Who doesn’t like free things?!
Here is my selection of 40 free activities to do in Paris. You can enjoy the capital without spending a cent!
1. The “Colonnes de Buren”
This work of art by Daniel Buren is very well known in Paris. Located in the 1st district, tourists love taking photos for Instagram at this location!
2. Paris Plage
Paris Plage takes place in summer along the Seine. Deckchairs are installed as well as fine sand, perfect for relaxing in the capital!
3. Fnac Festival
Fnac Festival is a free music festival which takes place in July in front of the town hall. Very popular with locals, it gets really crowded!
- Read my article on the Best music festivals in Paris!
4. Luxembourg statues
The Luxembourg garden shelters 106 statues! Take a walk in the park and have fun recognizing them with this complete list!
5. Canal St Martin
I love to walk along the St Martin canal. Less touristy than the Seine, it’s located in the 10th and 11th districts.
6. Buttes Chaumont Park
Parisians flock to the Buttes Chaumonts park as soon as the sun appears! Perfect place for a picnic with friends or a nature walk.
7. Covered Passages
Paris has a lot of covered passages, some better known than others. Drawn in the middle of the buildings, they house art galleries, shops and restaurants. Just for the architecture, these places are not to be missed in Paris! My favourites are “Passages des Panoramas”, “Galerie Vivienne” and “Passage Choiseul.
8. Fete de la Musique (“Music Party”)
The “Fete de la Musique” takes place every June 21st in Paris. Locals gather in the streets to celebrate music with free concerts and performances!
9. View of the Eiffel Tower
You can find a lot of magnificent views of the Eiffel Tower, but my favorite ones are from the terrace of the Pompidou center, at the Champ de mars and from the Sacré coeur.
10. City Lights at night
Admire the “city of lights” at night, from one of the city’s many bridges or from the Seine riverside. Magic!
11. Panthéon
The Pantheon is free to visit on the first Sunday of each month! It’s also free all the time for European citizens from 18 to 25 years old.
12. Seine River
There are so many ways to enjoy the Seine: walk on the riverside, take a boat cruise or cross the famous bridges over it!
13. Markets
The food, art and clothing markets are a good way to discover the Parisian culture! There is something for everyone; if you are interested, check out this list of the best markets in Paris!
14. Champ de Mars
Surrounding the Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars is one of the biggest green spaces in Paris. Relax, picnic and walk in this beautiful park.
15. Sacré Coeur
Visiting the Sacré Coeur basilica is free! Visit this emblematic monument of Paris and enjoy a magnificent view of the city.
16. Père Lachaise cemetery
The cemetery of Père Lachaise shelters famous personalities such as Edith Piaf, Chopin, Alfred de Musset and Oscar Wilde. It’s the largest cemetery in Paris and one of the most famous in the world.
17. Discover the unique neighbourhoods
The districts of Paris are unique, they each have their characters and their stories. Walk the hidden streets of Montmartre, count all the crepes shops at St Michel and discover Belleville, the trendy district.
18. Place des Vosges
“Place des Vosges” is the oldest place in Paris. Located in the Marais district, it’s well known because many personalities have lived there!
19. Cremieux street
Cremieux street is famous in Paris for its colourful houses. Located in the 12th arrondissement, you’ll be able to take pretty pictures!
20. Libraries
Paris has more than 70 general and specialized libraries. In addition to containing unique and ancient books, the architecture is remarkable. Visit Sorbonne library and Mazarine library if you only have time to discover two!
21. Book sellers along the Seine
The “bouquinistes” of Paris are open-air bookstores of old and second-hand books and photographies. They are an integral part of the Parisian decor and part of the Parisian charm.
22. Free Museums
You may not know it, but Paris has some free museums! Among them: Modern art museum of the city of Paris, Balzac’s house, Carnavalet museum, Victor Hugo’s house and House of romantic life; for their permanent collections.
23. Wall of “Je t’aime”
The wall of “Je t’aime” is a mural artwork located place des Abbesses. Reproducing “I love you” in 250 languages, it’s a must-see when you visit Paris!
24. Louvre 1st Sunday of the month
The Louvre is free every first Sunday of the month! The perfect opportunity to discover the most visited museum in the world.
25. Free cinematography lesson
Did you know that you can attend a free film class at the “Forum des Images” ? It takes place every Friday from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. : reservations are strongly recommended!
26. Paris Roller
“Paris Roller” is free roller skating every Friday at 9:30 p.m. If you like roller skating, go to Place Raoul Dautry for a walk with a different route each week!
27. Versailles gardens
The gardens of Versailles’s castle are free to access all year round and not to be missed! Admire the architecture and statues of these royal gardens, located 30 minutes from Paris.
28. Justice Palace Free Trial
Attend a free trial at the “Palais de Justice”. Monday to Friday from 9am to 12am and 1.30pm to 6pm. I did it once, and it’s impressive!
29. White Night
The “Nuit Blanche” takes place in October in Paris. This free event takes place across the city’s streets and monuments. You can attend concerts, exhibitions, installations and artistic performances.
30. “La promenade plantée”
The “planted promenade” is a linear park in the 12th arrondissement. It’s both a garden and a very nice pedestrian promenade.
31. Greeters
Greeters Paris are volunteer ambassadors who welcome visitors from all over the world. They offer free walks in Paris: the best way to discover Paris like a local!
- Have a look ay my 10 Tips To Enjoy Paris Like A Local article.
32. Free Seine Cruise
If it’s your birthday, you have the right to a free cruise on the Seine! Access is free upon presentation of an identity document.
33. Free cooking lesson
The FFAC (French Federation of Amateur Cuisine) offers a free cooking class with the presence of a chef or an amateur cook! Ten people maximum, and reservations are made on their site.
34. Free walking guided tour
Paris Tourist Office offers thematic routes in the capital, depending on the neighbourhood, the desire to shop or to visit monuments.
Paris City Hall also offers several walking guides to explore the different districts of the city.
35. Old churches
Paris is home to 200 churches. Their history and aesthetics are worth the visit! My favourites: Notre-Dame, Sainte Chapelle, Saint Germain des Prés and Saint-Eustache’s parish.
36. Free Art Galleries
Paris has countless art galleries and many are free to access! There are a lot of galleries by neighbourhood, you can find a complete list here. Not to be missed: ArtConcept, Polka Galerie and Less is More Projects.
37. Parks and gardens
There are 17 parks and 145 gardens in Paris. You have plenty to choose from, when having a green break in the capital! Montsouris Park is one of my favourites. For the gardens, I spent a lot of time in the Luxembourg Gardens and the Tuileries Gardens, both very beautiful and relaxing.
38. Free haircut
You can get a free haircut at the Franck de Roche Académie! Go to their website or call them for a “Relooking coupe de cheveux” coupon. Haircuts are made by students of the Academy.
39. Historic public water fountains
You can drink water for free in Paris at some public fountains. Some are purely decorative but some are as beautiful as they are drinkable. Check out this interactive map to see them all!
40. Just walking in the streets of Paris!
My favourite activity which costs nothing in Paris: walking in the streets! Honestly, some cities around the world are not pleasant to visit on foot. The architecture, the atmosphere and the history of Paris can be enjoyed by simply walking in the streets.
This list of free activities to do in Paris is sure to keep you busy and not spend all of your money while still fully enjoying the capital!
Oh, thank you sooo much for sharing all these tips with us! Me and my bestie are planning to go to Disneyland and Paris next April and these are really great resources on some of the attractions to see without spending a penny! I love the Buttes Chaumont Park, it does look like the perfect place to have a picnic! We will also make sure we will book a free cooking class too, that would be a great fun! Thank you again! 🙂 Karina
So exciting! I hope you’ll have an amazing time 🙂 x
Fantastic list, many things I’ve never heard of! Would love to do a river cruise on the Seine.
When would you recommend is the best time to visit Paris?
I love Paris in summer 🙂 Lots of festivals and activities!
I’ve got Paris on my bucket list of places to visit; and it’s always a great thing to save some coins! Thank you for this post; bookmarking x
Thank you for reading! x
Such a great list! There are some that I have done the couple of times I’ve been to Paris (and loved!), but plenty on the list I haven’t. I will definitely be saving this list for the future, this makes me excited to go back 😊
I love this post! Paris holds a special place in my heart so I think these ideas are brilliant and I can’t wait to be able to get back there and try some of the suggestions on this list.
Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m glad this list is useful 🙂
Wow. This is amazing. Next time I’m staying for the month instead of just a few days. What an enchanting city, and for free.
Yes, you’ll have plenty of things to do for a month 😉
Love this list! I went to Paris years ago and I’ve be longing to go back since – I’ll definitely have to check out some of these places and activities when I next visit!
Thanks so much! 🙂
Thanks for sharing, if I go to Paris again at some point I will think of these things to do 🙂
Nic | Nic’s Adventures & Bakes
Thank you for reading! 🙂
I absolutely loved the “colonnes de buren” when I went, such a great photo opportunity! I’ve also made a note of the “nuit blanche”, looks amazing. Such great suggestions in this post, thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! The Nuit Blanche is great fun for free 🙂
This is such an amazing list for anyone travelling to Paris in the future! Always good to find some fun free things to do in case money is a bit short!
Definitely! 🙂
This is a fab list of places to visit in Paris. I briefly visited Paris about five years ago to go to Disneyland for my birthday and although I really loved it, I do wish I’d explored more of Paris itself as well. I’d like to try and go back sometime in the next few years and this list will be a great resource to refer back to. Thanks for creating this post!
You’re welcome! I hope it will be useful for next time you visit 🙂
Amazing collection. I have places only for taking photos like Cremieux
street. Or exploring Montmartre slowly. Wow free cruise is a great excuse
to visit Paris on your birthday..
Haha I know right! So good 🙂
Love this list! I visited Paris for a few days on a fast paced Europe trip back in 2010 and I would love to come back to see more one day. I’ll have to keep these activities in mind!
Yes, Paris has a lot to offer! 😉
Ooh thank you for the suggestions! Didn’t know about pretty much all of these 🙂
Haha, you’re welcome 🙂
This is a great list! Paris is on my bucket list.
So exciting 🙂
On vit quand même dans une belle ville ^^
Par contre la rue Crémieux ils ont interdit les photos car trop d’instagrammeurs et les riverains ce sont plaints
Oui j’imagine que ça doit pas être facile pour eux…
It’s been over ten years since I’ve been to Paris! It’s ok my short list to get back. Thank you for the ideas!
You’re welcome 😉
You have to love free! And we might even make it to Paris this summer!
Free activities are the best :p
I absolutely love the Louvre!!! As well as the musée d’Orsay. Wish we’d had time to visit Versailles as well.
They’re amazing monuments 🙂
I loved reading this article 🥰 would definitely love to go to Paris one fine day ☺️
Thank you so much! 🙂 I hope you’ll be able to!
This is such an informative post on what to do in France, for free! While I have been to Paris thrice, I still have lot more to see and do, as I can see from your list! Also, Pinning it for my future use!
Awesome! It will be useful 😉
AH! I was planning to go to Paris this year but def going to keep this as a guide. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome! x
Wish I had seen this before my trip to Paris a couple of years ago, would have saved some money!
Haha yeah, if you go back it can still be useful 😉
Great article and your photos are amazing. I’ve got the same kind of journey than you, a French girl who came to Melbourne in 2014 with a WHV and never left Australia since then. I am gonna subscribe to your newsletter because even though life is good down under, I miss Paris as well 🙂 Your blog is a great discovery !
Oh, thank you so much! I am glad you found my blog 🙂 Nice to virtually meet you!
Paris is so expensive, it’s great that you posted free things to do! I was able to go to the Louvre for free when I was there because of their student rate. It’s so nice to know free things you can do to save money. Thanks for sharing!
It’s so good that they do a free entry for students in the EU!
You’re welcome 🙂
It is such a great article. So informative and helpful! I miss Paris! I love this charming city. I was there several times, but I hope to back soon. I love St Martin canal, Buttes Chaumont’s park, Frech cafes, and markets.
Thank you! I love hearing what people love about Paris 🥰
Great suggestions! Thank you 💕
You’re welcome ❤️
This just made me fall in love with Paris even more. I hope I get to visit there in the next few years! If I do I’ll def be using these suggestions
So glad this is helpful ☺️
I had to even save the post for when I’m ready to go to Paris. Thank you
You’re welcome, thanks for reading x
All of these places seem very beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
They are 😊 You’re welcome!
Saving this for the next time I go back to Paris (hopefully ASAP!)
Thanks for all of these great ideas! x
You’re welcome! I hope you get to go soon!🙌🏼
This has just made me want to re-visit Paris even more!!
Haha I love that 🥰
This is such an incredible list! I have been to Paris 3 times and I have done some of the things on this list, but I’m so surprised about other items I didn’t know about. I’ve been to the Pompidou center but didn’t even realize there were views of the Eiffel Tower to take in there. Thank you for this helpful information!
Thank you! I love when people discover new things by reading my blog 😊
I will remember this for next time I get to Paris! Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! 😊
This is an amazing list! I may go back to Paris for Christmas, and I’ll definitely want to do some of these things!
Thank you! Yes, you should ☺️
OK, now I know where I will be booking my first flight abroad to when this pandemic is over! Who knew there were so many things to do in Paris? The fact these are all free is even better! Thanks for sharing.
Haha, so glad I can help! 😊
I know right?! Free things are the best 😉
I saved this to my ‘bucket list travel’ board on Pinterest. I hope to visit Paris one day. Thanks!
Awesome! I hope you’ll be able to 😊
I have actually been to Marseille but never been to Paris. I was gutted that couldn’t visit Paris when I was in France. Your post makes me feel sadder lol
Haha that’s ok, you can always go next time 😉
I was hoping to visit Paris for my honeymoon but COVID has made us postpone. I’ll definitely keep this list handy for when we can visit!
Oh, so sad! I hope you can still come to visit soon 🙌🏼
This is definitely on my bucket list of places to visit. Great information.
Perfect ✨ Thank you!
Great tips!
Thanks 🙂
Paris is such a wonderful place to visit! As an expensive place, this list is amazing!
It is! And it is expensive, but as you can see there’s plenty of free things to do 🥳
I am so overdue a visit to paris, the last time was 3 years ago! Place des vosges is definitely one of my favorite places. I have yet to visit Versailles, and I’ve never heard of the promenade plantée, but it looks really magical! I’ll be on the train as soon as this whole mess is over!
Haha, I hope it’s over soon! Can’t wait for you to try these other activities 😊