A local’s guide to the best free things to do in Paris, France with free museums, secret gardens, photo spots and other hidden gems to have on your bucket list!
Paris; this historic city towering over the rest of France in waves of medieval buildings blended with avant-garde events.
Paris, this city filled with secret villages at every corner, which tickle sophisticated shopping streets.
A city so expensive at times that while I lived there, for 5 years and then some, I felt like I couldn’t do much there, with my small makeup artist budget.
However, when I moved back for a couple of months at the beginning of the summer, I found out there are many, many completely free things to do in Paris.
And that’s precisely what we’ll talk about today.
Free Things to Do in Paris: 15 Places to Visit on a Budget
Whenever I’m traveling on a budget, I make it a point to find all the free stuff the city can offer; whether we’re talking about Rome, London, Barcelona or Paris, I need this to understand the city’s vibe.
For instance, I’ve found there are many free things to do in London, and lots of free places to visit in Rome, as well – many more than Paris and Troyes, my hometown.
I don’t want to just visit free museums.
That gets old quickly, even if I’m a huge museum lover.
I want to find instagrammable places, I want to find hidden gardens, secret courtyards, the whole shindig.
If you’re into the same kind of activities, this guide will definitely come in handy – keep reading to find out which are some of my favorite places to visit in Paris on a budget!
Free Things to Do in Paris: La Coulée Verte René-Dumont
If you happen to visit Paris in the fall, spring or summer, make sure to walk along the Coulée Verte, an elevated park spreading over 4.7 km over Paris.
Established atop an abandoned railway structure starting near the Bastille Opera House, this gorgeous linear garden is dotted with pergolas, tunnels and various plants and flowers and ends at the famous Bois de Vincennes.
It’s easily accessible from the Bastille metro station on line 1, and also close to Tonton Billy, a local restaurant that few tourists know of, which some of the freshest hot dogs and fries you’ll taste in town!
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Petit Palais and its Garden
The Petit Palais, close to the Champs-Elysées, is, despite its gorgeous neoclassical architecture, frescoes and columns, a completely free museum, and one of the prettiest places in Paris.
The permanent exhibition is often enhanced with temporary pieces, and by making your way to the secret garden at the back of the Petit Palais, you’ll also find mosaics, more possible photo spots, and even a coffee shop to relax for a bit.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Pont Alexandre III
It would be strange to tell you about free things to do in Paris without mentioning a few photo spots, as I’ve done with the Petit Palais, and next on our bucket list should be the Pont Alexandre III.
This super instagrammable bridge gives straight, immaculate views of Paris and the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
A spot trodden by Louisa Clark at the end of the Me Before You movie, and a gorgeous place to admire the sunset in Paris.
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Free Places to Visit in Paris: Promenade Marie de Roumanie
The way I first discovered the Promenade Marie de Roumanie was by walking from the Beaugrenelle shopping center in the 15th arrondissement and making my way back to the Eiffel Tower.
I was just looking for some new sights and gorgeous streets around the area before making my way to the Trocadero, and came across this long pathway gliding along the Seine River.
Far from being a secret spot, the Promenade Marie de Roumanie, with its straight views of the Eiffel Tower all the way down to the Iéna metro station, is a tourist favorite to snap a few shots.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Montmartre Cemetery
What makes the Montmartre Cemetery interesting to me is the fact that, beyond being one of the biggest – and most beautiful cemeteries in Paris, it’s also completely free to visit.
There are buried some significant figures of the arts, including Stendhal, Berlioz, Dalida, along with one of my favorite authors, Emile Zola, whose Rougon-Macquart series have redefined naturalism and French literature.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Views of Paris from the Sacré-Coeur
I love spending time in the Montmartre neighborhood; this is one of the prettiest villages inside Paris, and from its heights, you can catch some of the prettiest views of Paris.
When you’re done visiting the Montmartre Cemetery, why not make your way to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica?
You can visit it for free, except for the dome and the crypt, sit on the stairs to admire Paris with a snack, and then, make sure to walk around the area.
Some of the most aesthetic streets of Paris are located in Montmartre, and the village-like Place du Tertre is a must-visit for proper French food, cobblestone streets, and street painters.
Read: The Best Things To Do During Spring in Rome
Free Things to Do in Paris: Rue Crémieux
Close to Gare de Lyon, the Rue Crémieux has almost lost is secret vibe, but it’s still way more local than touristy.
We’re here in one of the most colorful alleys of Paris, a long cobblestone street with a mews vibe, and facades painted in all shades of coral, pink, purple, yellow, blue and green.
If what you’re after are overly beautiful places to snap a few shots, this is one of the streets you have to check out at some point.
Read: The Best Places to Visit in Rome for Sculptures
Free Things to Do in Paris: Place Vendôme
Off Rue de Rivoli, with about 5 minutes’ walk, you’ll find the ultra-posh Place Vendôme with all kinds of high-end jewelry shops, from Bulgari to Boucheron.
Focused on jewelry, fancy restaurants and hotels like The Ritz and the Vendôme Column, a landmark topped by a statue of Napoleon I to commemorate the Battle of Austerlitz, the Place Vendôme is a great place to get a feel of posh Parisian life.
Read: Cloître des Billettes, A Secret Photo Spot in Paris’s Marais
Free Things to Do in Paris: Jardin du Luxembourg and Medici Fountain
One of the prettiest parks of Paris (like the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the 19th arrondissement), the Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the only places I’ll visit come rain or shine.
Neoclassical sculptures are scattered around the huge park, a park adorned with the most colorful flowerbeds during the spring, and if there’s a place to visit absolutely while you’re there, it’s the Medici Fountain.
Created in the early 17th century, the Medici Fountain, commissioned by Marie de Medici, depicts the tragedy of a mythological love, that of Acis and Galatea – with its pond and grotto shape, it’s one of the most beautiful fountains in Paris, and one you can see completely for free.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Passage de l’Ancre, Châtelet
Since I mentioned another colorful street above with Rue Crémieux, for all my people addicted to finding instagrammable places, also check out the Passage de l’Ancre near Châtelet.
Very hidden on both sides, it’s filled with residences and workshops whose facades would almost remind me of those along Camden Passage in London – historical, carefully-painted, with gorgeous plants and flowers all along the alley.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Wall of I Love You, Montmartre
Lost in a corner of the Montmartre area, the Wall of I Love You, also called the Wall of Love, is one of the unofficial landmarks of Paris; a big, navy blue wall covered with ‘I Love You’ written in all languages.
A pretty touristy place at that, since it makes for a gorgeous backdrop if you’d like to take pictures.
If you get tired of the crowds, make your way to the end of the garden, climb the few stairs on the left, and you’ll land in one of the most magical gardens in Paris; the small Jardin des Abbesses, with its climbing ivy, pergolas and manicured lawns.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Musée Carnavalet, Le Marais
Located just off the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, a hotspot in Le Marais, the Musée Carnavalet is not only completely free, but also an aesthetic place in which you’ll learn all about the history of Paris.
Starting from the prehistory in the basement to the French Revolution and the Belle Époque, the Musée Carnavalet offers a huge collection of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts placed for the most part in beautiful period rooms.
At the end of your visit, if you’d like, you can get a hot beverage from the coffee shop and have a seat in the picturesque garden, and continue visiting Le Marais.
Another free museum, the Cognacq-Jay Museum, is located only two streets away.
Or, if you’d like to get a few souvenirs, you’ll quickly find that Le Marais is one of the best places to shop in Paris, from clothes to makeup, independent beauty brands and other high-end shoe designs.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Butte-aux-Cailles, 13th Arrondissement
The Butte-aux-Cailles is currently one of the most famous – yet secret villages in Paris, and located only a short walk away from some of the busiest streets and metro stations of the 13th arrondissement.
(PS. If you ever get hungry and would like to find a non touristy restaurant in the area, Le Bambou close to the Olympiades metro station is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant I’ve sworn by for years).
From small, cute bookshops to street art-covered walls, the streets of the Butte-aux-Cailles neighborhood is one to visit whatever your hobbies are.
In addition to the many art pieces, you’ll find many small, independent cafes and restaurants in this small village, along with lots of secret passageways, like Passage Barrault or Passage Boiton.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Musée des Archives Nationales, Le Marais
Even if you don’t speak French and aren’t sure to understand what the Musée des Archives Nationales in the Marais is about, you’ll find that this free museum hides many secrets (and that English brochures are available).
Housed in the grand Hôtel de Soubise, the museum bears slight resemblance to the gorgeous palaces of Rome – spacious rooms, painted ceilings, mind blowing chandeliers: all and more are to be admired there.
The garden is also worth a sight, and by going right before the Hôtel de Soubise entrance, you’ll come across an even more secret garden with a small pond, saturated nature and a couple of sculptures.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: Hôtel de Sens Garden
Close to some of the most magical places in Paris – and that includes the Seine riverbanks and the quaint Village Saint-Paul is located the Hôtel de Sens garden, so small, so manicured that it boasts proper Versailles vibes.
We’re just a few minutes away from the Saint-Paul metro station and Le Marais neighborhood, and if the Hôtel de Sens, a medieval residence adorned with crisp columns and arched windows, is already a must-visit (completely free, too!), the garden is great to catch a break.
The Hôtel de Sens hides the picturesque Bibliothèque Forney: walk up the architectural stairs to get a view of the gorgeous back of the reading room – can’t get any farther without being a member.
After visiting the building, resting on one of the benches with a view of the colorful flowerbeds and the castle-like building makes for a wonderfully romantic moment.
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Free Things to Do in Paris: 15 Places to Visit on a Budget
This is my own, personal guide to some of my favorite free things to do in Paris.
After living in Paris for years, plus a few months during the summer, I’ve very much fallen in love with Paris again; its gorgeous cafes, its delicious food, and all of its secret corners.
Whether you’re looking for properly historical sites, old mosaics and tile artworks on shopfronts around town, or beautiful village-vibe areas, you’ll find it all in Paris.
Start with this guide, and if you’d like to know more about the city and happen to be on a budget, make sure you visit a few of the free museums I’ve mentioned here today!