I’m so tired of lists of free things to do in Paris that are like, “Walk around! Go to a park! Sit on a bench in a square!” Of course those things are free!
I’m currently in the middle of my third trip to Paris in the last four years, where I’ve rented an apartment for several weeks to rediscover the capital city of France. Since my trip is so long I’ve been focused on finding affordable things to do, which inspired me to compile this list of fifteen free things to do indoors in Paris.
If you’re in Paris on a rainy, snowy or cold day, or if you’re there in the summer and want to escape the scorching sun, these fifteen free things to do in Paris are all located indoors, so you’ll be protected from the elements. Of course, that also means you’ll actually have an experience beyond just standing at street level looking at something; you’ll be immersed in whichever free location you choose to visit.
I intentionally mixed this list up in sort of random order because I thought that might lead you to find something interesting that wasn’t already on your radar. To help with your planning, though, I included the address and nearest metro station for each of the free indoor attractions in Paris.
#1 – Salle Ovale at the the Bibliothèque Nationale – Richelieu
Shakespeare & Company is so 2010. Today, book lovers traveling to Paris are making a stop at the Oval Room in the National Library – Richelieu. Recently reopened in 2022 after a major renovation, this is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.
This stunning public reading room has more than 20,000 books for visitors to peruse, and more than 9,000 comic books – in countless languages – for visitors with children (or adults who are young at heart!). There are also interactive digital stations where you can learn more about the library, along with free public WiFi.
The reading room is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and has extended hours until 8:00 pm on Thursdays. Of course, it’s closed on major holidays.
Address: 5 Rue Vivienne
Nearest Metro: Bourse
#2 – Notre Dame Cathedral
Most travelers know that Notre Dame experienced a devastating fire in April 2019. The destruction was widespread and the cathedral had to close for almost six full years so that more than 1,000 workers could reconstruct the iconic church. In December 2024 Notre Dame reopened, and now it has returned to its original status as one of the best free places to visit in Paris.
It is recommended that you reserve a free entry time on the official Notre Dame website, though there is a separate queue for visitors without a reservation. However, the line for visitors without a reservation moves fairly quickly. It was backed up onto the street on the day I visited, and the time from the street to the entrance of the cathedral was less than fifteen minutes.
Notre Dame has a separate entrance for those wishing to attend mass in the cathedral (also free). The free Rick Steves Audio Europe app includes an audio guide (with transcript) that explains the interior and exterior of the cathedral, for those who want to know more.
You might have first learned about Notre Dame from author Victor Hugo’s famous book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Towards the end of this list of free things to do in Paris I’ll take you to Hugo’s house, which is now a free museum.
Address: Place Jean Paul II
Nearest Metro: Cité
#3 – Musee de la Vie Romantique
This museum is dedicated to life in the Romantic period (approximately 1815-1848). Painter Ary Scheffer lived in this house near the Moulin Rouge, welcoming esteemed guests including Chopin, Liszt, Rossini and Dickens. Today, the rooms in the house are decorated with various objets d’art such as paintings, furniture, books and housewares. In my opinion, though, the experience of being in the old house, feeling like you’re back in the 19th century, is more interesting than the works on display.
You will need about thirty minutes to visit the Musee de la Vie Romantique. When you’re finished your tour, consider stopping by the tea room in the museum’s pleasant garden for a light meal or snack.
My last visit to this museum was in March 2024. As I’m publishing this, the Musee de la Vie Romantique is closed for renovations, but it is scheduled to reopen in March 2026.
Address: 16 Rue Chaptal
Nearest Metro: Pigalle
#4 – La Madeleine
Designed to look like a massive Greek temple, La Madeleine Church is not only free to visit, but also often hosts free classical music concerts. Their website has a page for upcoming concerts, and the ones with free admission are labeled “entrée libre“.
Entering the church you will see the monumental carved bronze doors, larger than even those of Saint Peter’s in Rome. The interior of the church is relatively simple (again, harking back to the architecture of Ancient Greece), but your eyes will certainly be drawn to the grand high altar, marked by sculpture of Mary Magdelene ascending to heaven, and the frescoes that adorn the walls and ceiling.
Address: Place de la Madeleine
Nearest Metro: Madeleine
#5 – Europa Experience
Created by the European Union, Europa Experience is a unique, interactive exhibit about how countries in the European Union work together to improve the lives of all their citizens. There are 13 Europa Experiences around the EU, including the one in Paris.
The Europa Experience is offered in all 24 official EU languages, so it’s one of the best free things to do in Paris for people who aren’t fluent in English or French. Inside there is an interactive multimedia tour, hands-on installations and a 360° cinema. As you leave, you’ll have the opportunity to leave a virtual record of why the collaborative work of the EU is important to you – you might even see me in the slideshow!
Address: 28 Place de la Madeleine (behind the church on the right)
Nearest Metro: Madeleine
#6 – Saint-Severin Church
Saint-Severin is one of my favorite churches to visit in Paris. With free admission and a location just steps away from Notre Dame, Musée de Cluny and Shakespeare & Company, I often find myself popping into this tranquil church simply to rest my feet for a few minutes, away from the hot sun or damp rain. There have been many times where I’ve been the only person inside the church, a marked difference from the other attractions nearby!
Saint-Severin Church dates back to the sixteenth century, making it one of the oldest churches on the Left Bank. The Gothic interior features striking pillars, twisting columns and colorful stained glass windows. On the outside, decorative gargoyles keep watch (and keep water from pouring down the side of the building).
Address: 1 Rue des Prêtres Saint-Séverin
Nearest Metro: Cluny La Sorbonne
#7 – City of Paris Museum of Modern Art
With the five-year closure of the Pompidou Centre (starting in mid-2025), contemporary art lovers will want to head to the City of Paris’ Musuem of Modern Art. This free museum in Paris is home to works from the 20th and 21st century, by famous artists like Matisse, Picasso, de Chirico and Modigliani, as well as artists currently rising in the global contemporary art scene.
The galleries inside the historic Palais de Tokyo are spacious and uncrowded, with descriptions available in both French and English. On average a visit to the permanent galleries takes about an hour, and no reservation is required to enter. After your visit, consider crossing the Seine River on the Passerelle Debilly, a wooden pedestrian bridge with amazing Eiffel Tower views.
Address: 11 Avenue de President Wilson
Nearest Metro: Iéna
#8 – The Glasswalk at Galeries Lafayette 
Normally I wouldn’t recommend a department store as something to do, but there is a unique, free attraction inside the Galeries Lafayette Haussman store. The Glasswalk is a nine-meter glass platform suspendeded sixteen meters in the air, underneath the ornate dome of this famous department store.
Reservations for the Glasswalk are released each Friday for the upcoming week (Monday to Sunday). Every five minutes they allow eight people onto the platform to take in the views and take photos. It’s often possible to book a free visit just one day in advance, but same-day bookings are hard to come by.
Once you have made a reservation you’ll need to head to the third floor of the department store, by the Café Coutume escalator. Make sure to arrive 10 minutes in advance so that your spot isn’t given away.
When you’re done with the Glasswalk, you can head further upstairs to the store’s rooftop terrace. Here you’ll find panoramic views of the city, including the Opera Garnier rooftop and the Eiffel Tower. It’s free to visit the terrace but since it’s outside I didn’t give this experience its own spot on the list.
Address: 40 Boulevard Haussmann
Nearest Metro: Chaussée d’Antin — La Fayette or Auber (RER A)
#9 – Musée Carnavalet
Recently reopened after a major renovation, Musée Carnavalet is Paris’ city history museum. Split between two historic mansions, the collection consists of more than 4,000 pieces that trace the history of Paris from the earliest civilizations to today. During the renovation, not only were the buildings restored, but each and every artifact on display was also restored, meaning there has never been a better time to visit.
You don’t need a ticket or reservation to explore the Musée Carnavalet, but I do recommend you download the official app first (Google / Apple). Here, you can choose between several self-guided itineraries designed for children or adults, including a highlights tour that showcases the 30 most important pieces in the museum. Galleries are organized in chronological order so that you can truly trace the evolution of France’s capital city.
⭐ Try to download the museum apps at home on your WiFi network, or in your hotel, so you don’t use up all your data. You can also download a Google Map of Paris onto your phone so that you’re not using data every time you need to look up an address. ⭐
The museum suggests that visitors will need 2-4 hours to explore the entire collection, but personally I breezed through in about 90 minutes. Because it’s free to enter, you could always consider viewing half of the exhibits one day and then returning later to see the rest.
Address: 23 Rue de Sévigné
Nearest Metro: Saint-Paul
#10 – Saint-Eustache Church
Just steps away from Les Halles and at the intersection of the popular restaurant streets Rue Rambuteau and Rue Montorgueil, Saint-Eustache Church is one of the most evocative churches in the city – and of course, it’s free to enter!
This huge church spans more than 100 meters in length and 40 meters in width. Thanks to numerous renovations over the centuries, Saint-Eustache features elements of Gothic, Renaissance and classical architecture, making each of its facades unique.
Inside, be sure to pause at the Chapel of the Virgin, featuring a sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle (yes, the metro station was named after him!). Contemporary American artist Keith Haring designed a bronze triptych for the Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul, a rare example of modern art in a historic church. You’ll also find The Disciples of Emmaus, a painting by Peter Paul Rubens.
Address: 2 Impasse Saint-Eustache
Nearest Metro: Les Halles
#11 – Petit Palais
I can’t believe that it was only on my fifth trip to Paris that I finally visited Petit Palais! If you are the kind of person who would choose Musée d’Orsay over the Louvre, then you’ll love this smaller, more intimate museum of fine arts. The Petit Palais building was constructed for the 1900 Universal Exposition, along with its neighbour across the street: The Grand Palais.
Inside, the focus here is on the history of French art, from prehistory until the opening of the museum in the early twentieth century. Works from the country’s most famous artists like Gauguin, Degas, Cézanne and Delacroix are on display, along with important archeological finds and religious artifacts. Most visitors spend about an hour inside the museum, with the official app (Google / iPhone) helping you plan the most efficient route.
Admission to the permanent galleries at Petit Palais is free, and no reservations are required. If you want to visit one of the temporary exhibits you can buy a ticket online or upon arrival.
Address: Avenue Winston Churchill (I don’t think it has a number as it’s the only property on the block)
Nearest Metro: Champs Élysées Clemenceau
#12 – La Maison Elysée
The Élysée Palace is the official residence of the French president, and the Maison Elysée is the official museum of the presidential palace. Situated directly in front of the presidential palace, this museum is free to enter and includes four distinct sections:
- Exceptional Artwork – See the exquisite works of art that decorate the presidential palace and preserve France’s cultural and artistic heritage.
- Behind the Scenes at the Palace – Learn what it takes to keep a presidential palace running. Spoiler: It’s a lot.
- Traveling Through Time – A 3D movie that showcases the architectural history of this 300-year-old palace.
- The Cabinet of Curiosities – Diplomatic gifts given and received by the French president are on display. Check to see if there’s anything from your country!
This is also where you’ll find the presidential patisserie, where you can order pastries fit to serve visiting dignitaries and chocolates from renowned chef Alain Ducasse’s kitchen. The on-site gift shop focuses on made-in-France products, and they proudly advertise that one out of every three products for sale costs less than €20.
You don’t need to sign up for a tour to visit the Maison Elysée, but free guided tours are available in French with advance reservation. Just check the website to confirm opening dates and times, as there are occasional closures due to visiting dignitaries or other special events.
Address: 88 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Nearest Metro: Concorde
#13 – Musée du Parfum
On my last trip to Paris I took a group of visitors through the Museum of Perfume in Paris. Operated by the perfume house Fragonard, the Museum of Perfume contains the perfumery memorabilia collected by François Costa, the son-in-law of the fragrance house’s founder.
You can visit the Museum of Perfume for free, without a reservation, for a self-guided visit. It will take you about thirty minutes to work your way through the different exhibits. At the end, you will exit through the gift shop, a sprawling boutique hard-selling Fragonard scents.
I’m a huge perfume fan and I’m not impressed by Fragonard scents, so my advice is that you shouldn’t feel pressured to purchase. If there’s a scent you’re particularly interested in ask them to spray it on your wrist and see if you’re still in love (or if you can even still smell it) four or five hours later.
An experience that I’d recommend over buying Fragonard scents is the custom perfume-making workshop at Molinard, a famous French perfume house.
The exit to the gift shop opens into Square de l’Opéra-Louis Jouvet, which I think is one of the prettiest squares in all of Paris. Swing by even if you’re not going to the museum or shop.
Address: 9 Rue Scribe
Nearest Metro: Opéra
#14 – Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
In the heart of the Latin Quarter, adjacent to the Pantheon, you’ll find the Church of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont. If you know your French you’ll know that Le Marais translates to “the swamp”; the first church here was initially constructed in the 1200s, on the mont, or mountain, on the opposite bank, which was less prone to flooding.
The facade of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont is in the Renaissance style, accented with a large Gothic rose window. The interior is much brighter than some of the other churches on this list, thanks to its large windows, and the ample lighting allows you to really take in the detailing of the wooden sculptures throughout the church. People who seek out unique architectural details will want to spend a few moments examining the rood screen, which dates back to the mid-1500s and is the last remaining one in the city.
At the time of my visit there was a funeral happening inside the church (you can literally see the hearse in front in my photo!). I was able to go inside to see the interior, but I chose not to take photos out of respect for the family.
Address: Place Sainte-Geneviève
Nearest Metro: Cardinal Lemoine
#15 – Maison de Victor Hugo
Pretty Place de Vosges is worth visiting on its own, but it’s best combined with a visit to the free Maison de Victor Hugo. The author who wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame lived in an apartment on this square for about fifteen years. Today, his former home is open to the public and includes a collection of his writings, his personal possessions and more than 50,000 paintings, drawings, letters, photographs, books and other items related to Hugo’s life.
If you’re very interested in Victor Hugo you could easily spend an hour or two inside this free museum in Le Marais. Personally, I was more interested in the beautiful decor than the author’s biography (he and I have similar decorating tastes, apparently!) so I spent about 40 minutes inside.
Address: 6 Place des Vosges (southeast corner)
Nearest Metro: Bastille
#16 – Covered Shopping Arcades
Today, Paris is known for its elegant shopping boulevards. Two hundred years ago, however, things were not so elegant, with unpaved streets where snow fell ankle-deep and garbage mixed with rainwater.
To make 19th-century shoppers more comfortable, wealth property owners constructed covered passages and galleries between their buildings. They allowed shopkeepers to set up their stores at street level and live in the apartments on the second and third floors. These indoor spaces immediately gained popularity with shoppers, and although most have changed over the years many are still open to shoppers (and window shoppers!) today.
Many of the most beautiful covered arcades are clustered together within a block or two of one another, making it possible to spend an hour or two browsing under the glass canopies. For example, Passage Jouffroy is one of my favorites (I stayed at the hotel inside the passage for four nights!), and now I have a new guide to eighteen of the most beautiful covered passages in Paris.
Address: Multiple
Nearest Metro: Both Pyramides and Grands Boulevards are within walking distance of several arcades.
#17 – Sacre Coeur
Easily one of the most iconic buildings in Paris, Sacre Coeur rises over the city at the top of the Montmartre hill. Construction here finished in 1914, and today visitors can explore the Roman-Byzatine interior featuring a 475 m2 mosaic (The Triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), a high dome decorated with the heavens, colorful stained glass windows and more than ten decorated chapels.
It is free to enter the Sacre Coeur basilica. If you want to ascend the dome in the basilica, you will need to pay €6. It’s about 300 steps to the top, where you’ll either have a 360° view of the city (if it’s a clear day) or a 360° view of fog (if it’s grey outside). Your dome ticket also includes admission to the crypt below the church.
In my experience, the busiest time to try to enter Sacre Coeur is right around sunset, as this is when many people head to the terrace in front of the church to take photos as the sun sets over the city. At other times of day the queue to enter is shorter and moves more quickly. If you come in the morning you can use Sacre Coeur as your starting point for my one-day Montmartre itinerary, which takes you to some of the quieter, more authentic corners of the neighborhood.
Address: 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre
Nearest Metro: Anvers, then take the funicular up the hill
Looking for more unique things to do in Paris? If you’re visiting in summer, consider a swim in the Seine at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, or try a custom perfume-making workshop at any time of year!
I also have a NEW guide to the best things to do in Paris at night – learn all about the City of Light after dark!
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