Île de la Cité Walking Tour
An Île de la Cité walking tour is a must when visiting Paris. This is probably the best tour for a first-time visitor to get an introduction to Paris. Indeed, the Île de la Cité area concentrates most of the historical landmarks of old Paris, the ones from the Middle Ages and even the ancient Roman Empire.
💡 Looking for all Notre Dame tour options? You can book your private Notre Dame Cathedral tour with Yves, our licensed guide specializing in medieval architecture and history. Don't miss Yves's webpage—he is the Broaden Horizons private tour guide in Paris.
Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole, oldest Parisian restaurant in Île de la Cité beside Notre-Dame Cathedral. Photo © Broaden Horizons.
Île de la Cité Walking Tour Essentials
€ 235 € for 1 to 2 people + € 45 per extra person
- +/- 3-hour guided tour in English
- Really private tour = your party only (up to 6 persons)
- Postgraduate (MPhil) certified French national guide
- Flexible schedule – 7/7 if available
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What’s in the tour?
Middle Ages
Sacred Architecture
French & Paris History
Ancient Rome
19th Century
Civil Architecture
Highlights
Notre-Dame
Sainte-Chapelle
Scenic Views of Paris
Saint-Severin Church
Conciergerie
Why an Île de la Cité Tour?
Because Île de la Cité area is the historical heart of Paris, the key to understanding the entire city’s evolution during all its long centuries of existence till the Ancient Roman town of Lutecia.
Île de la Cité Private Tour Organization
- Quartier Latin sample (Fontaine Saint-Michel, Romain Baths, Saint-Severin Church, etc.)
- Easter part of Île de la Cité with Notre-Dame
- Marais Sample (Île Saint-Louis, Saint-Gervais-Saint-ProtaisChurch, Hôtel de Ville, etc.)
- Western Part of Île de la Cité (Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie, Place Dauphine, Pont Neuf, etc.)
Your Private Guide in Paris
Certified French national guide
BA, Magna Cum Laude, Heritage Development & Preservation
from Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers (Grande Ecole established in 1794)
Postgraduate from Paris Dauphine-PSL University
We believe that our Île de la Cité Private Tour
Is the most efficient introduction to Paris for a first-timer!
Île de la Cité Walking Tour Itinerary
Here’s what you can expect to see during the tour:
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Fontaine Saint-Michel
The most famous meeting point in Quartier Latin is also a south entry door to Île de la Cité
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The Ancient Roman Baths of Lutecia
Probably built at the end of the first century, the ancient Roman baths of Paris, then called Lutecia, are still standing.
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Saint Severin Church
It is one of the most famous Parisian churches for its admirable ambulatory and its former cloister/cemetery.
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Notre-Dame de Paris
One of the most famous churches in all of Christianity.
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Île Saint-Louis
The twin sister of Île de la Cité is a very different, quiet, romantic place.
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Saint Gervais-Saint-Protais Church
This amazing flamboyant gothic church was the first to receive a Baroque facade in Paris.
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Hôtel de Ville
The City Hall of Paris is an imposing Neo-Renaissance building that is also a memory of Paris from Middle-Ages to the French Revolution and even WWII
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Sainte-Chapelle
This world-famous gothic Chapelle was commissioned by the king of France, Saint-Louis, and built in only a few years.
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Conciergerie
The Famous and imposing medieval building with its towers from the 13th and 14th centuries where Queen Marie-Antoinnette was put in prison before being sent to the Guillotine to be beheaded.
Tour End
The tour is planned to end at the west end of Île de la Cité, which is also an exciting part of the island.
What we will see will depend on our pace during the rest of the tour.
We will most probably have time to see the charming Place Dauphine, one of the five Royal Squares of Paris, and the Pont Neuf (meaning new bridge), which is now the oldest bridge standing in Paris.
If we have extra time, you may even go to the stunning Square du Vert-Galant City Park, which is the very last western end of Île de la Cité. It offers amazing views of the Louvre and the famous Saint-Germain-des-Prés district.
Place Dauphine, Île de la Cité . Photo © Broaden Horizons.
Ile de la Cité Guided Tour Reviews
2 excellent half-day tours: Ile de Cite & sites of the French Rev. I would not hesitate to book with Broaden Horizons.
We booked 2 half-day tours with Ives and Broaden Horizons tours: Ile de Cite tour and a tour of the French Revolution sites. The Ile de City tour was the first half-day and is perfect for first-time visitors or people who have not been to Paris in a long while, such as us. We covered the Latin Quarter, Ile de Cite and a bit of the St Germaine area as Ives explained the history of Paris, dating back to the Romans. He had photos and maps to aid in his explanations and it really made the history come to life and more understandable. The same can be said for our second half-day tour of the French Revolution, Both days he also answered our general questions about Paris and suggested sites, restaurants, etc we might enjoy during out stay. I 100% recommend Yves and Broaden Horizons and will recommend him to friends and family. We learned so much about Paris and had fun doing so.
Things to know before Booking
Meeting Point
Close to Fontaine Saint-Michel (precise info is given on the reservation voucher).
Access: Metro Saint-Michel (Line 4) – Station Saint-Michel Notre-Dame (RER C).
Île de la Cité Private Tour Attention Points
- Tour is on foot.
- Prices do not include transportation, food, drinks, or any other extra services.
- Neighborhood tours: we don’t enter monuments they are shown from outside.
- Church entrance: We do not enter in Notre-Dame, we do not enter in Sainte-Chapelle, When it is possible, we enter in Saint-Severin and Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais churches.
- Tour content, duration & distance covered are purely indicative, they may vary due to contingencies.
Book your Île de la Cité Private Tour
Just follow the below 4 steps online easy process.
1. Request a date & schedule for your tour
2. Receive our answer email - if yes you have 24h to pay
3. Pay your private tour on line by credit card
4. Receive
confirmation & meeting point
Nota bene : answer to step (2) is most of the time yes.
Private Tour Île de la Cité
+/- 3-hourFor 1 to 2 people + 45 € for any extra person
A group of maximum 6 people exclusively yours
English language
View from Notre-Dame on Île de la Cité from Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. Photo © Broaden Horizons.