Home » Blog » Europe » France » Explore Paris By Foot, Bike Or Boat: The Best Ways To See Paris

Explore Paris By Foot, Bike Or Boat: The Best Ways To See Paris

Polish your French accent, wanderers, we're going to explore Paris. Even if it's just for a few days, let's discover la vie Parisienne and I promise you it's going to be très bien!

Ernest Hemingway once said himself, ‘There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris.'

No wonder Paris is one of the most visited destinations in the world.

That being said, long queues, crowds, tourist scams, and other unpleasant incidents are common and to be expected. It’s the down side of being the world’s favourite city to travel to. And while I was never a fan of Paris in the first place when my parents took me there as a teenager, it might've been love at second sight and Paris has a new fan in me now!

So hang tight and read on so I can give you an understanding of the best ways to see Paris.

eiffel tower at sunset in Paris

Paris Travel Tips: Tourist Traps To Avoid

To start off, here are some extra cool tips when visiting Paris so you don't trap over the things other tourists don't know.

Don’t Fall For The Shell Game Scam

The shell game scam commonly comes in two forms. One is finding the small ball under three cups or matchboxes as the dealer shuffles them quickly around either on a little table or on the pavement. The other alternative is finding the white marker on the bottom side of one of the three discs.

To unsuspecting victims, the game seems legit because of the people playing and winning it but in fact, those people are in on the scam as well. Better steer off this seemingly honest game.

Book Tickets Online To Avoid Long Queues

Outside the Louvre in Paris

Long queues are always a chore especially in Paris where there are so many sights to see and a lot of sightseers wanting to see them as well. Save yourself from long hours of standing in line to buy a ticket, just book your tickets on the Internet instead.

Online booking is available for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Montparnasse Tower, the Pantheon, and Sainte-Chapelle.

If you're a total museum buff, just purchase the Paris Museum Pass to visit over 60 of the top museums in Paris. Buy your pass through Get Your Guide and you'll enjoy priority skip-the-line too! You can choose 2,4 or 6 days, depending on your length of stay in Paris.

Tickets are also sold online for Disneyland Paris! Booking your ticket in advance is easy, fast and secure and you'll be able to jump the queue when you get there!

I did a lot of walking around Paris, but also took public transport. The official Paris Visite Transport Pass makes it easy to explore Paris at your leisure as you can travel on public transport like trams and Paris Metro for free and includes a 1-hour boat cruise as well as access to the Hop on Hop off bus with Big Bus for 2 to 5 days, depending on the time you are in the city. 

No matter what attractions you decide to visit in Paris, I highly recommend you book ahead to not miss out or get stuck in long queues. When you book online, you can easily skip the line and when you book your Paris tours through Get Your Guide, you get a mobile voucher send to you as well as easy and free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity starts!

Explore Paris outside the Louvre

Don’t Eat On The Famous Champs-Élysées

As tempting as it may be to dine at one of the many restaurants and cafés along the popular Avenue des Champs-Élysées, I tell you the grandeur of the place doesn't make up for the high prices and low-quality food that will be served to you.

Generally, restaurants and bars close to any famous sight and landmark have very expensive prices and are questionable if you want to try real authentic French food.

Instead, get your fill around the Bastille district or St. Germain, two cool areas that are far but not too far from all the famous sights and still serve up decent food at reasonable prices. I also fell in love with the neighbourhood of Belleville, with its hidden little bars, no-frills restaurants and monthly street food markets. So good!

Choose Small Restaurants With French Menus

There is no questioning the par excellence of classic French restaurants with many Michelin star restaurants to choose from but that comes at a much higher cost per dish. If you want to save rather than splurge and still get a taste of French cuisine, here's my ultimate tip!

Search for Parisian bistros and smaller brasseries where locals line up and where the menus are in French and not in English.

Brunches are common in Paris and though they may seem costly, they usually are very filling and sizeable.

Go On Top Of Tour Montparnasse Observation Deck Instead Of The Eiffel Tower

Depending on the time of the year, the waiting time to go up the Eiffel Tower is borderline unbearable. Sure, the view is great but there's a much better alternative!

Instead of seeing Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower, head over to Tour Montparnasse Observation Deck. No more than 2 miles away from the Eiffel Tower sits the Tour Montparnasse skyscraper.

In just 38 stunning seconds on their elevator, you'll be whisked up to the 56th floor that has an indoor observatory with multimedia displays about the city and its landmarks.

Take the stairs to the 59th floor and see Paris lying at your feet from this al fresco terrace. Seeing the cityscape through Tour Montparnasse is not only prettier but much less of a hassle too.

The absolute cherry on top is that your pictures of Paris aerial view will now include the famed Eiffel Tower!

Paris attractions Montparnasse at sunset

If you keep all these things in mind, you will have an amazing time exploring Paris, just like I did.

And now, here are the seven different ways to have a great time seeing all the many sights Paris has to offer. And believe me, a lifetime might now be enough to see it all…

1. Cruise Paris By Scooter

explore Paris by Vespa
explore Paris by scooter

Paris' Vespas are world-renowned, making appearances in oh so many films and books. For your Paris tour with a cute Vespa, make sure you book ahead to not miss out when you land in the city of love. Such a romantic thing to do in Paris!

I absolutely loved this way of seeing Paris, because that's truly how the locals do it too and you can literally stop anywhere interesting that catches your eye.

The tour will take you to the main attractions like the Eiffel Tower, Invalides, Louvre, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, Pantheon, Notre Dame, Place Concorde, and much more. You will also get to see some of the less touristy areas such as St-Germain des Prés and the Latin Quarter.

2. See Paris By Foot

Eiffel Tower Paris in winter

Paris has 20 arrondissements or neighbourhoods. All of which are a thrill to explore on foot.

My top 3 favourites, that you shouldn't miss, are:

  • Montmartre
  • The Latin Quarter
  • The Marais

I'd say, pick one and just go and discover its hidden beauty. Comfy shoes are a must for this sort of sightseeing tour!

You either just map out the things you want to see in the neighbourhood or join a guided walking tour.

I especially like walking tours a local, like this one, so you know they actually grew up and live in the city and can truly tell you the in and outs and give you hundred of great tips.

Things To See In Montmatre

Montmartre's atmosphere is way different than the elegant, old-age style of metro Paris. What you can expect in Montmartre are neon signs, racy shops, and bargain stores.

Its' key features are the Moulin Rouge cabaret, a visit to the Basilica de Sacre-Coeur, Church of St. Pierre, Maison Rose Restaurant, which was once frequented by Picasso himself, Montmartre Museum, Lapin Agile Cabaret, and Bateau Lavoire where Picasso's studio was located before.

Book your walking tour in Montmatre with instant confirmation and free cancellation up to 24 hours before!

Things To See In The Latin Quarter

If you're travelling on a budget, the Latin Quarter is the place to go. It's a mecca for budget travellers, artists, and international students.

Other than being budget-friendly, the Latin Quarter is also known for its active, social vibe attested by the numerous bars and night clubs locals and tourists would drop in after hours.

Must-sees here are The Pantheon, The Sorbonne, the markets of Rue Mouffetard, Church of St. Severin, and Shakespeare & Co. Bookshop. Apparently, you can even stay here for free for a night or two or even longer, so if you are ever stranded in Paris with no place to stay, you could be Tumbleweeding at Shakespeare & Co., as they call it!

Essentially they will provide you with a place sleep in return for a few hours of work in the bookshop. How cool is that!

Even if you didn't run out of money and needed a free place to stay in Paris, I would almost do it for the experience of sleeping between literary history, young writers and old classics. It's kinda romantic, right?

Book your walking tour in the Latin Quarter with local guide and printed or mobile voucher!

Things To See In Le Marais

Explore Paris by Foot

Lastly, Le Marais is possible my most favourite quarter out of all of them – even though it's super hard to pick!

Le Marais is essentially a melting pot of different cultures. It's the old Jewish neighbourhood and the Jewish immigrants were originally cloth makers but today, Le Marais is filled with trendy fashion boutiques, restaurants and individual stores.

Le Marais also boasts with art and history as you will see in the many museums, art galleries, chic cafés and shops. The serene public squares are also something you shouldn't miss.

Top attractions in Le Marais include:

  • Musee Picasso
  • Musee des Arts et Metiers
  • Place de la Bastille
  • Bastille Opera House
  • Victor Hugo's House and
  • The Jewish History and Art Museum.

Book your walking tour in Le Marais with Get Your Guide with an English tour guide, instant confirmation and mobile voucher!

3. Ride Past The Best Of Paris By Bike

exploring Paris by bike

Another way to witness the different Paris attractions is through a bicycle. Blue Bike has some cute bikes to tour around with.

I did two bike tours, a highlights tour and another 4-hour off-the-beaten-path bike tour, which truly was the best way to see what Paris has to offer.

Stop at the Notre Dame Cathedral and marvel at the interesting gargoyles. Then, on to Musée d’Orsay where you can see the best impressionist paintings.

Cycle along the Seine River and stop by the Pont Alexandre III bridge to learn its history. Over the river, you'll find Hotel des Invalides where you will get to know the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte.

For lunch, you'll grab a bite at the market street called Rue Cler where there are numerous food stalls and cafés to choose from.

Afterward, you get your food down and your energy back up, you'll head over to the most famous sight in Paris, the Eiffel Tower.

best way to tour Paris is by bike

Then, on to the Grand and Petit Palais buildings. Have you heard about Marie-Antoinette? You'll learn more about her at Place de la Concorde. Last on the itinerary is a visit (from the outside at least) to the home of Mona Lisa, the grand Louvre Museum. That's a great route for any first-time traveller to Paris!

If you want to see the hidden treasures of Paris that are off the beaten path, a bike tour is truly the best as it will take you through side alleys of the Latin quarter, past the oldest café in the world, through the enticing smell of the market street of Rue de Buci and to the church that was featured in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code where you can spot the Rose Line.

Head past the Roman Arena that has withstood over 2,000 years. After a blast to the past, you'll head over to Le Marais and its Jewish neighbourhood.

On to Rue des Rosiers with its charming boutiques and kosher diners, and on to the pretty plaza of Place des Vosges.

Both tours I did were a beautiful way of seeing the city, but it's your choice what you want to see, the standard sights or go off the beaten path in Paris. Or maybe both!

Browse and book your Paris bike tours here.

4. See Paris With A Boat Cruise

Paris Wheel in winter

See for yourself how Paris was dubbed City of Lights while joining a (potentially quite romantic) dinner cruise on the Seine River.

Bateaux Parisiens takes you aboard a stylish all-glass boat as you cruise by Tour Eiffel, Musee d’Orsay, Institut of France, Notre Dame, Louvre, to name a few. The dinner cruise includes an a la carte menu with a choice of starter, main dish, and dessert. You can also book a special window seat if you prefer.

Looking for a shorter, day time or lunch cruise? Check out all the Paris boat tours on offer here.

Paris sunset over the city center

5. Get A Taste Of The Real Paris With A Food Tour

If you not only wish to see Paris but also get a taste of Paris, take on a food tour through Montmatre. Your Parisian culinary experience includes chocolates, macarons, bread and baguettes, cheese, French hams and cured sausages, crepes, wine, and lots of other little goodies to be excited about.

Best way to explore Paris is with a food tour
Montmartre food tour in Paris

I absolutely loved touring and eating my way around Montmatre! Not only did I have some fantastic French food, I also learned a lot about local produce, how to spot quality food and restaurants that locals go to and where authentic food is served.

My guide on the food tour was so knowledgeable about French food, from chocolate to cheese, baguette to meats and wine, he had the whole group taste and see the differences in quality and origin.

food tour Montmartre

And because he'd grown up in the area too he had some great stories to tell from his childhood and how the area has changed over time to be what it is today.

Check out more Paris food and gourmet tours in other neighbourhoods of Paris here.

6. Get A Personal, Local Guide

When a local is your tour guide, you're sure to know that you'll have an authentic Parisian experience.

Book a local friend and you'll make friends with a passionate local who tours travellers from all around the globe through Paris.

There is no fixed itinerary. It's up to your guide to take you to different places in Paris, you just tell them in advance what you are interested in and you will be matched to a guide.

You go one-on-one with the guide or in a group of up to 6 people and the private tours last from 2 to 8 hours.

7. The Classic Hop On Hop Off Bus

sightseeing in Paris near the Eiffel Tower

Big Bus Paris is a convenient and comfortable way of getting around the City of Light and seeing Paris' main points of interest.

There are two sightseeing routes:

  1. The Classic Route – Red that goes by the famous landmarks and iconic attractions in Paris and
  2. The other is the Montmartre Route – Blue which explores the bohemian side of the city.

You'll go aboard one of the eye-catching red open-air tour buses and have the freedom to hop on and off whenever want to explore the different neighbourhoods more closely.

There are one of two-day passes. Or you can also book a 1-day pass inclusive of a river cruise. Book your tickets here.

There surely is no place like Paris. There is so much to see and so much to do, make sure you take your time. The city is full of history and culture and romance that is just waiting to be discovered.

With all these tips for your trip to Paris, I can almost guarantee you it will be a magical one. And you might just fall in love with it, even if it's a second sight like it was for me! Warning though, packing your suitcase and leaving Paris is going to be tougher than you think.

Please note, this post may contain affiliate links, which means that – at absolutely no cost to you – we earn a small commission on sales generated through this website. We only recommend sites we actually use and thank you for your support!

Related Articles