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Offered languages
- English
- French
This immersive walking tour begins at the heart of Paris on the Île de la Cité, in the shadow of Notre Dame, where we uncover the origins of Gothic architecture and how wine helped shape and restore the cathedral.
Winding through hidden side streets, the stories shared evoke a tangible spirit of place—connecting you to Paris as it once was. From the Roman Baths at the Hôtel de Cluny to medieval centres of learning like La Sorbonne and the Collège de France, each stop deepens that sense of continuity through time.
History unfolds at St-Étienne-du-Mont, the Panthéon, and remnants of the Philippe Auguste Wall. The rue Mouffetard, once a medieval market route, still pulses with life, echoing its past.
The journey ends at Paris' Roman Arena and a hidden vineyard once owned by the 12th-century Abbaye St-Victor—where Roman roots and medieval traditions quietly endure. You’ll toast this living history with a glass of organic sparkling wine, feeling a lasting connection to the soul of Paris.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We meet by the statue of Charlemagne, which is on the Seine side of the square, to the right when facing Notre Dame. The closest metro is Cite, Cluny la Sorbonne, or RER Saint Michel.
Itinerary
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1Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Join us on a comprehensive overview of Medieval and Roman Paris, and discover how wine built Paris and how gothic architecture owes its existence to wine. Starting at the epicentre of the city on the Île de la Cité and Notre Dame, we learn the real beginning of the gothic style and how wine built and restored Notre Dame. We don't visit Notre Dame, but it is here we begin our tale of Roman and Medieval Paris.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2
The oldest tree in Paris can be found in this square. We also recount the story of Saint Julien le Pauvre, who murdered his parents, but still became a saint...
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Eglise Saint Julien Le Pauvre
We don't enter this Byzantine style church, but admire it from the outside.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Eglise Saint-Severin
This church was originally frequented by students of the Sorbonne University.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Musee De Cluny
The ruins of the Roman baths can be seen on the Saint Michel side of the Cluny Museum. The Cluny Museum itself has one of the world's most comprehensive collections of Medieval artefacts, including the tapestry series of 'The Lady and the Unicorn'.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6La Sorbonne
We stop by the statue of Michel de Montaigne (who famously invented the essay) to recount the history of La Sorbonne University.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Eglise De Saint-etienne-du-mont
We pass by the statue of Dante Alighieri, the College de France, the Clos Bruneau, the Placette Jacqueline de Romilly, the Ecole Polytechnique and the Montagne Saint-Genevieve before reaching the Church of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont where we talk about the stain glass and 'Midnight in Paris'.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8Pantheon
The Pantheon, which was once a church, became a mausoleum for 'the great men of France', seven of whom are women. It was also here that Foucault proved the rotation of the Earth with a pendulum.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9Wall of Philip II Augustus
A vestige of the 12th century wall of Philippe August can be seen on the rue Clovis. We can also see the Scottish College on the rue Cardinal Lemoine and the address where James Joyce finished writing Ulysses. Farther up the street we also see where Ernest Hemingway lived.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10Place de la Contrescarpe
Once surrounded with vines, this square has been a meeting and drinking place since the Middle Ages. The lively, animate atmosphere of this picturesque square has carried on without interruption. It is also where La Pleiade, a group of French writers decided to stop writing in Latin and popularised the idea of writing in French.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
11Arenes de Lutece
On the pedestrian rue Rollin, we pay tribute to Rene Descartes who famously said, 'Dubito, cogito, ergo sum'. We carry on to Paris' Roman Arena, which is nearly 2000 years old. A vineyard called the Clos des Arenes existed here in the Middle Ages and has been revived with vines now planted on three slopes of the gradients that once hosted the thousands of spectators who came here to watch gladiatorial combat and nautical jousting matches.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
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Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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