.
27. The Stravinsky Fountain
Right next to Centre Pompidou, this modern fountain is colorful, weird, and totally fun.
The Pompidou itself is closed for renovation until 2030, so this is a stop in its own right now.
28. Shakespeare and Company
This famous English-language bookstore near Notre-Dame is quirky, cozy, and legendary.
They cap how many people are inside, so expect a short line. No photos indoors, and they mean it.
29. The Grande Arche at La Défense
A modern architectural counterpoint to Arc de Triomphe. The plaza is free to explore.
The plaza is free. The rooftop closed permanently in 2023, so don’t go looking for it.
30. Rue Mouffetard
One of the oldest streets in Paris, packed with character, food stalls, and history.
Closed on Mondays. Stalls run Tuesday to Sunday, mostly mornings. Metro Censier-Daubenton.
The bottom line
Pick four or five, group them by neighborhood so you’re not crossing the city twice, and check the closing days. Then spend what you saved on lunch.
A list like this tells you where to go. The Smart Woman’s Guide to Safer Travel is full of actionable advice on how to travel safely, all of it things I actually do after close to 100 countries. It’s $19.99 and it’s an instant download. My packing guide and travel checklist are free.
