Exploring Paris on two wheels
A slower way through Paris, covering the streets and corners that cars never quite reach.
Paris, seen at the speed of a bicycle.
Cycling changes the scale of the city. Major landmarks become part of a much longer view, while quieter streets, riverside paths and neighbourhood corners suddenly feel within reach. A guided tour gives a first visit some shape; with a little familiarity, the pleasure is in choosing a direction and seeing where it leads.
A city that made room for bikes.
Since Vélib' launched in 2007, cycling has become part of everyday life in Paris, with thousands of bikes available across the city's extensive network. It is an easy way to cover more ground without losing the details along the way — a bakery window, a hidden courtyard or a café you might otherwise have walked straight past.
Follow the landmarks, or leave them behind.
Guided routes take in the city's great sights, while independent rides open up a different Paris. Cross the Seine, follow the quieter streets of the Left Bank or simply turn down a road that looks interesting. The best routes leave enough room for the unexpected.
Long light, cooler streets.
Summer evenings make particularly good riding, once the heat begins to ease and the city settles into its evening rhythm. Cobbles under the wheels, cafés spilling onto pavements and the Seine catching the last of the light, Paris feels altogether different from a bicycle.
