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Offered languages
- English
Explore the dark history of Paris on a small-group walking tour led by an expert local guide. Uncover the stories behind the Knights Templar, the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, the court of Nostradamus, and the Gothic tradition that made Paris the capital of European horror. Visit key sites including Pont Neuf, the Square du Vert-Galant, Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, the Tour Saint-Jacques, Notre-Dame de Paris, and the Conciergerie, gaining insight into Paris's darkest chapters from the medieval era to the Second World War.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet your guide at the eastern entrance of the Louvre, Cour Carrée, Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris. Your guide will be waiting at the archway. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your scheduled start time.
Itinerary
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1Statue equestre d'Henri IV
Begin beside France's most famous king: born Protestant, twice forced to convert, survivor of the Wars of Religion.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Square du Vert-Galant
Descend to the tip of the Île de la Cité and stand at the spot where Jacques de Molay, last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was burned alive in 1314.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Carrousel du Louvre
At the palace where Catherine de Medici summoned her court prophet, explore the relationship between prophecy and political power, and ask the question every civilisation has asked: why can none of us stop imagining the end?
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Eglise St-Germain l'Auxerrois
The bell of this royal church tolled before dawn on 24 August 1572, and the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre began.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5
Before the Revolution invented the machine, Paris had its own vocabulary of public death. This brief stop explores what execution looked like when it was designed to be a moral lesson.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6
The most important cemetery in medieval Paris sat not in a quiet suburb but at the heart of its busiest market. Discover how plague, mass burial, and a public health crisis led to the creation of the Catacombs — and why Gothic fiction found its perfect setting here.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7
(EXTERIOR ONLY) The surviving tower of the church where the city's most famous alchemist was buried. Discover how a modest medieval scribe became Europe's most legendary occultist.
15 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
8Hotel de Ville
(EXTERIOR ONLY) The former Place de Grève was Paris's principal execution ground for centuries before the Revolution gave it a new machine. The first person guillotined in Paris was here. The crowd found it disappointingly fast.
10 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
9Notre-Dame
(EXTERIOR ONLY) — The tour ends here, at the cathedral that survived revolution, occupation, and fire, and still stands at the heart of the city. Gothic architecture as theology in stone, built over pagan foundations, saved from demolition by a single novel. Please note that the Notre-Dame Cathedral interior visit is not included in the tour. The cathedral serves only as the tour's endpoint. Guests are welcome to visit the interior independently, subject to cathedral access and regulations.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee – Important Details We stand by our commitment to providing the best tour experience. If for any reason your experience did not meet expectations, we offer a 100% Guarantee under the following conditions: 1. Contact Us Within 24 Hours – To qualify for any potential refund or resolution, you must reach out to us within 24 hours of your tour. 2. Give Us a Chance to Make It Right – Before posting any negative reviews online, please allow us the opportunity to address your concerns. We take pride in our customer service and are committed to finding a fair solution. To request a resolution, please contact us at after tour. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to ensuring every guest has an amazing experience!
- It is imperative that you provide us with guests MOBILE PHONE NUMBER (including country code)
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee – Important Details We stand by our commitment to providing the best tour experience. If for any reason your experience did not meet expectations, we offer a 100% Guarantee under the following conditions: 1. Contact Us Within 24 Hours – To qualify for any potential refund or resolution, you must reach out to us within 24 hours of your tour. 2. Give Us a Chance to Make It Right – Before posting any negative reviews online, please allow us the opportunity to address your concerns. We take pride in our customer service and are committed to finding a fair solution. To request a resolution, please contact us at after tour. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to ensuring every guest has an amazing experience!
- It is imperative that you provide us with guests MOBILE PHONE NUMBER (including country code)
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- The entrance to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is free and open to all. The services offered are independent of access to the interior of the building.
- A maximum of 12 people per tour allowed
- Minimum numbers apply. This tour will not run without a minimum of 2 guests to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative date or full refund
- Notes: The tour route may be affected by national celebrations. When this occurs, we will provide guests with an alternative route still being able to see all the highlights on the tour. In these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts. No large bags or suitcases are allowed during this tour. We recommend comfortable shoes, a bottle of water, umbrella in case of rain and hat during summer. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some can’t be visited from the inside.
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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