Paris French Revolution Self-Guided Walking Tour

Square Henri-Galli hides a powerful relic the last visible remains of the Bastille fortress, nestled in a peaceful park where history quietly lives amid trees, flowers, and local life.

From bread riots to rebellion, Parisian women and revolutionaries toppled the monarchy, stormed the Tuileries, and reshaped France ushering in the Republic and putting Louis XVI on trial.

Île Saint-Louis charms with serene streets, elegant 17th-century mansions, and riverside views once home to legends like Voltaire and Chopin, it's a peaceful gem in the heart of Paris.

The Hôtel de Ville dazzles with Renaissance grandeur and history rebuilt after 1871, it now boasts Versailles-style interiors and has witnessed revolutions, speeches, and the soul of Paris.

Étienne Marcel, a bold reformer and champion of Parisian rights, led a 14th-century revolt for civic freedoms. His 1888 statue near Hôtel de Ville honors his enduring legacy and tragic end.

The Hôtel de Ville was a hub of revolution home to Robespierre’s rise and fall, and burned in 1871 during the Paris Commune, it stands today as a resilient symbol of Paris’s turbulent past.

The Pont d’Arcole’s bold 19th-century iron arch spans the Seine without pillars an elegant, engineering marvel linking the Right Bank to Île de la Cité with grace and groundbreaking design.

Notre-Dame has stood for over 850 years, witnessing Napoleon’s coronation and inspiring Victor Hugo’s iconic novel becoming both a symbol of French history and a beacon of Gothic beauty.

Once a royal residence, now a seat of justice, the Palais de Justice hides medieval towers and leads you to Sainte-Chapelle Paris’s breathtaking jewel of stained glass and Gothic glory.

Once managed by the royal concierge, this historic site became a prison and court. Don’t miss Paris’s first public clock from 1370 still ticking in its dazzling blue and gold glory.

Pont au Change, built under Napoleon III, connects Île de la Cité to the Right Bank. Its elegant arches and imperial "N" monogram mark a blend of history, architecture, and Parisian rhythm.

Place du Châtelet replaced a medieval fortress under Napoleon. At its center, the Fontaine du Palmier celebrates victory, crowned by a golden statue of Victory holding laurel wreaths.

Once part of a church, this tower survived the French Revolution in 1797 and was repurposed as a shot tower transforming from sacred steeple to a tool of war, yet still standing tall today.

From monarchy to republic, the Revolution turned radical toppling kings, rewriting time, and plunging Paris into the Reign of Terror led by Robespierre and the rise of revolutionary ideals.

Once a royal palace, the Louvre became a museum for the people in 1793 a revolutionary symbol of shared culture, where art and knowledge were no longer the privilege of kings, but of all.

Once Cardinal Richelieu’s palace, the Palais-Royal became a revolutionary stage when Camille Desmoulins rallied Parisians here in 1789 sparking the storming of the Bastille.

In 1789, Camille Desmoulins’ fiery speech at Palais-Royal sparked the storming of the Bastille. Its cafés and arcades became hotbeds of revolutionary debate and radical action.

Place du Carrousel links the Louvre and Tuileries, offering sweeping views and a moment to pause where art, history, and revolution once collided in the heart of Paris.

Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel honors his victories with marble columns, intricate carvings, and a golden chariot shining atop the arch.

Built in 1607, this pavilion became Robespierre’s Committee of Public Safety HQ during the Revolution renamed the Pavilion of Equality, echoing the radical spirit of the new republic.

The Tuileries became ground zero for revolution: the royal family detained, the palace stormed, and Robespierre’s radical festivals transformed its gardens into symbols of a new republic.

Flanking the Bassin Octogonal, statues of Caesar and Hannibal face off Rome’s calm authority against Carthage’s fierce defiance set in the heart of the Jardin des Tuileries.

Once the stage for over 1,100 guillotine executions, Place de la Concorde is now Paris’s grandest square anchored by an ancient obelisk, elegant fountains, and regal neoclassical beauty.

Pont de la Concorde was built using stones from the Bastille, letting Parisians symbolically walk over the ruins of monarchy turning revolution into everyday passage.

Originally a royal residence, Palais Bourbon became a symbol of republican power in 1795. Its grand neoclassical façade mirrors the Église de la Madeleine across the Seine.

Keep to your right and walk down toward the lower quai to begin a quiet stroll along the River Seine.

Next up is Pont Alexandre III. To your left, you’ll spot a set of stairs leading up to the bridge. Climb up, and let’s continue our journey through the French Revolution story of Paris.

Paris’s most elegant bridge, Pont Alexandre III offers stunning views of the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, and the Grand Palais an unforgettable moment in the heart of the city.

Stand beneath the golden dome of Les Invalides, home to Napoleon’s tomb and the Musée de l’Armée where centuries of French military glory and sacrifice echo through its vast halls.

In 1799, Napoleon's coup ends the French Revolution, closing a turbulent era of bloodshed and ideals but its legacy of liberty and change continues to shape the world today.

Now, turn left onto Rue Saint-Guillaume   a quiet street today, but imagine it during the Revolution, where every corner could have hidden whispered plans, secret gatherings, and the restless energy of change.

Walk through Saint-Germain, once home to radical clubs like the Cordeliers, where revolutionaries Danton and Desmoulins stirred Paris with cries for liberty and justice.

Step into Cour du Commerce-Saint-André, where Revolution pulsed Dr. Guillotin refined his infamous invention, and radical ideas brewed in this now-tranquil alley.

During the Revolution, Luxembourg Palace became a prison for figures like Danton and Desmoulins many walked from here to the guillotine, as the gardens outside echoed with revolutionary fervor.

Revolutionary reforms turned royal land into a public park, symbolizing liberty and equality. The palace later housed the Directory, and the gardens became a beloved retreat for all Parisians.

At the quiet Bassin Soufflot, pause where revolution once roared. This tranquil spot leads to the Panthéon, where France’s heroes were carried in honor through liberty’s path.

Once a church, the Panthéon became a secular temple during the Revolution, honoring heroes like Voltaire and Rousseau forever enshrining the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.