Semi-Private Latin Quarter Guided Walking Tour | Paris

Begin your tour on Île de la Cité, the island where Paris was first founded. Once called Lutetia by its Roman settlers, this historic site is the birthplace from which the city expanded.

See the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, the world’s most beloved church and a masterpiece of medieval Gothic architecture. Newly restored after the 2019 fire, it remains one of Paris’s most enduring symbols.

Pass by the monumental Saint-Michel Fountain, commissioned by Haussmann under Napoleon III and inspired by a painting by Raphael. It depicts the Archangel Michael vanquishing the Devil—or perhaps Napoleon III vanquishing his enemies.

Next, we will head toward Shakespeare and Company, Paris’s most beloved bookstore. Just minutes from Notre-Dame, this legendary shop provided refuge to literary figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s and '60s.

Discover Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, a Melkite Greek Catholic parish church and one of Paris’s oldest religious buildings. Nestled in Square René Viviani, this spot offers spectacular views of the south side of Notre-Dame.

Visit Saint-Séverin, the oldest and largest Gothic church on the Left Bank. Admire its stunning stained glass and medieval architecture.

Also known as the National Museum of the Middle Ages, this museum is housed in a gorgeous abbey built upon and incorporating the remnants of third-century Gallo-Roman thermal baths, some of the oldest structures in the city.

This prestigious institution became the epicenter of knowledge in France. Closely linked to academia, royalty, and social movements, discover the rich and often provocative history of France's most famous university.

We will then make our way to the Panthéon, originally built as a church dedicated to Saint Geneviève, now serving as a secular mausoleum. This monumental structure houses the remains of notable French figures such as Voltaire and Rousseau.

Explore the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens, situated on the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter. Inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence, they were created in 1612 at the initiative of Queen Marie de’ Medici and span 25 hectares.

If time permits, we will visit Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, a charming Baroque church that contains the shrine of Saint Geneviève, the tomb of Jean Racine, and remarkable architectural features.

See the Wall of Philip II Augustus, the oldest surviving city wall in Paris. This stone fortification was ordered by the French king before his departure for the Third Crusade.

Our tour will stop at Place de la Contrescarpe, one of Paris’s most charming squares, located just around the corner from the former homes of Hemingway, George Orwell, and James Joyce—to name a few!