In a city as large and packed with attractions as Paris, one of the most efficient ways of exploring is by booking a sightseeing bus tour.
(Photo: Big Bug Tours)
Operated by renowned tour agency Big Bug Tours, Paris bus tours are designed to provide the perfect introduction to one of the world’s most iconic tourist destinations. You can hop on and hop off at any stop along the route, with pre-recorded commentary broadcast via complimentary wired earphones offering deeper insights into the landmarks that you pass and the history of the city as a whole.
Times
If you chose to complete the entire tour in one day, the full route has a duration time of 2 hours 15 minutes. Buses depart every 10–20 minutes and are in operation every day of the week. Depending on the time of the year and on the boarding point, tours operate between 10am and 8.30pm. However, to give yourself enough time to complete the route back to your start point, you should ensure that you board before 5pm.
An exterior shot of the Musee d’orsay (Photo: alyssa BLACK. via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Route
Named the Classic Red Route, the Big Bus Paris tour covers a total of 11 stops, each putting you at the doorstep of some of the city’s most renowned attractions, landmarks and other places of interest. The 11 stops are as follows:
Louvre-Pyramide: Located in the main courtyard of the Louvre Palace, home to one of the world’s most prestigious museums, this vast glass-and-metal pyramid is one of Paris’s most recognisable landmarks. The structure serves as the main entrance to the museum, but is equally popular for photo opportunities, with tourists assembling outside in their droves striving to capture that perfect picture.
Pont des Arts: Linking the central square of the Louvre Palace with the Institut de France on the other side of the River Seine, this pedestrian bridge was rebuilt in the 1980s with a design resembling the early 19th-century original. Today the steel bridge attracts artists and photographers who come to capture the majestic river views. Until 2015, it also drew lovers who would come and attach love locks to the bridge, until the gesture was banned in 2015 due to concerns about the locks causing structural damage.
Notre Dame: A medieval Catholic cathedral located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, Notre Dame is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture anywhere in the world. Since a devasting fire in 2019, the cathedral has been closed to the public and a significant portion remains under scaffolding. Nonetheless, large numbers of visitors still come to admire the magnificent landmark from outside throughout the year.
Musée d’Orsay: Set on the historic Left Bank of the River Seine in the former Orsay railway station, the Musée d’Orsay is another of Paris’s world-renowned cultural venues. The museum attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year with its magnificent collection of primarily French art spanning the 19th and early 20th century, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography.
Champs-Elysées: There are few streets anywhere in the world that exude quite the same sense of glamour as this nearly two-kilometre-long boulevard. The tree-lined avenue is dotted with international fashion boutiques, townhouses, cafes, restaurants and the constant hum of international accents as evidence of its magnetic tourist appeal, with International visitors thronging the street to people watch from cafe terraces, peruse shop windows or purchase a souvenir to take back from their Parisian adventure.
Grand Palais: As you travel west along the Champs-Elysées, the Grand Palais cultural complex comes into view. One of the city’s most distinctive landmarks, its large glass dome flanked by the French flag contributes to its standing as an architectural masterpiece. Venture inside and you’ll discover a museum dedicated to science, a nave that plays host to high-profile cultural, sporting and entertainment events throughout the year, and several art galleries.
Plaza d’Iéna: Situated in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, the residential neighbourhood of Iena is at the heart of the city’s cultural life. Numerous renowned museums and other notable landmarks, including the neoclassical Palais d’Iéna, can be found here, while picture-postcard views of the Arc de Triomphe and the River Seine add to its status as one of the most desirable Parisian districts in which to live and visit.
Tour Eiffel: Probably the one Paris attraction that needs no introduction, but here’s one anyway. The Eiffel Tower is likely to come into view well before you reach this stop along your bus route, but as you edge closer and closer, its sheer majesty grows ever more stark. Once here, you can either enjoy the neck-craning views from its base, or pay to go up the tower, where there are observation platforms on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.
Champ de Mars: The vast green space of Champ de Mars is the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the city. An urban oasis located between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire, the area is best known for its views of the iconic tower, with its pristinely-maintained lawns a favourite spot for picnics, music and photo opportunities. It is also a major venue for national events.
Les Invalides: A huge complex located in the 7th arrondissement, Les Invalides began life as a hospital for injured soldiers (hence the name). Today the landmark attracts a steady stream of tourists who come to explore its remarkable environs, which includes several museums, such as the Musée de l’Armée, which houses an extensive collection of weapons and other objects relating to French military history. The vast manicured gardens are also worth a look around.
Opéra Garnier: A historic opera house in the 9th arrondissement, you may not have time to catch a live performance at the Opéra Garnier, but a tour of its opulent interior is probably the next best thing. Boasting the largest stage in Europe and a magnificent auditorium in a traditional horseshoe shape, the opera is a delight to explore for opera fans and indeed anyone with an appreciation of mid-19th century architecture and design.
A view across the Pont des Arts (Photo: Didier Delavaud via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Tickets & pricing
Tickets can be purchased as valid for either 24 or 48 hours, meaning you can spread your tour over two days if you wish to see Paris in a more leisurely way.
The standard 24-hour Discover ticket is fully flexible, allowing you to change the date that you embark on the tour for free and up to the last minute. This ticket starts at €43 euros.
The Essential ticket includes all of the above, as well as a river cruise, and starts at €57 euros, while the Explore ticket also includes a river cruise but is also valid for 48 hours, starting at €72 euros.
The final option is the Night Tour ticket, a panoramic tour which takes place after dark, and starts at €30 euros.
You can purchase tickets at the official website of Big Bus Tours