Have you ever wondered how many free things to do in Paris actually exist beyond window-shopping on the Champs-Élysées? This guide shows you 30 free discoveries across museums, parks, and hidden walks. You’ll leave with a clear mini-itinerary, exact places to visit, and practical tips to save time and see Paris like a local.

Museums and cultural gems you can enter without paying

Paris is full of museums where you don’t need a ticket to be moved or amused. Start at the Petit Palais, whose permanent collections of fine arts and decorative objects are free and elegantly displayed beneath a luminous glass roof. Nearby, the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris offers modern masterpieces at no charge for its permanent collection. The Musée Carnavalet (history of Paris) reopened with free access to its core displays, making it ideal for a rainy afternoon. For a romantic detour, the Musée de la Vie Romantique hides in a quiet little garden in the 9th arrondissement and is free to enter.

A useful rule: many Parisian museums offer free entry to EU residents under 26, and special free days or evenings occur throughout the year. Check the official Paris Musées calendar before you go for the latest openings and temporary exhibitions. Paris Musées is the best source.

Highlights (museum stops)

1) Petit Palais — permanent collections free.
2) Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris — contemporary staples.
3) Musée Carnavalet — Paris through the ages.
4) Musée de la Vie Romantique — charm and tea in the garden.
5) Maison de Victor Hugo — sometimes free exhibitions in the house museum.
6) City-run museums often have rotating free events.
7) Look for special free museum nights and youth access schemes.

Parks, gardens and green escapes

Parisian parks are more than lawns. They are living rooms, concert halls, and secret stages for street art. The Jardin du Luxembourg is classic: marble statues, formal lawns, and lively chess players. Walk under plane trees and join a game of pétanque or simply watch students read. For rugged charm, head to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont with its cliffs, suspension bridge, and a faux temple perched above a lake. The elevated Promenade Plantée (Coulée Verte) is a planted walkway built on an old railway viaduct—great for a peaceful city view away from traffic.

If you want modern leisure, stroll along the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin. Locals picnic on the quays. In eastern Paris, Parc de Belleville offers a broad panorama often overlooked by tourists. The Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne are large woodlands perfect for cycling or quiet long walks. In summer, Paris Plages turns the Seine’s banks into a temporary beach with free activities and deckchairs.

Highlights (parks)

8) Jardin du Luxembourg — stately and sociable.
9) Parc des Buttes-Chaumont — dramatic landscapes.
10) Promenade Plantée — elevated greenway.
11) Canal Saint-Martin — waterside atmosphere.
12) Parc de Belleville — skyline views.
13) Paris Plages — seasonal urban beach fun.

Hidden walks and neighborhoods to explore on foot

Paris rewards walkers. Wander to find colorful streets, surprising murals, and quiet corners. The Rue Crémieux in the 12th arrondissement is a photogenic row of houses painted in candy tones. The working-class quarter of Butte-aux-Cailles feels like a village inside the city, full of street art and cafés. In the Marais, you can spend hours strolling narrow lanes, ducking into courtyards, and peeking through historic doorways.

For something different, walk the Île Saint-Louis at sunset. The island’s calm streets and old ice-cream shops make a perfect slow-paced stroll. Visit Père Lachaise Cemetery to read the names of writers and musicians and to enjoy an unexpectedly green urban landscape. Finally, climb the steep streets of Montmartre and arrive at the Sacré-Cœur plaza. You don’t need to pay to enjoy one of the city’s most dramatic viewpoints.

Highlights (walks)

14) Rue Crémieux — colourful houses.
15) Butte-aux-Cailles — village charm.
16) Le Marais — historic lanes and hidden courtyards.
17) Île Saint-Louis — slow island stroll.
18) Père Lachaise — graves, trees, quiet paths.
19) Montmartre — artists’ streets and views.
20) Canal Saint-Martin loop — bridges and cafés.

Churches, rooftops and free city panoramas

Churches in Paris are often free to enter and offer art and architecture without the price tag. The Sacré-Cœur Basilica welcomes visitors into its vast interior and you can stand on the steps for a sweeping city view. The interior of Saint-Sulpice rewards architecture fans, and Notre-Dame’s forecourt remains a moving place to observe the cathedral’s façade. For a modern rooftop panorama, the Galeries Lafayette rooftop terrace is free and offers a tidy view over the Opera and central Paris.

If you love cityscapes, head to Parc de Belleville or the steps of Sacré-Cœur at dawn. These spots give you the skyline without the queue or ticket.

Highlights (views & churches)

21) Sacré-Cœur — basilica interior and steps.
22) Notre-Dame forecourt — iconic silhouette.
23) Saint-Sulpice — grand interior.
24) Galeries Lafayette rooftop — free terrace view.
25) Parc de Belleville — panoramic perspective.

Markets, festivals and seasonal treats that cost nothing

Some of Paris’s best experiences are free and seasonal. Browse the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen to admire antiques even if you don’t buy. The Marché d’Aligre buzzes with produce stalls, cheeses, and morning life. In June, the city celebrates the Fête de la Musique with free concerts on streets and plazas. Each summer the Parc Floral hosts free or low-cost concerts and family activities. Night-time events such as Nuit Blanche showcase contemporary art installations scattered across the city for free.

Street performers, open-air exhibitions, and free museum nights often pop up without much notice. Check the calendar and follow local listings for surprise cultural treats.

Highlights (markets & events)

26) Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen — window shopping and treasure hunting.
27) Marché d’Aligre — lively food market.
28) Fête de la Musique — citywide free concerts.
29) Nuit Blanche — one-night contemporary art festival.
30) Parc Floral events and open-air performances.