How it works
- Booking: on a free-tour platform (GuruWalk is the best known) or with an operator. Booking and cancelling are free; the exact meeting point is in the confirmation (one historic-centre tour, for example, starts at the Hôtel de Ville).
- Tip: up to you. One GuruWalk listing recommends from 15 EUR per person; other sources say 5 to 10 EUR. Think 5 to 15 EUR, depending on length and guide quality.
- Cash: few guides take cards. Bring notes.
- Length: 2 to 3 hours. Common themes: historic centre, Montmartre, Napoleon, night walks.
- Possible fees: a few tours ask for a small group fee before departure; read the listing's conditions.
What a free tour does not cover
You see monuments from the outside: entry to Notre-Dame, the Sainte-Chapelle or the Louvre is not included. For tickets, see our guide to guided tours in Paris, which also covers Paris Greeters (a free stroll with a local, on request).
Free tour or paid tour?
| Free tour | Paid tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Tip, 5 to 15 EUR | Known fixed price |
| Group | Often 10 to 25 people | Often smaller |
| Entrance | No | Depends on the offer |
| Best for | Getting your bearings | Saving time, digging into a district |
If you want a set plan and a known price, a small-group guided walk of historic Paris and the Latin Quarter is a paid alternative for the same area.
Tips
- Be at the meeting point 10 minutes early.
- Keep small notes and coins for the tip.
- Beware of fake guides who approach you near monuments: a real free tour is booked.
- The amounts above are benchmarks from October 2026, not official rates.
