The Seine is the spine of Paris. Follow it for an afternoon and you will pass most of the city’s greatest landmarks without ever needing a metro ticket. This walk runs roughly five kilometres from east to west and is best started after lunch, so that you reach the Eiffel Tower as the evening lights come on.
Start on Île de la Cité
Begin at the square in front of Notre-Dame, the cathedral at the historic heart of the city. Walk to the western tip of the island and the small leafy park of Square du Vert-Galant, one of the most peaceful spots on the river.
Browse the bouquinistes
Cross to the Left Bank and follow the quay past the bouquinistes — the green metal boxes of the riverside booksellers, a Paris tradition for centuries. You’ll find old maps, postcards, vintage magazines and secondhand paperbacks.
Walk slowly. Paris is a city designed to be looked at, and the river is its widest window.
Pont des Arts and the Louvre
The pedestrian Pont des Arts offers a classic view back towards Île de la Cité. On the far bank stands the Louvre; on the near side, the domed Institut de France. Pause here — it’s one of the best viewpoints in the city.
Musée d’Orsay
Continue west along the Left Bank to the Musée d’Orsay, a former railway station that now houses one of the world’s great Impressionist collections. Even if you don’t go in, the great station clocks on the façade are worth a look.
Pont Alexandre III
Further on, you reach the city’s most extravagant bridge, a riot of gilded statues, cherubs and Art Nouveau lamps. Built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, it frames the golden dome of Les Invalides to the south and the Grand Palais to the north.
Finish at the Eiffel Tower
The final stretch brings you to the Eiffel Tower. Cross to the Trocadéro on the Right Bank for the classic view, and if you time it right, you’ll catch the tower sparkling with lights at the top of the hour after dark.
Tips for the walk
- The lower quays along the river are largely pedestrianised and wonderfully calm.
- Carry water and wear comfortable shoes; the cobbles are charming but unforgiving.
- Pick up picnic supplies on the way and claim a spot on the riverbank for sunset.
