The 12 Best Old Town and Historic Centre Walks in France

1.Bordeaux: Historic Center & Chartrons District Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 709 reviews · 3 hours · from $42Our pick

Ride 13 km through Bordeaux with a local guide in English, French, or Spanish. You’ll see the historic center, both sides of the Garonne, Chartrons, Darwin, street art, and major landmarks. Dutch bikes or e-bikes, helmets, a canelée tasting, and a local-art postcard are included.

“The tour was fantastic! The information was very informative and well balanced between the historic and modern areas of Bordeaux. I highly recommend this tour!!”

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2.Strasbourg on Foot: Historic Center and Petite France with a Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 223 reviews · 2 hours · from $34

Spend two hours walking from Place Kléber through Strasbourg’s cathedral quarter, Rohan Palace, Gutenberg Square, the Covered Bridges, and Petite France. Guides such as Leila, Stefania, Stef, Maya, and Javier lead the English or Spanish tour, adding local tips, history, and an Alsatian sweet tasting.

“We had such a fun and interesting tour with Leila. She was so charming and knowledgeable. The pace was just right - it kept us busy and moving without being too much. I would definitely recommend this tour!”

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3.Rouen: Guided Tour of the Historic Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 145 reviews · 1h 30m · from $28

Walk Rouen’s old center with local guide Elodie, or another guide from her team, on a 90-minute, 3-kilometer route in English or French. You’ll follow Joan of Arc’s final days, see the Gros-Horloge, courthouse, cathedral, Saint-Maclou Church, and finish near Saint-Ouen Abbey. Monument entry is not included.

“Elodie was very knowledgeable and we very much enjoyed our tour. The tour is a great way to “get the lay of the land”. In the most beautiful old sections of Rouen. Well done Elodie!”

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4.Strasbourg: Private Walking Tour of the Historical Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 107 reviews · 2 hours · from $235

Meet your private guide at Place du Quartier Blanc for a two-hour walk through Strasbourg’s Grand Island. You’ll see the cathedral from outside, the 13th-century covered bridges, Place Broglie, medieval churches, canals, and lesser-known corners. Tours are offered in eight languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese.

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5.Strasbourg: Historic Center Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 88 reviews · 2 hours · from $34

Walk Strasbourg privately with a local guide in English, French, Spanish, or Italian. The route links Place de la République, Place Kléber, Petite France, Place Saint-Étienne, Place Broglie, and Notre Dame Cathedral. Guides such as Andrea, Marius, Jean-Pierre, and Nahama can tailor the tour to your interests and suggest places to eat or visit next.

“I enjoyed the tour very much. Our guide told us a lot of interesting things about Strasbourg. We had a good time together, a very international atmosphere in a very international city.”

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6.Avignon: Historic District Guided Food & Wine Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 84 reviews · 3h 30m · from $89

Spend three and a half hours walking Avignon’s old town with a small group of up to 12. Guides such as Zahra, Clara, and Nastassja combine local history with at least four food stops, including market tastings, Provençal specialties, cheese, wine, olive oil, tapenade, and dessert.

“One of the best tours I've done ever. We got not only a taste of Avignon through its food and wine, but also an historic overview of the town. Our guide loves Avignon and it shows. She speaks English flawlessly and we had a wonderful afternoon with her as well as sampling some delicious food.”

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7.The historic district of Montmartre

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 66 reviews · 1h 30m · from $35

Meet your English- or French-speaking guide at Blanche and walk through Montmartre’s bakeries, squares, monuments, and historic streets. Guides such as Arthur and Julien bring clear explanations and lively anecdotes to the route, which ends at Sacré-Cœur. The tour includes maps, brochures, and admission to several Montmartre sites.

“Arthur was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to be with. Would highly recommend”

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8.Rouen: Historic Guided Tour of the Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 2h 30m · from $33Top rated

Walk more than 3 km through Rouen with historian Justin Meigné, tracing the city from Roman times and the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte to Joan of Arc and modern Normandy. The 150-minute English or French tour includes Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saint-Maclou Abbey, Roman ruins, Norman cider, and Joan of Arc chocolates.

“Justin was a great guide he showed a lot of enthusiasm and knowledge of Rouen and its gistory.”

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9.Historic Center of Dijon : Discovery Tasting Wine Burgundy

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 40 reviews · 1 day · from $47

Meet at Les Caves de La Fine Heure on Rue Berbisey for a 1.5-hour French or English tasting in 16th and 18th-century cellars. You will sample Crémant, two white wines, and two reds, including a Premier Cru, with a homemade Comté gougère. Continue at the wine shop or reserve a table at La Fine Heure.

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10.Historical Center, Bordeaux Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $144

Walk Bordeaux’s historic center with a local guide such as Caz, Isabelle, Stephanie, or Maria, stopping for coffee, chocolate, pastries, bread, cheese, charcuterie, fruit, wine, and a restaurant dish. The three-hour tour ends at Marché des Capucins and suits anyone who wants food, local stories, and practical dining tips in one small group.

“We had a really great time with Caz! There were only two of us, so it felt like a private tour. Caz was very knowledgeable and engaging, giving us lots of fun historical facts, anecdotes and interesting trivia about Bordeaux, some of its architecture and of course food and wine!! Meandering through the historical parts of the city, we tasted a variety of local specialties: coffee, cheese, chocolate, bread, chocolatine, canelé, wines as well as a delicious entree in a restaurant. We highly recommend this tour if you’re a foodie visiting Bordeaux for the first time!”

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11.Nimes: Private Walking Tour of the Historical Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 20 reviews · 2 hours · from $235

Meet your private guide at the steps of the Maison Carrée for a two-hour walk through Nîmes. Guides such as Sian, Marc, and Soizic have led routes that combine Roman monuments with present-day life, including the food hall and local specialties such as brandade. The route can be adjusted to your interests.

“Amazing tour of the city with Marc. Our guide was knowledgeable passionate . We truly enjoyed this experience. It was one of a kind and unique. Don't hesitate to book.”

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12.Nimes: Ancient Roman Arena Ticket & Old Town Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 19 reviews · 1 hour · from $18Best value

Enter Nîmes Arena with an official audio guide, walk through its galleries, and look down from the spectator seats. Then use the Vox City app to explore Nîmes independently, with commentary in seven languages and directions to sights such as Maison Carrée and Pont du Gard. Bring your own phone, charged battery, and headphones.

“You could just take your time and enjoy the moment ..😊”

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