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Galerie Vivienne

Galerie Vivienne: Our most recommended tours and activities

Paris: Covered Passages Audio-Guided Walking Tour

1. Paris: Covered Passages Audio-Guided Walking Tour

Stroll through centuries with an audio-guided tour of the Palais-Royal gardens and the city’s historic covered passages. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, to explore at your own pace. Begin at the gardens of Palais-Royal, to discover the story of this fashionable meeting place. Continue to the covered passages of Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas, and Passages Jouffroy. Learn how these places battled to attract customers and pass iconic locations, including the oldest chocolate factory in Paris, a wax museum, and the former Paris Stock Exchange.

Paris: Covered Passages Walking Tour

2. Paris: Covered Passages Walking Tour

Explore Paris’s covered passages: half-hidden covered streets filled with shopping and culinary treasures. Take a dazzling guided tour through 5 of Paris’ magical arcades, some of them dating back to the 1700s, and learn their secrets, history, and the best places to shop and dine. Begin at the Galerie Vivienne, a neoclassical-style covered passage dating to 1823, now a national monument filled with luxury boutiques. After the Galerie Vivienne, explore the Passage Choiseul, where over 600 feet of sunlit shops gather under the stunning glass roof. Be sure to look at the beautiful, ornately tiled floor. Continue the tour at the Passage des Panoramas, Paris' first covered walkway, built more than 200 years ago. Admire its old-fashioned charm and ancient architecture. Your guide will point out the best artisanal shops and eateries as you stroll along the scenic passage. Next, the Passage Jouffroy presents a narrow frame for shoppers to navigate, accented everywhere with glass and iron. It even houses a small wax museum that your guide will show you. At each of these stops your guide will direct your attention to details you might otherwise miss, fascinating pieces of history, and the story behind how these many covered passages in Paris found their way to the capital of fashion. The tour ends at the Passage Verdeau, where antique dealers and vintage curiosities crowd the walkway.

Paris: Iconic Neighborhoods Guided Walking Tour

3. Paris: Iconic Neighborhoods Guided Walking Tour

Choose one of five Paris districts to visit on a guided walking tour, each one steeped in history and filled with fascinating places to explore. Join your guide as they take you to the heart of your chosen Quartier and tell you all about its history, art, architecture, cuisine, fashion, and more. Le Marais: History and Fashion Discover the hidden treasures of Le Marais and find out why this district is a favorite amongst hip Parisians. Come see where history and architecture rub shoulders with hip boutiques, cool cafes, and gourmet eateries. Montmartre: The Artists' Quarter Visit the charming Parisian district of Montmartre with a local guide. Discover the Montmartre of Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Van Gogh. See where artists lived, drank, danced, and painted, exchanging their paintings for food and art supplies. Saint-Germain-des-Prés: Intellectuals and Jazz on the Left Bank Join your guide as you dive into the fascinating past of this iconic Left Bank neighborhood. Hear captivating stories about Saint-Germain-des-Prés, once home to literary geniuses, rebellious students, and revolutionaries. The Latin Quarter: Literary Legends in Bohemian Paris Discover the vibrant and eclectic Latin Quarter on a guided walking tour. Stroll down cobblestone streets lined with quirky bookshops and lively cafes, see the Sorbonne, and admire the mighty Pantheon. The Covered Passages: Hidden Treasures and Chic Shopping Explore a lesser-known side of Paris and see hidden treasures often missed by other visitors. Discover the delightful covered passages filled with tiny boutiques and cafes, and learn about the best places to shop and grab a bite to eat in the city.

Paris: Belleville and Le Marais Private Walking Tour

4. Paris: Belleville and Le Marais Private Walking Tour

Experience the best of Paris on foot with your own personal local guide during this private walking trip to the city’s must-see sights and neighborhoods. Visit Opera Garnier, the Louvre Museum, Belleville, Canal Saint-Martin, the Marais, and more. On this guided walk through the city, you’ll get to explore characteristic Parisian neighborhoods away from the tourist tide, accompanied by your own local guide. Visit the hipster quarter of Belleville and walk through its graffiti-filled streets. Then, explore the so-called old Paris, the Marais District, with its charming cobblestone streets, imposing gates, sumptuous hôtels particuliers (grand townhouse), and secret gardens. Get to know one of the trendiest quarters of the capital, the cradle of the Parisian avant-garde and also a refuge for contemporary art. Make your way along the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin, the perfect walking place for pedestrians, which has become an unmissable meeting point for Parisians, away from the tourist hustle and bustle. Relax and enjoy a coffee in a classic Parisian café. Later, enjoy one of the most memorable panoramic views of Paris from the rooftop of the famous Galeries Lafayette. Lose yourself in the Galerie Vivienne, one of the most emblematic-covered arcades in Paris. Before the end of your tour, stop to admire the Opéra Garnier and the Louvre Museum, one of the most prestigious in the world. 

Paris Right Bank 2-Hour Private Walking Tour

5. Paris Right Bank 2-Hour Private Walking Tour

While the Left bank has always been associated with universities, the arts, youth culture, and free and forward thinking, the Right Bank was the seat of French power. Authority emanated from the royal court and had a significant impact on the character of its surroundings. A 2-hour walk on the Right Bank is a very different experience compared to a visit to the Left Bank, which is home to the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain. As you take in the buildings of the Right Bank your guide will compare the way authority was shown in medieval times with the manner in which it was demonstrated in the neoclassical period. You won’t only dwell on the official aspects of this area, however. You’ll also visit sites that have seen a change from their original purpose and acquired some interesting, unexpected functions and fame. Principal sites visited on the tour include the Cour Carré, Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Comédie-Française, Rue Saint-Honoré, Palais-Royal, Galerie Vivienne, Rue de Rivoli, Place Vendôme, and the Tuileries.

Paris: Covered Passages 2-Hour Scavenger Hunt

6. Paris: Covered Passages 2-Hour Scavenger Hunt

Explore the less touristy spots of Paris while keeping your children entertained along the way. Tour the Covered Passages and join your kids as they solve a scavenger hunt. Follow clues to find magical numbers that will unlock the next clue. Your expert, kid-friendly guide will be by your side the entire way to help out when needed and to tell you all about the rich history that every passage holds. This tour is adapted to kids of any age, so your youngsters will be able to participate, whatever their level. The hunt starts at the covered walkways of the magnificent Palais Royal. After obtaining your first magical number, go to the Passages de Deux-Pavillons and discover the mysteries it holds. Next, venture to the so-called twin passages of Galerie Colbert and Galerie Vivienne. These may be the most opulent of the covered passages, but your youngsters will need to look past its luxurious designs to locate the magical numbers. Your young detectives will travel back in time when they step into the Passage des Panoramas. Journey through time again and land at the Passage Jouffroy. Gaze at the combination of centuries-old wooden décor and modern glass and metal structures as you hunt for your next clue. Head to the seventh and final passage for your last magical number. Clandestinely located, Passage Verdeau is the perfect passage for the final clue.  If you have younger investigators, gathering all of the magical numbers will unlock the location. For your older detectives, there will be a final puzzle to complete with all the numbers you’ve gathered to unlock the hidden destination of the treat. With the location uncovered, collect your treat. Once completing the scavenger hunt, head to a café with your guide to sit back and enjoy a warm drink. Reflect on your scavenger hunt or ask your guide about other hidden secrets Paris may hold.

Other Sightseeing Options in Galerie Vivienne

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What people are saying about Galerie Vivienne

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 291 reviews

It’s a very nice way of getting to know more about the city! Our guide was very friendly, passionate and interesting to listen to. She also explained things when we had questions outside of the official points of the tour. I only wish there was more time between the tours. Our guide had to rush to start a new tour on the same day. We barely had time to say “thank you”.

Julian was an excellent guide and very attentive to the needs and questions of the group, quite knowledgeable of the Marais and goings-on in Paris.

Wonderful walking tour, highly recommended. You see a lot more this these local walking tours by just wondering by yourself

Ariane was an excellent guide around St. Germain-des-Pres, supplementing our walk with pictures of SGdP’s past

Our guide, Joanna was fabulous! Learned so much about Paris history.