Explore the the Notre Dame & Surroundings with a Licensed Guide
2.5 hours
Skip The Line Tours
Paris
Choose one of 3 locals available
Experience hosted by Julien, Lucien & one other local
Private Tour
Carbon Neutral
Discover the soul of Paris on this walk around Notre-Dame and its magical surroundings. From ancient streets to riverside secrets, this tour takes you deep into the city’s origins—with stories that bring the past to life.
Destination
Paris, France
Category
Skip The Line Tours
Duration
2.5 hours
Transport mode
Walking tour
Available languages
Français, English, Español, Italiano
Included
Private Guide
All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
Excluded
Entrance to Attractions
6 reasons to book this tour
Enjoy views from Paris’s most scenic bridges
Explore the history and beauty of Notre-Dame
See the the Notre Dame from a different perspective
Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
Discover where Paris began—and how it became what it is today
Forget about big tourist groups & audio guides!
What you can expect
Make the most out of your visit to the the Notre Dame and get to know the ins and outs of this world-famous attraction and its surroundings by the side of a local expert.
On this private tour, you’ll not only visit the the Notre Dame, your local host has more in store for you. Whether it is a hidden gem on your way to the attraction or a must-see around the area, this will set up the tone for what’s to come inside the the Notre Dame. Isn’t this the best way to build up anticipation!?
If there’s something you can expect from this tour is tons of insights and things to discover. Check out Sainte Chapelle(optional entrance), Notre Dame, and many more treasures inside and outside the the Notre Dame.
At the end of your tour, the the Notre Dame awaits you. Step inside Notre-Dame and begin discovering its remarkable interior. Your local host has plenty to share, so ask away! This is your chance to satisfy your curiosity about the the Notre Dame and Paris.
The local hosts are natural storytellers, each one with a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share some of their unique stories and personal anecdotes with you! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes.
Choose your local
Get to know these 3 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
Julien
Storyteller and teacher
5.0205 reviews
English・Français・Español
Lucien
Licenced Guide, history lover and passionate revolutionary Parisian
4.9432 reviews
Français・English
Bibiana
Multimedia creator, certified guide
4.9236 reviews
English・Español・Français・Italiano
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
Meeting point
Meet at At the fountain in the middle of the square - Paris to start your journey
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
Walk the Island
Stroll through Île de la Cité, passing flower markets, cobbled lanes, and the medieval Rue Chanoinesse. Discover Paris’s oldest clock and legends hidden in plain sight
Inside the Notre Dame
Get up close to this Gothic masterpiece. Learn about its architecture, its centuries of history, and the fire that shocked the world
Keep Exploring
After the time with your host is over, you can either stay inside the Notre Dame and keep exploring by yourself or say goodbye outside the attraction where your host will point out other spots to explore in Paris
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Benjamin
(About local )
26 July 2025
We booked Julien through a referral from a friend and this was easily one of the best things we did on our honeymoon.
Julien was amazing. He made the Louvre feel personal, approachable, and honestly kind of magical. I’m not an art expert by any stretch, but he made everything feel interesting and easy to understand. The way he told the stories behind the paintings and sculptures really brought them to life. We didn’t have a direction or focus we wanted and entrusted our experience to him.
He also picked up on the fact that we were on our honeymoon and added these thoughtful touches throughout the tour. He pointed out romantic pieces, shared cool little hidden spots, and just made the whole experience feel tailored to us.
It didn’t feel like a tour, it felt like walking through the museum with a super knowledgeable friend who really cared about making it memorable for us. We walked away feeling inspired, grateful, and so glad we booked it.
I could not recommend him enough. We will definitely be booking Julien again the next time we are in Paris.The Highlight of Our Honeymoon
Katrina🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
21 July 2025
We wanted to book a tour to make the most of our Louvre experience both for us and our children aged 11 and 13 rather than be overwhelmed with such an huge collection of art and the crowds.
We are not art experts and wanted to have a tour guide help us to get the most from the experience and enhance our understanding and appreciation of the amazing and notable pieces on display. We weren’t sure booking a group tour would keep them engaged and give us what we were after so we opted for a personal tour with Bibiana.
We found Bibiana to be warm, friendly and fun and in our time together she covered the early history of the Louvre when it was a palace showing us the old foundations and taking us back in time in the history of France before helping enlighten us on the evolution of Greek and Roman sculptures and art. Both my husband and I felt Bibiana gave us a whole new appreciation for the more famous pieces by classical masters and by the time we parted we felt like experts and could admire the art in a whole new way.
We appreciated that Bibiana also made sure to engage our children asking them questions and pointing out aspects to them throughout the tour as well.
We were able to skip the line to enter through an alternative entry which was also a bonus and time saver given we visited during the Summer when crowds are at their peak. Overall I definitely felt touring with Bibiana enhanced our overall Louvre experience. A fantastic Louvre experience
Loni🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
19 July 2025
Loved our tour of the Louvre with Lucien. He knew exactly where to go and what to see. He was a wealth of information. He was nice and answered any questions we had. Would not hesitate to book one of his tours again. Lucien is awesome!!
Norm🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 July 2025
Bibiana was a wonderful guide, weaving a compelling story through our 2-hour tour. She was very knowledgeable about art and history, blending both subjects. The tour was quite informative and a great introduction to the Louvre. Super informative tour
Milinda🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 July 2025
Bibiana has a very special way of teaching you how to see art as it has developed thru the eyes of the artist thru out time. She has mastered how to engage all people from a variety of ages and previous knowledge and add to that. In addition she is lovely to be with and spend time with. We could have spent many days with her and continued learning something new each day. Art historian extraordinaire
Linda🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 July 2025
Our family of adults really enjoyed our tour of the fabulous Musée D’Orsay. Bibiana is warm, engaging and very knowledgeable. We learned about how art evolved over time, as one group or movement of artists was influenced by and pushed the boundaries of the prior movement. I highly recommend her. Excellent tour guide and teacher
Bob🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 July 2025
Our family learned so much walking the Louvre with Bibiana. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a museum tour. Great Experience
Corina🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
4 July 2025
We loved our tour of the Louvre with Julien. He is extremely passionate about Paris, and art, and you could easily feel that in the way he talks about the paintings. Our family listened to every word he has told us, and wished we had more time to go through the museum. Great tour!
Lina
(About local )
27 June 2025
Julien was a wonderful tour guide! He really explained the meanings behind the art and was able to engage my children in all the paintings and art that we saw! Now the whole family will look and view art differently! Thank you Julien!Best tour!
Paul
(About local )
26 June 2025
We met the smiling Bibiana in front of the Musee D'Orsay, which had been unexpectedly closed for technical reasons. The queues outside were kilometric! Bibiana skillfully navigated us through the crowds and has us inside the building within minutes.
Bibiana abounds with natural enthusiasm when sharing her knowledge of the museum and its art collection. Rather than just detailing the works present, she explained their fundamental, historical importance in creating/promoting the various artistic movments, Absolutely fascinating and thoroughly recommendable!Perfect guide for a perfect museum!
Claire🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
23 June 2025
Lucien is a highly knowledgeable, considerate and communicative guide. We would highly recommend the liberation of Paris tour with him!Amazing guide!
Unknown
(About local )
11 June 2025
Maria
(About local )
10 June 2025
Julien was absolutely fantastic!Fantastic!
Maria
(About local )
10 June 2025
Julien was absolutely fantastic!Fantastic!
Scott🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
7 June 2025
Bibiana met us at the Musée D'Orsay and gave us a private tour based on my interests as an artist. The transition from Neoclassicism to Impressionism was brought to life for us based on Bibiana's profound knowledge and addictive enthusiasm. We were so enthralled with her story, we were barely aware of the time, or the crowds of visitors around us. I would highly recommend Bibiana as a Paris museum guide. Perfect Inspiration for an Artist
Sandra🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
7 June 2025
Bibiana was an excellent guide. She was very informative on the history and development of art from sculpture to painting. The Louvre is so big she helped us to see the items of interest to us.Excellent guide
purti🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
7 June 2025
We had a few changes in what we wanted to achieve for the tour and he was great in accommodating us. This is my fourth visit and I still learned something new with him. Knowledgeable and Great
Joseph🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
4 June 2025
Bibiana was FANTASTIC ! She made visiting the Louvre such an interactive and fun experience. As an art history novice, I have historically found this museum to be over whelming. She unraveled some of the secrets of the museum and its treasures in a way that made the museum feel alive. She is energetic and passionate about the treasures of the Louvre. Well done Bibiana !!!Louvre 101 for the novice
valerie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 June 2025
Julien was a wonderful guide. He took us to all the popular spots and many other places in the louvre that many people miss. Every minute was well spent and filled with a colorful, educational explanation. Julien is well worth the fee and a tour guide is essential for the louvre as far as I am concerned because of its immense size. Great time!
George
(About local )
30 May 2025
Lucien was thoughtful, knowledgeable and also humorous/serious. An incredible guide.A super guide
Fernanda 🇲🇽 Mexico
(About local )
29 May 2025
La mejor inversión de mi viaje en Paris fue conocer a Bibiana! Gracias por tu paciencia y por enseñarnos paris desde el punto local y turístico, hiciste una experiencia única para mi mamá y para mí ❤️ te llevamos en el corazón!
Dana🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
23 May 2025
Julien took us on tours of the Orsay and the Louvre. We would have been totally lost without him! We are not big museum people but he made sure to show us the necessities and introduce us to some lesser known pieces as well, all while keeping it interesting. He was extremely knowledgeable and fun. We highly recommend him! Julien was fantastic!
Michael🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 May 2025
Lucien was knowledgeable, funny and curated a memorable day for myself and my family! We all left with a great appreciation for the building, its history as well as so many of its incredible treasures. Great overall experience. Awesome Louvre Tour!
Russ🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
18 May 2025
I booked the two hour Louvre tour with Bibiana and it was fantastic. She made sure we were able to see the highlights with a great explanation of all the pieces we viewed. Would definitely book more tours with her the next time we are in Paris.Highly recommend
Peter🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 May 2025
Julien is full of valuable information on art, history and the Republic. He is knowledgable and engaging. He was aware of my interest in painting so spent time talking about techniques used by artists, especially brush strokes and colors used in shadowing and blending.
Julien spent significant time on Delacroix whose work was of great interest to me.
Highly recommended!!Enjoyable and informative louvre tour.
David🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
10 May 2025
My wife and I had a wonderful evening at the Louvre thanks to Bibiana showing us around. She patiently explained the notable pieces of art, and it is obvious that she is very knowledgeable in the subject. Would definitely have Bibiana show us around when we visit Paris next.
Dan Andrei🇷🇴 Romania
(About local )
5 May 2025
Susan 🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
3 May 2025
A lively and insightful tour of Montmartre touching on architecture, civic history, art, local crafts and Paris’s signature bakery seductions. Having mentioned that I was step-averse, our local guide, Bibiana, devised a way to get to the basilica with as few stairs as possible. She was open to detours and quickly got a sense of what in the neighbourhood appealed to us. The time flew by and, all in all, this was an educative and entertaining excursion. Stepping out in Montmartre
Henk🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
3 May 2025
Julien was our guide for a tour in het Louvre a week ago, for me and my twelve year old daughter. Julien advise us to start a little early (8:45 am), to be able to see the Mona Lisa before large groups of (Asian) tourists poured into the hall where the painting is exhibited. And good advice it was….we had pretty much uninterrupted views of the painting for about 5 minutes. We experienced a small thrill from running through the hallways and the corridors of the Louvre (just follow the guide...) to be at the painting as soon as possible.
Apart from this nice episode, Julien is very kind and friendly and has extensive knowledge of the Louvre building, its history and occupants and the artwork on display, for instance the 18th century French painters, the jewellery, the Greek and Roman statues etc. etc. Also he asked my daughter a lot of questions about the museum and paintings and involved her a lot in the explanation of the artworks. Sometimes Julien spoke a little fast for her (English is not our native tongue) but she enjoyed the tour as much as I did.
Henk Douwes, the Netherlands
We enjoyed it a lot
Laura
(About local )
29 April 2025
My family of four selected Julien to guide us through the Louvre to see some highlights. I had sent him a note just the evening before requesting a few things to see with as much context and story telling as he could provide. We saw everything I requested and then some, but more importantly, Julien pointed out things that brought the artwork to life and gave it meaning, providing history, context, and fun facts. He was engaging with the whole family, and I highly recommend him! I so enjoyed this tour with Julien. Big bonus that when you book with a guide, you skip the long admission lines. Julien is excellent!
Ashley
(About local )
26 April 2025
Lucian made our time at the Louvre absolutely unforgettable. His detailed knowledge of specific paintings and sculptures, fun stories, and general humor made our whole night! Amazing historian with humor
Gary🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
23 April 2025
First of all, Julien was spectacular!!! BUT, tickets were not available when we showed up when our voucher specifically stated not to buy tickets and just pay cash to Julien who would have the tickets. Your website should state to purchase the tickets at the same time you book a guide!?!?! But he helped us reschedule another day, but the tickets available had to be a package so we’re a lot more money. Once on the tour with Julien, he was remarkable with information and stories to make the experience memorable!Leuvre
Ron🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 April 2025
Bibiana was one of the most knowledgable people regarding Fresh Impressionism that I have ever met. I was visiting Paris with my twenty year old son and she explained impressionism in a way that made it easily understood . I give Bibiana my stongest recommendation.The Impressionists of Paris
Jenny
(About local )
20 April 2025
My husband and I both agree that Bibiana was the greatest tour guide we’ve ever hired to tour an art museum. And we’re so glad that museum was The Louvre! Bibiana demonstrates a striking passion for the medieval and Renaissance art she showed us. Her knowledge of those works, the artists and their era, even the techniques used by each and what made each artist and piece unique was very evident. Bibiana was so patient and sweet with our two toddler sons and we feel like she became our friend in the two amazing hours we spent with her. We are looking forward to our next tour with Bibiana!Our best art museum tour guide, ever.
Lauri🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
15 April 2025
The tour of the D'Orsay with Julien was great! First, Julien offered to buy the tickets for us before the tour to save time (we, of course, reimbursed him for the tickets) - it was wonderful that we could just meet him at the entrance and walk into the museum. Once the tour began, Julien's knowledge of the artists and their works was incredible and he kept us engaged throughout the time. We felt that we saw and learned so much during our time together. And when we needed a little break during the tour, Julien was so accomodating and immediately pivoted to explaining other art pieces to us while we rested. Julien is a master storyteller and made the tour so much fun! We highly recommend a tour with Julien! And thank you again, Julien! We're so appreciative.Wonderful tour of the D'Orsay with Julien!
ALLYSON🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 April 2025
5 of us (2 from US, 3 from UK) enjoyed a fun, educational day with Lucien at Les Invalides. He is extremely knowledgeable and his passion about the collection was evident in his enthusiastic delivery. He was a great communicator both in planning and in the actual tour. I highly recommend him. A great day at Les Invalides!!
Randi🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
11 April 2025
Communication with Julien prior to the day of the tour was great! He kept us informed of all of the important details, including the place to meet him on the day of the tour. He purchased our admission tickets to the Louvre in advance, and was waiting in the line to enter the museum before it opened. Once it opened we very quickly made our way to see the Mona Lisa and it gave us a great view before the crowds arrived. He continued yes to point out the highlights of the Louvre and explained a lot of detail
in the paintings to really help us understand the artists perspective. It was a fantastic way to see the highlights and avoid the crowds and lines as much as possible. Great Louvre Tour
Teresa
(About local )
3 April 2025
We had an enjoyable morning at the Louvre with Bibiana who is an expert in Renaissance Art. We started touring from the foundation of the Louvre understanding how the palace turned into a great museum before maneuvering between the most iconic exhibits of the Louvre. Bibiana's narratives was simple and precise. As a painting expert, she did not just throw out a bunch of information but instead she weaved a historical picture of how painting styles evolved and how an amateur could understand the story and thus appreciate each artwork.
Bibiana - the connoisseur of art history
Hayley
(About local )
2 April 2025
We can't fault the tour with Lucien. Our students were engaged and very happy to have learnt so much about the Latin Quarter. Lucien is warm, knowledgeable and passionate about the history of Paris. Highly recommend!An excellent tour!
Lisa
(About local )
31 March 2025
Julien was a fantastic guide for my family of 4 (two adults and two teens). He was so knowledgable and the tour was interesting. We were also one of the first to get in to view the Mona Lisa before the crowds arrived. He is also just very kind and easy going. Highly recommend! Explore the Louvre with a Local Guide
Lori
(About local )
30 March 2025
Our private Louvre tour with Julien was an absolute highlight of our trip. He is deeply knowledgeable, fun, attentive, and very thoughtful. He covered the highlights beautifully, shared the history of the palace, showed us points of interest from the windows, and listened to our art interest. Such a delight evening! We highly recommend Julien!!OUTSTANDING!!
Chris🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
29 March 2025
Brilliantly entertaining, extremely knowledgeable and totally charming. Highly recommended.Super guide Super guy.
bvg🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
29 March 2025
My wife, our two adult daughters, and I had the pleasure of visiting the Louvre with Julien. It quickly became clear that Julien not only shared his deep passion for the museum’s history and art, but also took the time to get to know his guests to ensure the experience was perfectly tailored from the very first moments inside the museum. We learned so many fascinating details about numerous artworks and the museum itself — he's undoubtedly one of the best guides we’ve ever had! A huge thank you from Switzerland, and a well-deserved 10 out of 10 rating! 😊Close to perfect :)
Emilio🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 March 2025
Julien was great. Easy to communicate with, on time and he was very good at keeping my family engaged. He knows the Louvre museum like the back of his hand.
I recommend himFamily of four with two little kids
Jody🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
24 March 2025
Bibiana was fantastic. Her knowledge of art history is apparent. She did a lovely job connecting the art through the different periods. She was able to scoot us around to the major pieces efficiently and had no problem getting us up close. I would hire her again in a heartbeat.Highly recommend!
Barbara🇸🇪 Sweden
(About local )
23 March 2025
Chris
(About local )
20 March 2025
Julien led a tour for me, my wife, and our 10 year old and 7 year old children and we loved it! Julien was terrific with the kids and made sure they were entertained and educated throughout. We learned so much, not only about the art work, but about the history of the Louvre itself. He clearly has a passion for art. Highly recommended. Fantastic Louvre tour
Charles🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
16 March 2025
Bibiana brought to life art and history! There were 6 of us with varied exposure to France and the Louvre. We all learned something new as she pointed out fascinating facts and helped us understand how to see things in context. Despite the crowd and imperfect audio system, she held our attention for the entire tour. Thanks Bibiana for igniting our interest in learning and appreciating the arts. We will be back and hope to see you again.
She brought it!
Kate
(About local )
15 March 2025
Bibiana was a wonderful tour guide, very warm and friendly. She was very responsive and easy to communicate with. She made the building and the art come alive for us as she customized the tour to suit our needs. She was very attentive and knew all the elevator routes in the Louvre to help minimize the amount of stairs for my dad, which was very kind. Really recommend going on a tour with Bibiana and also going to the Louvre on Friday evenings - zero queues and easy to move about with minimal crowds. Fantastic private tour with Bibiana
Erin🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 March 2025
Juliane was amazing! We toured the Louvre with our 11 and 7 year old daughters. My husband is a history teacher and has spent many years teaching Art History. Julien was able to keep everyone engaged! The Louvre was our girls favorite part of Paris, thanks to the amazing tour we had!! Cannot recommend enoughGreat Family Tour!
Withlocals experiences
are always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.