Paris is not known as a budget travel destination and yet the city is full of sights, activities and experiences that don’t cost a cent. Like this (former French mint). From riverside beaches and picnics at Canal Saint-Martin, to watching footballers perform ‘keepy-uppies’ while toasting the sunset with a bottle of wine in the Sacré-Cœur – you just need to know where to go to look.
Below, our expert shares her guide to the best free things to do in Paris. For more inspiration, check out our guides to the best hotels, restaurants, bars, nightlife, things to do and shopping in the French capital, plus how to spend a weekend. in Paris.
Sunbathing on Paris Plage
If you’re visiting the city in the summer months, head to Paris Plages, the popular ‘beaches’ (with sun loungers and ice cream vendors) that pop up on the banks of the Seine and Basin de la Villette from mid-July to August. The attraction, which is now more than twenty years old, offers more every year. Recently, overheated city residents had the chance to actually swim for the first time in the Bassin de la Villette. Without spending a cent, you can enjoy the atmosphere of lazy bocce games and cool off under the giant cold air showers.
Contact: parisinfo.com
Nearest metro: Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11); Rivet (line 7)
Walk over the sleepers of a disused railway line
One of the best hidden curiosities in Paris – even for Parisians. La Petite Ceinture or ‘little belt’ is an abandoned railway line that once surrounded Paris within Napoleon’s Boulevards des Maréchaux. The first section has been disused since 1934, but has been reopened to the public and can now be explored in four of the city’s outer arrondissements. It is an unlikely piece of biodiversity, with an abundance of wildflowers, which contrast pleasantly with the industrial grimness of the old tracks. There is also a surprisingly high number of plant species and animals, from foxes to bumblebees.
Contact: parisinfo.com
Meet local artists in a former squat
This former squat, now a protected non-profit space, is located on Rue de Rivoli, between the Louvre and Châtelet. It houses 30 artists’ studios spread over six levels and the public is invited to the workshops six days a week. There are several permanent studios and changing areas, so you can see a wide range of art – from sculpture to colorful collages, photography or more traditional portraits. This is a great opportunity to get a glimpse of the Parisian art scene, but you should also be respectful: say “bonjour” and ask before taking photos of the artists’ work.
Contact: 59rivoli.org
Nearest metro: Châtelet (lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14)
Browse the bookstalls along the river
The striking green metal boxes of the ‘bouquinistes’, or booksellers, on the riverbank are true icons of Paris (they are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The placement of the stands was determined by the state in the 19th century and today there are still only 240 designated vendors. Peruse the curious selections of yellow page novels, retro fashion magazines and back issues of Tintin, which in recent years have also been accompanied by tourist trinkets and postcards. Wandering past these stalls, a picturesque route that takes you past Notre-Dame, is a wonderful way to spend a sunny afternoon.
Contact: parisinfo.com
Picnic by the canal
Mingle with young, trendy types and drink in the beautiful views during a picnic on Canal Saint-Martin. Once the sun rises in spring, you’ll see locals lining the beautiful bridge-adorned canal (immortalized in Amélie), sipping beer and eating picnic food bought from one of the nearby supermarkets. This is a great way to start a balmy spring-summer evening and you always have the option of moving on to the lively bars in the area afterwards. The canal is car-free on Sundays, so this is a good time to go.
Nearest metro: République (lines 3, 5, 8, 9, 11) Goncourt (line 11), Jacques Bonsergent (line 5)
Taste the noble Paris
It is possible to walk in front of the enormous doors of the Hotel de Sully on Rue Saint-Antoine and have no idea of the beautiful courtyards of the mansions within. Formerly owned by the Sully family, this exquisite Louis XIII-style hotel dates back to the 17th century, when the Marais was the place to be for French nobility. Note the ornate carvings on the facade, including allegorical figures depicting the seasons and the elements. Stop to listen to the birdsong in the tranquil gardens before entering the beautiful Place des Vosges (another great spot for a picnic).
Contact: hotel-de-sully.fr
Nearest metro: Saint Paul (line 1)
Enjoy the atmosphere on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur
On a summer evening, enjoy a €6 bottle of wine from the supermarket (which you can buy a decent bottle of) and head to the steps of the Sacré-Cœur on Montmartre Hill. There is always some form of street entertainment here, ranging from fire jugglers, buskers strumming guitar covers and footballers performing amazing keepy-uppies. If you go here in the evening the atmosphere is generally lively but friendly, but like any densely populated place in the city you need to be vigilant with your belongings and keep your valuables close.
Contact: sacre-coeur-montmartre.com
Nearest metro: Antwerp (Line 2), then take the cable car or climb the stairs; Abbesses (line 12)
Explore a hidden Parisian ‘country village’
La Campagne à Paris (Paris Countryside) is perhaps one of the French capital’s best-kept secrets. The mini-village, which sits atop a small hill in the non-touristy 20th arrondissement, is made up of 92 impossibly quaint houses. Just a few minutes from Paris’s ‘Périphérique’ ring road, the area is a rural enclave of flower boxes, wisteria and pastel colours. The village was founded as a cooperative for working families – today the houses are a lot more expensive. End your trip with a stroll to the nearby cultural hotspots La Bellevilloise or La Maroquinerie.
Nearest metro: Porte de Bagnolet (line 3)
Discover the city’s most underrated church
Rising above the Right Bank district of Les Halles-Montorgueil, the enormous Gothic church of Saint-Eustache is the second largest church in Paris after Notre-Dame, yet receives only a fraction of the number of visitors. The beautiful Gothic nave and vault, combined with Renaissance architectural details, are reason enough to visit, but it also has stained glass windows dedicated to charcuterie and a triptych by New York artist Keith Haring. There are also regular modern art installations in the chapels and a sculpture depicting the last food market in neighboring Les Halles, before it moved to the suburbs.
Contact: saint-eustache.org
Nearest metro: Les Halles (4,1,7,11,14)
Enjoy one of the city’s few free art collections
The Petit Palais was built in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition, along with its larger sister across the street and the Pont Alexendre III, and has one of the few free permanent collections in Paris. The Museum of Fine Arts covers antiquity, the Middle Ages, the French and Italian Renaissance and Flemish and Dutch paintings. The French collection includes Monet, Renoir, Delacroix Toulouse-Lautrec and more. The Belle Époque building itself is worth lingering, with its vast galleries, large arched windows and painted domes. Take a moment to take a break in the charming colonnaded courtyard.
Contact: petitpalais.paris.fr
Nearest metro: Champs-Elysees-Clemenceau (lines 1 and 13)
