Free things to do · Paris · France
8 free things to do in Paris
Paris without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ali Sabbagh, CC0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Paris without paying an entry fee: Notre-Dame Cathedral, Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre, Luxembourg Gardens and Le Marais and Place des Vosges are all free. Many national museums are free on the first Sunday of certain months and free for EU residents under 26; check each museum's policy.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 8
- Low-cost extras
- 2
- Cost level
- Expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–February and November
Free sights and experiences
Religious site · Île de la Cité
1.Notre-Dame Cathedral
Queues move quickly early on weekday mornings; a free online time slot can shorten the wait at busy periods.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Religious site · Montmartre
2.Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre
Take the funicular up (it accepts a Métro ticket) and walk down through the back streets towards Abbesses.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Garden · Saint-Germain-des-Prés
3.Luxembourg Gardens
Rent a toy sailboat at the Grand Bassin; it is one of the least expensive and most memorable things to do with young children in Paris.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Neighbourhood · Le Marais
4.Le Marais and Place des Vosges
Come on a Sunday, when many Marais shops open while much of Paris is closed.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
- Food
- Architecture
Museum · Le Marais
5.Musée Carnavalet
Don't miss the courtyard garden and the room of old painted shop signs near the entrance.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Garden · 1st arrondissement
6.Tuileries Garden
Grab a sandwich from a nearby bakery and eat it on the chairs around the Grand Bassin Rond.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
Historic site · 20th arrondissement
7.Père Lachaise Cemetery
Download or photograph a map at the entrance; graves are hard to find without one.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Waterfront · Canal Saint-Martin
8.Canal Saint-Martin
Pick up wine and cheese and join the locals on the quays around sunset.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Off the beaten path
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Île de la Cité | Notre-Dame Cathedral | 1 hour |
| Montmartre | Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre | Half a day |
| Saint-Germain-des-Prés | Luxembourg Gardens | 1–2 hours |
| Le Marais | Le Marais and Place des Vosges and Musée Carnavalet | Half a day + 1–2 hours |
| 1st arrondissement | Tuileries Garden | 45 minutes |
| 20th arrondissement | Père Lachaise Cemetery | 1.5–2 hours |
| Canal Saint-Martin | Canal Saint-Martin | 1–2 hours |
Worth a small ticket
Experience · Seine
Seine river cruise
Choose a sailing that leaves about 30 minutes before the hour after dark so you pass the Eiffel Tower as it sparkles.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
- Iconic
Garden · Latin Quarter
Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution
The Grande Galerie is one of the best rainy-day stops for children in Paris.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
More ways to save
- Many national museums are free on the first Sunday of certain months and free for EU residents under 26; check each museum's policy.
- Eat your main meal at lunchtime, when bistro set menus cost far less than dinner.
- Standing at the café counter is cheaper than sitting on the terrace.
- Picnics from markets and bakeries in the Luxembourg Gardens or along the Seine are a classic, cheap Paris meal.
- The Paris Museum Pass saves money only if you visit at least three or four paid sites a day.
- Visit between November and February, excluding the Christmas holidays, for the lowest hotel rates.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Paris expensive to visit?
Paris is expensive for most visitors, but 8 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Paris?
Notre-Dame Cathedral: Queues move quickly early on weekday mornings; a free online time slot can shorten the wait at busy periods.