Hidden Gems and Secret Paris free tour

JUMP OFF THE TOURIST MAPS

90 min / FREE TOUR - TIP-SUPPORTED
11am on Saturday and Monday

booking is required

What's in our tour?

Don’t walk right past the best of Paris. On this Hidden Gems and Secret Paris tour, a local Parisian will share with you countless gems that tourist maps do not show.

We meet right outside the Louvre by the glass pyramid. It is time for our first mystery already. Why is the statue of the Sun-King placed right here? And what did Napoleon leave behind him for all of us to see?

Next, your guide takes you through a dark archway. Soon you are able to peek at the sculpture collection of the Sun-King. Around the corner, the guide point to the lavish café that fills up with locals as soon as the museum closes for the night.

We make our way to “Palais royal” – the illegal gambling hall set up by the King’s cousin, and once a hotbed of the French revolution. The guide points to the home of the Chairman of the National Central Bank – the job comes with some good perks. You enjoy harmonious water fountains and immaculate flower beds. The guide points to secret Parisian shops and to controversial art by Buren.

The guide walks you through a concealed doorway and on to place Valois – the French Minister has just turned this grand courtyard back over to the general public.

We discover a Parisian “passage” – the ornate, high-ceiling, 200-year-old ancestor of the “shopping arcade”. The passage we visit is now home to such exclusive stores as Louboutin shoes’ leading shop.

We then “stumble upon” stately place des Victoires, designed by the chief architect of Versailles, by the creator of the Hall of Mirrors. At the center, we enjoy our second horseman statue of the Sun-King.

We then access a former convent courtyard which transports us all the way to Rome – all the way to religious artifacts for sale.

Our finale takes place in galerie Vivienne, an “indoor-street” built inside a block of buildings. With this hard-to-find gem your exploration of Secret Paris can end. Before parting with you, your guide shares some tips for unlocking the secrets of Paris all over the city.

So we can see more on this tour, we do not spend time going inside each building.

Highlights

  • bundles of surprises, secret venues and hidden gems
  • photo spots and exclusive shops not listed in the standard guide-books
  • free-flowing conversation with an engaging and enthusiastic, born-and-raised local
  • 90 minutes, in English, along a short and comfortable route

Where and when?

Our Secret Paris tour runs at 11am on Saturday and Monday.

We meet by the horse statue outside the Le Louvre glass pyramid.

This tour ends at or near Palais Royal, a short 5 minutes from metro stations Palais royal and Opéra.

Booking is required. We advise large groups to book a private tour. In the interest of all guests, we reserve the right to accommodate or to turn down large groups.

Why take this tour?

After this tour of Secret Paris, you will feel like a true Parisian. Bring with you a map of Paris and a pen, so you can find these hidden Parisian places again.

HOT DAY SPECIAL: We walk in the shade as much as possible and every tour makes frequent stops for water. EXCLUSIVELY WITH DISCOVER WALKS.

Price

This is a free walking tour, where you pay the guide what you want at the end of the tour.

Reservations are required.

Join our meeting point 5 minutes before starting time.

If you wish to book this tour, use the booking button on the right side of this page.

Privatize this tour

You can request a private tour of this “Hidden Gems and Secret Paris” tour, starting at €185.

Privatize this tour

Other information

This tour is wheelchair accessible

Average tip on this tour: €12
Average time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Look for our distinct pink vests

Hidden gems tour meeting point

Starts

outside the Louvre glass pyramid - at the foot of the horse statue

> Print the map

When

11am on Saturday and Monday

Metro station

closest station : Palais Royal -musée du Louvre (line 1)

Additional information

Average tip on this tour: €12
Average time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Average number of guests 8

This secret Paris tour ends in central Paris

Look for our distinct pink vests

become a city guide paris
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