Are most places of interest within walking distance of downtown Paris?

Question

Are most places of interest within walking distance of downtown Paris?

Answer 1

No, unless you really like walking. Paris is not a very big city, but you will still need to use the Underground (which is very good) or buses.

Paris is 15 times smaller than London. I have already walked across Paris (during the December 1995 strike).

Answer 2

Most of the big tourist attractions are within a narrow band on either side of the Seine.

For example, from Notre Dame which is the center of the city to the Arc de Triomphe is 4.7km (less than 3 miles), hardly a difficult walk for a healthy person. From the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower is only about 2.5 km (1.5 miles).

While the Metro and the buses are both relatively cheap and very efficient, walking also has the benefit of letting you see all the little things that a person taking public transport will probably miss.

If, for example, you walk from the Arc du Carousel by the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe you see, among other things, the Place de la Concorde (where the guillotine once stood), the Tuilleries Gardens, the Orangerie, the Elysee Palace, and all the shops along the Champs Elysee. You might even be tempted to stop for a moment and watch the guys playing patonque at the courts that are in the Gardens along the way.

Ride underground in the Metro and you'll get from point A to point B faster but you miss the detail.

Answer 3

not a big city??? ... what the???....

..If you're used to walking a lot, you could see a bunch of 'attractions' but I strongly recommend using the public transportation...

... well, why wouldn't you?

Answer 4

I agree that Paris is a small city... at least in the sense that the boundaries of central Paris are relatively small compared to London, New York, or other megacities.  But that doesn't mean that you will want to or be able to walk everywhere.  The Metro is convenient after you get used to it.  You can cross central Paris in 20-30 minutes, depending on which line you take.

Some of the important places are definitely beyond walking distance, but almost everything you will want to see is within the Peripherique highway (the circular highway around the city).