PRESS PLAY · SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOURS IN FRANCE
The 15 best self-guided walking tours in France you can book today, with what each costs, how long the commentary runs and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason; start there.
Walk Arles at your own pace with the Trippy Tour Guide app, following Van Gogh’s 1888 sights from the Alyscamps to the Trinquetaille Bridge. GPS-triggered audio plays in English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, or Italian, with more than 10 stops and offline access after download.
“Great way to understand Van Gogh’s journey in arles. Recommended to everyone who loves history.”
Use TouringBee’s Strasbourg app to walk from Pont Kuss through Petite France, the cathedral quarter, and historic bridges. You get 33 short audio recordings, photos, an offline map, and one year of access. Bring your own phone and headphones, since no human guide is included.
“It was easy, simple and pleasant to visit the city in complete autonomy and freedom listening to notions of history curiosities and anecdotes. Recommended.Auto-translated”
Use the Tourific app to walk from Darcy Square through Dijon’s landmarks, including the owl, Notre-Dame, the ducal palace, Tour Philippe Le Bon, the market, and a gingerbread factory. Audio, text, maps, images, and offline access are included in English.
“A great walking tour. Told well with lots of information without being too much fact overload. Certainly took longer than 2 hours. We didn’t linger in museums too long either”
Follow a self-guided Questo game from Place Saint-Étienne to Place Saint-Sernin. Solve 10 clues while visiting Toulouse Cathedral, the Hôtel d’Assézat, Pont Neuf, the Jacobins Convent, and more. The app works offline after download, but setup can be the weak point.
“could not get this to work, waste of time and money for us. Spent time downloading app and on the help chat line but no success so did not do this, most annoying”
You follow Van Gogh’s Arles on foot with the Trippy Tour Guide app, starting at Alyscamps and ending at the Old Arles Hospital. Expect GPS-triggered audio, 20-plus narration points, Roman monuments, painting sites, and free time to stop or skip along the way. No live guide is included.
“The tour was great and very informative. We were able to follow the route and the commentary was very good. Highly recommend this tour.”
Walk Colmar’s Old Town with TouringBee’s English audio guide, using 27 historian-narrated recordings, photos, GPS mapping, and offline access. The 90-minute route covers Little Venice, the Covered Market, Bartholdi landmarks, churches, and famous half-timbered houses, with one year to use the guide.
“Once downloaded, easy to follow and great history and stories of Colmar. I would plan on more than 90 minutes, especially if you make stops along the way.”
Use the Henri Trip app to explore Toulouse on foot with two audio routes lasting more than three hours. Hear stories in eight languages, visit Place du Capitole, Saint-Sernin Basilica, and Saint Etienne Cathedral, and follow an interactive treasure hunt at your own pace.
“Per site there is between 20-30s of commentary which means you get one fact max and often they are not very insightful. This is a long way from previous self-guided tours as it clearly isn't written by an informed, interested historian / local. Not worth the money”
Start at Place de la Bastille and follow Juan’s English audio guide through artisan streets, Passage du Chantier, Fontaine de Charonne, Square Trousseau, the Bastille market, and Coulée Verte René-Dumont. Download the tour for offline use and walk at your own pace.
“It was nice to hear the history of this area in Paris. We were able to walk through various neighborhoods and hear about what it used to be like. Some things have not changed.”
Follow Rewind’s GPS-triggered audio tour through the South Marais, from the Cité Internationale des Arts to Place des Vosges. Hear short stories about Hôtel d’Aumont, French gardens, medieval walls, and Saint-Paul while walking at your own pace. Bring a charged phone and allow about 1 to 1.5 hours.
“Nous avons eu assez de détail sur notre parcours. Le déroulement de ce parcours nous a entièrement satisfaits.”
Follow a 90-minute self-guided route through Montmartre using the TouringBee app. You’ll hear 18 English audio stories, use an offline map, and visit the Moulin Rouge, Wall of Love, Place du Tertre, Sacré-Cœur, La Maison Rose, and more. Bring your own phone and headphones.
“Worked perfectly and really enjoyed the narration! The directions were easy to follow. A nice, low key and cost effective way to enjoy montmartre.”
Use an English audio or written guide to explore ancient Arles at your own pace. The offline map leads you from Parking du Centre to Les Alyscamps, Rue Voltaire, the Amédée Pichot Fountain, Mourgues Tower, Porte de la Cavalerie, and the Cloître Saint-Trophime.
“Disappointing application and misleading experience because there is the similar Wivisits application which is free and recommended by the tourist office! Simply put, your application and services are a real scam for users. I will report to the DGCCRF because I feel cheated!Auto-translated”
Follow a self-guided route through Carcassonne with 19 historian-narrated audio recordings, offline GPS mapping, and landmark illustrations. You’ll cross Pont Vieux, explore the medieval Cité, see Basilique Saint-Nazaire, and learn about the castle and Canal du Midi. Bring your own phone and headphones.
“Actually, once we've found the starting point. Very easy to download the application and the route very good, well explained everything. Very complete.Auto-translated”
Follow a self-guided audio walk from the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel to Notre-Dame, with automatic smartphone commentary about Paris mysteries, ghosts, and unusual history. You set the pace, stop for coffee, and continue when ready. Expect about 60 to 90 minutes and a private experience for your group.
“Had trouble downloading it. Then it was difficult to navigate with it and listen to the stories as you HAD to be I the specific location.”
Follow a private, English-language phone quest through Bordeaux’s Old Town. Solve 12 puzzles while visiting the Girondins Monument, Place de la Bourse, Grand Théâtre, Musée d’Aquitaine, Place de la Victoire, and Grosse Cloche. You can pause, resume, and play at your own pace without mobile data.
“Fun and very clever tour concept. Plus, I discovered some spots and stories that weren’t listed in my guide! Pretty good.”
Follow Trippy Tour Guide’s English audio walk from Place du Mont-Blanc to the Aiguille du Midi cable car. You’ll see monuments, church art, alpine streets, mountain photography, and quieter corners at your own pace, using an offline map and 15-plus narration points.
“Don't make the mistake of looking for the location, you need to go to the message provider to get the instructions for accessing the App. 20 minute walk for no reason at all.”
Pick a walk, a drive, a ticket or a game.
