Paris is a city best discovered slowly. Not from the back of a taxi, not crammed into a Metro carriage rushing between stations, but at the pace of a leisurely pedal, with the breeze coming off the Seine and the city unfolding around every corner.
Exploring Paris by bike in a single day is not only possible: it is one of the most rewarding ways to experience the French capital.
You cover ground quickly enough to reach the major landmarks, but slowly enough to notice the details that make this city so endlessly captivating.
A wrought-iron balcony here, a hidden courtyard there, a centuries-old church tucked between two Haussmann buildings.
Here is a tried-and-tested one-day cycling itinerary that takes you from the Eiffel Tower all the way to Notre-Dame, with plenty of stops worth lingering over.
Getting Started: Pick Up Your Bike
Before setting off, you will need a reliable set of wheels. A good bike rental Paris service makes all the difference, and Holland Bikes is one of the most trusted names in the city, with over 20 years of experience and three convenient pickup points: near the Opéra, at the Arc de Triomphe, and by Notre-Dame.
Their Pick & Go service means your bike is ready before you arrive, no queuing, no paperwork, just unlock and ride. Classic city bikes start at 25 euros per day, with e-bike options available for those who prefer a little extra assistance. Helmets can be added for just 1 euro per day, and no deposit is required.
First Stop: The Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars
Begin your day at the Eiffel Tower, ideally in the morning before the tourist crowds arrive in force. Lock up your bike near the Champ de Mars and take a few minutes to simply look up. Gustave Eiffel’s iron lattice tower, built in 1889 as a temporary structure for the World’s Fair, has somehow become the most recognisable skyline in the world.
It is easy to rush past on a tourist trail. On a bike, with time to spare, it feels entirely different.
From the Eiffel Tower, cycle along the Quai Branly toward the Pont de l’Alma, where one of the most iconic riverside cycling paths in Europe begins.
Along the Seine: Paris at Its Most Beautiful
The banks of the Seine are one of Paris’s greatest cycling assets. The Voie Georges Pompidou, running along the right bank of the river, offers several kilometres of largely traffic-free cycling with uninterrupted views across the water.
On your left, the elegant Haussmann façades rise above tree-lined quays. On your right, the river moves quietly past booksellers, bridges, and the occasional bateau-mouche.
Pedal past the Musée d’Orsay on the left bank, one of the finest art museums in the world and housed in a beautifully preserved former railway station. Even if you do not stop inside, the building itself is worth a glance. The clock faces on the upper level, visible from the river, are among the most photographed details in Paris.
Place de la Concorde and the Tuileries Garden
Continue along the river until you reach the Place de la Concorde, the vast square where the Seine bends gently northward.
This is one of the most historically charged spots in Paris: it was here, during the Revolution, that the guillotine claimed some of its most famous victims, including Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI.
Cycle along the edge of the Tuileries Garden, the formal French garden that stretches between the Concorde and the Louvre.
In summer, locals sunbathe on chairs beside the fountains. In spring, the chestnut trees are in bloom. At any time of year, it is a beautiful and unhurried detour from the busier streets beyond.
The Louvre and the Île de la Cité
Skirt past the Louvre’s northern façade and cross over onto the Île de la Cité, the island in the heart of the Seine where Paris was founded more than two thousand years ago.
Even without entering any monument, cycling around this island is a history lesson in itself, layer upon layer of French history compressed into a few quiet streets.
If you have time, pause at the Sainte-Chapelle, a Gothic masterpiece largely hidden within the Palais de Justice and missed by most visitors.
Built in the 13th century to house relics of the Passion, its soaring stained-glass windows are among the finest in all of Europe, and far less crowded than the city’s more famous sights.
Final Destination: Notre-Dame Cathedral
End your ride at Notre-Dame Cathedral, which completed its remarkable restoration after the fire of April 2019 and reopened to great celebration in December 2024. Standing once again in full splendour on the eastern tip of the Île de la Cité, the cathedral is as moving as it has ever been.
Take a moment on the Parvis Notre-Dame, the square in front of the cathedral. Beneath your feet, set into the paving stones, is Point Zéro de France: the single point from which all road distances across France are officially measured. In a very real sense, every journey in the country begins right here.
Return your bike to the Holland Bikes Notre-Dame Pick & Go point, just a few minutes’ walk away, and spend the rest of the evening exploring the Latin Quarter on foot, with its winding medieval streets, independent bookshops, and excellent neighbourhood restaurants.
One day, two wheels, and a city that never grows old.
