Paris for Free
Paris, no matter how hard you try, is undoubtedly going to be a pricey trip. Between simply getting there and accommodation, it starts adding up fast. Then throw in sampling all of the amazing French food and buying souvenirs. So when looking to save money, one of the easiest ways is taking advantage of the amazing free sights and activities in the city.
Naturally walking along the Seine and exploring neighbourhoods is an easy and free option, but you can see and learn a lot with the range of museums and churches that have free entry, along with relaxing afternoons spent in some of the city’s beautiful parks/gardens.
While some of the most famous or exciting museums and attractions in the city do have an entry fee, many offer a free admission day (often the first Sunday of the month), which is worth investigating. However, if you either can’t or don’t want to take advantage of those days, below you’ll find a curated list of great options that will keep your days busy and your wallet happy.
Read about the following free attractions, sights, and activities…
Musée Cognacq-Jay
Located in a former hôtel in the Marais, this museum focuses on 18th century decorative arts, from paintings and sculpture to furniture and pottery. See how the upper class of the Enlightenment period lived as you roam the halls and take in the amazing collection of impressionist works decorating the walls, while also enjoying smaller pieces and personal items. When you’re finished looking at jewellery and snuff boxes, sculptures and ornate furniture, you can explore the kitchens and servants’ hall and see how the people behind the scenes lived. Later explore the garden attached to this French Renaissance home.
If countless porcelain pieces – including works from Sèvres porcelain factory – and the works of Fragonard, Boucher, Canaletto, Reynolds, Watteau, and Rembrandt (to name a few) are not enough to draw you in, perhaps the history of the owner of these items will. This museum displays the personal collection of Théodore-Ernest Cognacq and his wife Marie-Louise Jay – the founders of La Samaritaine department store. La Samaritaine was once a small shop and later grew to become a grand department store with countless departments catering to every need; now owned by LVMH and undergoing a large renovation.
Practical Information: Open daily, except Mondays, from 10am-6pm. Free admission to permanent collections; temporary exhibitions may have an entry fee dependant on exhibition. Please note that hours can/may change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: The closest métro stations are Chemin Vert (M8) and Saint Paul (M1).
Musée de la Vie Romantique
This museum dedicated to the Romanticists (think movement, not emotion), is housed in a mansion that once operated as a 19th century salon, welcoming great artists and thinkers of the time, with Chopin, Franz Liszt, George Sand, and Delacroix, included as just some of the guests of interest who walked through the door.
The museum allows visitors to explore the mansion and its gardens, taking in the decorations of the home, while also showcasing treasures of the Romantic period. On display, you’ll find a large collection of personal items belong to George Sand, including love letters and jewellery.
Perhaps more popular than the museum itself is the garden tearoom attached, which makes for a wonderful destination to take a little afternoon break. Providing shade under the surrounding trees and with roses to offer a fresh scent, you can sit and relax with pastries and a cup of coffee.
Practical Information: Open daily, except Mondays, from 10am-6pm. Free admission. Please note that hours can/may change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: The closest métro stations are Pigalle (M2 or M12), Blanche (M2), and Saint-George (M12).
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Perhaps the most famous cemetery in Paris, it houses the burial spots of multiple renowned French (and some non-French) celebrities and artists. Famous people buried here include: French singing legend Edith Piaf, Irish writer Oscar Wilde, American musician Jim Morrison, French writer Colette, Polish classical composer Frédéric Chopin, French author Honoré de Balzac, local playwright Molière, the artist Camille Pissaro, amongst many more. Warning: Be prepared for crowds at the tomb of Jim Morrison, making it potentially hard to snap a photo.
Practical Information: Open weekdays from 8:0am-6pm, from 8:30am-6pm on Saturdays, and from 9am-6pm on Sundays and public holidays. Admission is free.
How to Get There: There are multiple metro stations you can get off at when visiting Père Lachaise, the most obvious station being Père Lachaise (M2 or M3). Other stations include Philippe Auguste (M2), Alexander Dumas (M2), and slightly further afoot station Voltaire (M9) and Porte de Bagnolet (M3).
Musée du Parfum – Fragonard
It’s no secret that France is regarded as the epicentre of perfume and fragrances, with some of the biggest manufacturers housed in the south of France, specifically Grasse. While in Paris, you can learn all about perfume at the Fragonard Musée de Parfum. Though this museum is offered to the public by Maison Fragonard – a famous luxury perfume house that has been in operation since the 1920s - you will be introduced to the history of perfume, from antiquity to modern mass production. Be educated on the process of creating signature scents and manufacturing, as well as introduced to the marketing and branding that has long been attached to fragrances.
Visits to the museum are free, but for €95 you can create your own scent in a guided workshop. Offered every Saturday, these workshops are offered in English and French, lasting approximately 90 minutes. At the end you will go home with 100mL of your own signature fragrance and a diploma. This does require booking ahead of time.
Practical Information: Open from Monday – Saturday, from 10am – 7pm. Closed Sundays and public holidays. Admission is free and includes a guided tour, but reservations are mandatory. Please note that opening hours and admission are subject to change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: Located on rue Scribe, the closest metro stops are Opéra (M3, M7 or M8), Madeleine (M12 or M14), and Auber (RER A), with Havre-Caumartin (M9) and Saint-Lazare (M13) slightly further away.
Le Petit Palais
Built for the Universal Exhibition/Paris World Fair in 1900, it quickly switched purposes and became an art museum, depicting some of the greatest movements of classical art. Curated through eight designated collections, Le Petit Palais features art in a variety of forms from around the world. One of the collections – “17th century” – features an immense assortment of Dutch art, the largest in France outside the Louvre museum. Objects on display include paintings and sculpture, along with rare books, prints, and antique art objects.
In the “18th century” collection, you’ll find masterpieces from Fragonard and Jacques-Louis David, along with a collection of porcelain pieces from the Sèvres porcelain factory. Other collections include “Classical World”, “Renaissance”, “Icons”, “Middle Ages”, “19th century” and “Paris 1900”. To learn more about each collection and pieces on display, click here.
There is a café on site that overlooks the garden, allowing you to enjoy light snacks and a much needed coffee.
Practical Information: Open daily, except Mondays and holidays, from 10am-6pm. The museum is open late until 9pm on Fridays for temporary exhibitions. The permanent collections are free to visit, but there is an admission fee for temporary and special exhibitions. Please note that hours are subject to change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: The closest métro stations are Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau (M1 or M13) and Concorde (M1, M8 or M12)
Maison Victor Hugo
Whether you’ve read the novel, sang along to the musical, or have watched any of the film/TV adaptations, you’ve undoubtedly come across the French-epic Les Misérables, written by 19th century author Victor Hugo, also known for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Toilers of the Sea. In this museum – located in a small townhome tucked away in the enchanting Place de Vosges – you can explore where the famed author lived for over fifteen years, and where he wrote some of his most famous work.
Focusing on his life, from before to after his exile to Guernsey, here you can learn about the history of Victor Hugo, how he lived, and what he accomplished in his life – from writing novels and poetry to elaborate illustrations, as well as his personal correspondence to other writers, artists, and his lovers. You can also enjoy the small garden in the back, a quieter place to sit and read, tucked away from the public.
Practical Information: Open daily, except Mondays and some holidays, from 10am-6pm. Free admission for the permanent collection; temporary exhibitions have an entry fee between €5-€7. Scheduled to reopen to the public in November 2020. Please note that there may be delays in the renovation process and that hours may change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: The closest métro stations are Chemin Vert (M8), Saint Paul (M1), and Bastille (M1, M5 and M8).
Maison de Balzac
Paris has been home to countless literary greats, and luckily the public can visit some of their homes, including the home of Honoré de Balzac, author of La Comedie Humaine and Old Goriet. Considered a founder of social realism in European literature, inspiring countless future literary and philosophical paragons, Balzac is viewed as one of the greatest novelists of all time and credited with aiding in creating the traditional form of a novel.
This museum is housed in his last residence, where he wrote his most famous work La Comédie Humaine – an elaborate and complex series of 90+ stories making up one masterpiece depicting life in the mid-19th century and exploring French society. In addition to looking around his home, see his manuscripts and first editions, notes on already published works, personal items and collections, personal correspondence, and his illustrations and sketchings. Plagued by mental health problems, largely brought on by stress, he only welcomed those closest to him into his home, including Victor Hugo who even visited him there the day he died.
Practical Information: Open daily, except Mondays, from 10am-6pm. Free admission. Please note that opening hours can change with closures on holidays, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: Located in the Passy neighbourhood of Paris, it’s not far from the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero neighbourhood. The closest métro station is Passy (M6), with station La Muette (M9) slightly farther away. You can also take the RER train to Avenue du Président Kennedy Maison de Radio France (RER C) or to Gare de Boulainvilliers (RER C).
Musée Curie
Once a science institute focusing on radium, this museum is dedicated to the work and findings of Marie Curie. Built in 1911 for Marie Curie and her husband, who discovered radium at the end of the 19th century, the building housed physics and chemistry labs that Curie oversaw; her son and daughter later joining in her research, discovering artificial radioactivity, which lead to them receiving the Nobel Prize in 1935.
Now the Radium Institute operates as a museum and documents the history of radioactivity through pictures, objects, and a collection of paperwork that highlights findings, notes, and the research devoted to this science. Explore Marie Curie’s old office and chemistry lab (which had to be decontaminated in the 80s before it was properly opened to the public), while learning about the scientific breakthroughs that were made here. Interestingly, over the years the scientific instruments, tools, and documents on display have grown vastly – at first in part to family donations, later by declassification of the archives.
Some of the documents on display are tightly sealed behind glass, such as Curie’s notes and calculation of the atomic mass of radium, as they are still deemed radioactive.
Practical Information: Open from Wednesday to Saturday from 1pm to 5pm. Admission is free, and guests can just show up when visiting from Wednesday-Friday, though there is a suggested time limit for each visit. If you’d like to visit on a Saturday, you do need to reserve a time slot first as reservations are required. Please note that hours can/may change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: Located in the Latin Quarter, the closest transit station is Luxembourg (RER B), with mètro stations Place Monge (M7) and Cardinal Lemoine (M7) both under a 10-minute stroll away.
Palais Galliera – Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
Dedicated to showcasing the fashion trends that ruled France from the 18th century to present, this museum houses over 150,000 items, documenting the clothing and accessories that have graced the streets of Paris. Through clothing articles, handbags, shoes, photographs and designer sketches, relive the styles that saw France through some of its most turbulent history, including the fall of the Monarchy, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Era, the Belle Epoque, and everything that has occurred since the turn of the century.
Witness how style, form, and silhouettes have changed, shaped by society as it has progressed over the centuries. From corsets, to the daring hemlines of the 1920s’ flappers, the influence of Chanel and the introduction of Dior’s ‘New Look’. The collection, which is considered one of the best and most extensive in the world, includes a bodice belonging to Marie Antoinette, suits worn by King Louis XVII while still the Dauphin (first-born prince), dresses belonging to Empress Josephine and other aristocratic women of the 19th century, along with clothing from actress Sarah Berhardt. Find a hat designed for Audrey Hepburn by Givenchy, as well as extensive collective of samples from Lanvin. Every major French designer, whether clothing, shoes, milliner, etc. can be found here, making this museum a true representation of French fashion over the last 250+ years.
Housed in a palace that was built to be a museum, it didn’t become a museum dedicated to fashion until the 90’s. Now it houses an inspiring permanent collection to go along with its rotating exhibitions that bring in locals, visitors, and the fashion-set from around the world. Behind the museum, there is a garden that was added to the palace in the 19th century, called the Square Galliera.
Practical Information: Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am – 6pm; closed Mondays and on some public holidays. General admission is €16, Please note that opening hours and admission are subject to change, with the museum closing early on certain public holidays, so check HERE for the most up-to-date information regarding open times, admission, and temporary exhibitions.
How to Get There: Located in the Trocadero-Passy neighbourhoods, the closest subway stops are Alma-Marceau (M9) and Iéna (M9), with Boissière (M6) and Trocadero (M6 or M9) just slightly further away.
Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris (Museum of Modern Art)
So renowned for its impressionist artists, modern art can often be forgotten about in Paris. And when giving it a moment’s thought, people tend to flock to the Pompidou Centre, ignoring the lovely and FREE Museum of Modern Art. However, there is a great collection on display here, which features some prominent artists, including Matisse, Delaunay, and Raoul Dufy. If you enjoy modern art, a bright white space that is clean and often feels empty, this is the perfect museum to check out.
Practical Information: Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am – 6pm; closed Mondays and Public Holidays. Admission is free to permanent collection, with an entry fee to temporary exhibitions ranging from €5-€12 depending on the exhibit. Please note that opening hours and admission are subject to change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: The closest mètro stops are Alma-Marceau (M9) and Iéna (M9), with Boissière (M6) and Trocadero (M6 or M9) just slightly further away.
Musée Bourdelle
Located in the Montparnasse neighbourhood, the Musée Bourdelle is an art and sculpture museum located in the former studio of Antoine Bourdelle - a French sculptor who worked with Rodin for over a decade before branching out on his own; later in his life he taught future-famed artists Giacometti and Matisse. His works now grace The Grevin Theatre and museum, the Palais de Tokyo, and the Grand Palais in Paris, as well as countless museums and sights internationally.
His studio, which is owned by the city of Paris and is open to the public, displays over 750 sculptures by the artist in a various of materials, including marble and bronze, as well as over 1000 of his drawings and paintings. Wander his apartment, see his working studio, and take a breather in the attached garden, before exploring the Montparnasse neighbourhood, which often gets overlooked by tourists.
Practical Information: Open daily, except Mondays and some holidays, from 10am-6pm. Free admission to the permanent collection, with an entry fee for temporary and special exhibitions, usually priced at €7 or €9 per person. Check HERE for the most up-to-date information regarding hours, temporary exhibition prices, and ticketing.
How to Get There: The closest métro stations are Falguière (M12), Gare Montparnasse (M4, M6, M12, and M13), and Pasteur (M6 or M12).
Basilica Sacré-Coeur
The iconic domed church resting at the top of Montmartre, the stairs that lead up to the church now a popular tourist spot to overlook the city of Paris, this has been a place of prayer since the Pagan days. Formally housing Gallo-Roman temples, the location of this basilica has long been a home to places of worship.
The Sacré-Coeur as the world knows it now was built in response to the country’s upheaval after the French Revolution and the Franco-Prussian War – the belief being that a new cathedral would bolster the people’s spirits. The location was chosen for its symbolism, as the patron saint of Paris – Saint Denis – was beheaded on this spot yet believed to walk down the hill carrying his severed head. While unlikely, the symbolism of a leader losing their head, felt relevant after the monarchy had loss their heads less than century beforehand.
The basilica was designed in Romanesque-Byzantine style, with construction starting in the late 19th century and ending right before the onset of World War I, delaying the consecration of this holy site until after the war and the threat of the Spanish Flu subsided. Since opening to the public, work has been done on the basilica, whether adding more to further impress visitors or replacing stained glass windows after destroyed by bombing in the World War II.
Now visitors flock there to see the famed mosaic, both see and listen to the organ, or to explore the crypts (which do have an entry fee). While easy to explore on one’s own – albeit a bit crowded – it’s great with the free audio-guide, which provides a rich history and elaborates on unique details of the basilica’s construction and architecture.
Practical Information: The basilica is open daily from 6am to 10:30pm, though entrance to the dome and crypt has limited hours. The Dome, which is accessed via 300+ steps, is open from 8:30am-8pm daily during peak season, and from 9am-5pm during winter months (Oct-April). Currently, the Crypt is not open to the public. Entrance to the basilica is free. Please note that hours can/may change, check HERE for the most up-to-date information.
How to Get There: On top of a hill, there are a few ways to get to the Basilica Sacré-Coeur. The closest métro station is Abbesses (M12), which will let you off closest to the neighbourhood’s centre. The most charming route is to get off at stations Pigalle (M2 or M12) near the Moulin Rouge, Blanche (M2) or Anvers (M2) and walk your way up to Montmartre – this might start a little gritty at the base stations but will quickly turn charming as your trek upwards. There is also the option on a funicular that can take you up hill and let you off near the basilica, but this is the least desirable option and not recommended
Visit one of the many other stunning and historical churches in Paris
Everyone knows of the Notre-Dame – until it’s recent fire, it was the most visited church in France - and the Basilica Sacree-Coeur and the Saint Chapelle aren’t far behind in popularity. However, Paris is full of stunning cathedrals worth your time and attention, whether you’re religious or not, regardless of faith. Whether it’s the history behind the building, the symbolism of its creation, or the art that decorates the interior, they make a great – AND FREE – way to explore the city and step back in time. A few worth noting, though they all are worthy of a quick pop-in, include: Église Madeleine, Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Église Saint-Eustache, Église Saint Sulpice and Saint-Roch.
The Madeleine, which is located in the city centre and the Grands-Boulevards neighbourhood, was originally built to honour Napoléon’s Great Army – a neoclassic temple inspired by the Temple of Zeus in Greece. With 52 Corinthian columns decorating the exterior, each at 65ft. high, and more found inside, it’s a grand building that overpowers you as you take it in. After Napoléon’s fall, the reinstated Bourbon king – King Louis XVIII – had the temple turned into a church. The bronze doors you’ll enter feature reliefs depicting the 10 Commandments. This church now offers free classical concerts in addition to free entry.
Saint Eustache is another church loved for its free concerts, though it does occasionally host ticketed concerts and symphonies, as the church is rather large and imposing – in fact, it’s so large it is often confused for a cathedral. That, and some of the historically significant moments that’s have happened here, such as Louis XIV receiving his first communion here and Mozart attending his mom’s funeral. Visitors can also take in some of the great art, including Rubens paintings, and an 8000 pipe organ.
In the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood, both the historically significant namesake abbey and Saint Sulpice churches are free to visit – both being rich in art, history, and religious significance. While Saint Sulpice is prone to tourists, as it was featured in The Da Vinci Code, it’s still quite empty in comparison to some of it’s more famous counterparts. The same can be said for the little abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, whose history dates back to the earliest days of Christendom in Paris.
The Church of Saint Roch is an often overlooked church in the city but one that is rich in history. Construction first began in the 17th century, with the Sun King, Louis XIV, laying the first stones. However, as funding was scarce (remember, he was building Versailles at the same time), the church was built in phases, finally completed in late 18th century. Nicknamed the parish of artists – French designer André le Notre and artist Fragonard both buried here, along with Denis Diderot – this church now moonlights as a museum dedicated to French art from the 17th & 18th centuries. When this church was destroyed and looted during the Revolution, the walls were redecorated with art that had been removed from other destroyed churches. Until 2000, you could still see bullet holes in the church walls from the wars this church has survived, but a restoration project has seen the church returned to its former glory.
Other churches (églises) with free entry that you can quickly visit and appreciate include: Saint-Étienne-du-Mont (near the Pantheon in the Latin Quarter), the parish of Saint-Paul Saint-Louis (bordering the Marais), Église Saint-Gervais (just south of the Marais, near Hôtel de Ville), Église Saint Severin (Latin Quarter), Église Saint-Augustin (in the Grand Boulevards neighbourhood), Église Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois (right beside the Louvre), and the only Orthodox church in Paris – Cathedral Saint Alexandre Nevsky (north of Arc de Triomphe).
Explore the many parks and gardens
Do as the Parisians do and enjoy a nice stroll through a park or garden, perhaps a quick fifteen-minute nap, or take an hour to yourself to read a book and people watch – Paris is full of excellent parks, gardens and squares to get lost in. Some may be just a small garden tucked away behind a house or in a courtyard, others a well-designed square to decorate an aristocratic neighbourhood, well some of the most famous gardens in the world are in the city centre, making them far more central than New York’s Central Park.
You can enjoy the large and famous classics Luxembourg Gardens or Tuileries – both commissioned by monarchy to improve the city as a whole, or opt for the smaller but equally charming Parc Monceau. All three are located centrally in the city. Smaller places to take a quick breather – yet equally stunning – include Place Dauphine (on Isle de Cité) or Place des Vosge (in the Marais). If looking for a quieter park relatively devoid of tourists, consider Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, or La Coulée verte René-Dumont, which occupies former railway tracks. Parc de Belleville makes a great spot to overlook the city.
Bois de Boulogne, which is on the outskirts of the city, has plenty to offer over its expanse 865 hectares, including a children’s theme park, artificial grottos and waterfalls, and boat rides. Even larger is Bois de Vincennes, which is considered the biggest park in Park, with a racetrack, baseball field, small farm, lakes for boat rides, a Buddhist temple, and multiple restaurants/cafes. Enjoy Parc Floral, which is the botanical garden within Bois de Vincennes, and if you’re visiting during the summer, there are concerts on the weekends.
Paris is hardly short on parks or squares to enjoy; some simply a tranquil escape, while others rich with history.
Get lost in a new neighbourhood
Paris is an easy city to walk and get lost in – or flaneur if you want to sound French about it. The city is stunning, full of various neighbourhoods unique in charm and spirit. Whether you’re exploring the more famous neighbourhood, like The Marais, Montmartre, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, or the Latin Quarter, or just taking in the architecture and gilding found in the 1st arr., there is plenty to see in the city. While taking the mètro from one neighbourhood to another may save time, you lose out on the local flavour. Take advantage of how easy this city is to walk and wander from one neighbourhood to the next – you’ll always find something worth your time, whether a boulangerie, church, or just a pretty park to rest in.
Explore neighbourhoods often overlooked by tourists, where you’ll find locals napping with a book on their chest, hustling to the office, or lined up for a baguette to bring home at the end of the day. You’ll discover cafés, shops, and restaurants that aren’t plagued by tourists yelling for the bill, and you’ll likely discover wonderful new bakeries or trendy bars. Perhaps wander from the Marais and Haut-Marais to Republique and then up to Oberkampf, followed by wandering through the Canal Saint-Martin neighbourhood. Or turn your trip to the landmark Eiffel Tower into a pleasant afternoon amongst locals in Passy. Enjoy a coffee near Parc Monceau and explore the 8th arr. before venturing north to the Batignolles neighbourhood. After exploring the medieval Latin Quarter and artistic Saint-Germain, head south to Montparnasse, where you’ll find a busy after work crowd sipping on cocktails, complaining about the large modern tower that feels drastically out of place.
Regardless of budget, Paris is a city for everyone – swarming in historical sights and beautiful architecture, with countless parks and museums to enrich your visit.