A great place to take a break from the crowds of central Paris.
Given its position, smack-bang in the middle of Paris, sharing the Île de la Cité with Notre Dame, Place Dauphine can be an amazingly quiet and peaceful place. It was built by Henry IV of France, the second of his great Parisian public squares after the Place des Vosges in Le Marais. All of the houses were complete by 1616. The vast majority have been renovated, made taller or otherwise significantly altered - only the two that flank the entrance leading onto the Pont Neuf retain their original appearance, offering a charm-soaked glimpse of the Paris of 400 years ago.
A Hidden Gem
There’s a good reason why Place Dauphine rarely seems crowded - it’s not the kind of place you would stumble across on a typical wander around Paris’ major sights. You need to head to the western tip of the Île de la Cité, and you’ll find it just before the Pont Neuf. Entering from here, you will immediately notice that it isn’t actually a square, but rather a triangle. In the centre is a lovely shady area where you can find old men playing petanque and young couples taking in the sun. Cars are a rarity here, and in their place pedestrians stroll at leisure beneath the new trees. These used to be magnificent old chestnuts, but sadly in 2009 they were all cut down after succumbing to a parasite.
The life of the square goes on though, and it’s a great place to come to rest your legs after a day’s sightseeing. There are plenty of cafes and wine bars to be found here, which put out little wooden tables and chairs when the weather is fine.
During this fabulous four-hour walking tour of Paris, you will explore the most interesting and diverse central neighbourhoods the French capital has to offer. See the sights at your own pace and adapt your tour with your guide who will be happy to offer suggestions based on your preferences.
On your private half-day highlights tour, you will:
Explore Île de la Cité, one of the two remaining natural islands in the Seine River, considered the historic heart of Paris.
The medieval city of Paris was refounded here with the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle and the former prison, the Conciergerie. While on Île de la Cité, you will have time to walk around the hauntingly beautiful Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral.
The Latin Quarter along the Left Bank was so named because, until the French Revolution, university students in the area spoke only Latin to their professors.
You will visit this famed neighbourhood to immerse yourself in the Parisian atmosphere of yesteryear, whilst exploring the medieval streets and meandering through fantastic shops like Shakespeare and Company bookshop, Place Saint-Michel, and its gorgeous fountain.
As the tour continues, you will learn little-known facts about the French Revolution. You will be exploring the beautiful Tuileries Gardens and the Place de la Concorde, the site at which Louis XVI was beheaded during the French Revolution. Whilst here, do not forget to look out for the magnificent Champs-Élysées, the most famous shopping avenue in the world.
Lastly, you will stop off at the Pont Alexander III, the most beautiful bridge in Paris, where you can enjoy a splendid view of the Eiffel Tower and beyond the majestic Seine. J’aime Paris.
Enjoy a three-hour private walking tour of Paris, and explore the highlights of the French capital with an expert private guide from Montmartre to Notre Dame, followed by an idyllic river cruise along the Seine.
On your private tour, you will:
Begin with an hour's walking tour of Montmartre, the arty and bohemian neighbourhood of Paris, where an enclave of famous painters and artists like Van Gogh, Renoir and Picasso lived. Begin outside the magnificent Sacré-Cœur Basilica with its breathtakingly beautiful panoramic views over the whole of Paris, then enjoy an easy downhill stroll through the cobbled streets of Montmartre, passing through the artist's square, Place du Tertre, the studio Bateaux Lavoir, the Moulin de la Galette, the House of van Gogh and the infamous Moulin Rouge! Learn the fascinating history of this district with its many conflicts between art, religion and the military!
Then hop aboard the Paris Metro, helped by your guide, to the centre of Paris, where you'll enjoy the next part of your walking tour. Marvel at the famous Centre Pompidou building, described by its architect Renzo Piano as a "huge spaceship made of glass", and stroll through the charming Le Marais neighbourhood. This is the medieval and Jewish Quarter of Paris and is today filled with hip boutiques, galleries, and cafes.
Crossing the bridge onto one of the two remaining natural islands in the Seine, the Île de la Cité, you'll explore this historic heart of Paris, where the city was founded. You'll walk around the magnificent and hauntingly beautiful Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, as it undergoes a renovation after the 2019 fire. Learn all about the beauty of gothic architecture, and the cunning use of gargoyles.
You'll see the Conciergerie, which was the medieval home of the kings of France, and later became their prison! It is next to the Palais du Justice where the Revolutionary trials were held, and it is still a working law court today. Walk through the picturesque Place Dauphine towards the giant bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf (meaning New Bridge - that is actually 500 years old!) and enjoy wonderful views of the castle towers of the Conciergerie and the Louvre.
Your tour finishes at Pont Neuf, where your guide will give you tickets to join a one-hour river cruise that will take you past the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower and many other stunning monuments of Paris that line the river. These tickets can be used any time, any day during your stay in Paris.
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