Paris has a reputation for being expensive, and some of it is deserved, but the city also gives a great deal away for nothing. This week that is truer than usual, because the free summer beaches are open along the Seine, the parks and gardens are at their best, and the run-up to Bastille Day brings free fireworks and dances within reach. One thing to note up front: the first Sunday of July fell on the 5th, the day before this week began, so there is no first-Sunday free museum day inside these dates. Even so, there is plenty to do for free. Here is your guide to the best free things to do in Paris for the week of 6 to 12 July 2026. Any prices mentioned are in euros.
Free in Paris this week in 30 seconds. Paris Plages, the free riverside beaches, are open every day along the Rives de Seine and at the Bassin de la Villette, with supervised swimming, pedal boats and petanque at no charge. Montmartre and the Sacre-Coeur, the banks of the Seine, Pere Lachaise cemetery and the great parks cost nothing all week. There is no first-Sunday free museum day this week, as that fell on 5 July. And looking just ahead, the Bals des Pompiers begin at some fire stations on the evening of Sunday 12 July, the Eiffel Tower fireworks have moved exceptionally to the evening of 13 July this year, and the free Bastille Day military parade runs on the morning of 14 July.
The headline: Paris Plages
The best free thing in Paris right now is Paris Plages, which runs from 4 July to 30 August 2026 and is in full swing this week. Every summer the city turns stretches of its riverside into an urban seaside, with sand, deck chairs, parasols, gardens and pop-up cafes. There are two main sites. The Rives de Seine, along the Right Bank in the centre, is the postcard version, with sunloungers looking across to the islands. The larger Bassin de la Villette, in the northeast, is where the families go, with supervised open-air swimming, pedal boats, kayaks, canoes and petanque courts, almost all of it free. This year is the 24th edition, with the United States as guest of honour to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, so expect an American flavour to some of the concerts and events. You do not book anything, you simply turn up.
The free Paris that never closes
So much of what makes Paris Paris costs nothing at all. Climb the hill of Montmartre and the Sacre-Coeur basilica is free to enter, and the terrace in front of it gives one of the great free views over the whole city, best in the early evening as the light turns gold. Wander the streets behind it, the Place du Tertre with its painters and the vineyard on the Rue des Saules, and you have an afternoon for the price of the walk. If you would rather have a guide point out the history, a Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur walking tour starts from EUR 49.00, but the hill itself is always free.
Down on the flat, the banks of the Seine are a UNESCO World Heritage site you can walk end to end without paying a centime, past Notre-Dame, the bouquiniste book stalls and the bridges. The Ile de la Cite and the Ile Saint-Louis reward slow wandering. And the city's parks and gardens are free and glorious in July: the Jardin du Luxembourg with its toy sailboats on the pond, the Tuileries between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde, the wilder Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the northeast with its cliffs and temple, and the Coulee verte, the planted walkway that inspired New York's High Line.
For something more contemplative, Pere Lachaise, the great garden cemetery in the east, is free to enter and is where Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf and Chopin are buried among cobbled avenues and old trees. Pick up a map at the entrance or simply lose yourself for an hour. It is one of the most atmospheric free walks in the city, and quieter than almost anywhere central.
Free window-shopping and grand architecture
You do not need a ticket to enjoy some of the city's grandest interiors. Step inside the Galeries Lafayette department store on Boulevard Haussmann to see its extraordinary stained-glass dome, and take the escalators to the free rooftop terrace for another sweeping view, this one taking in the Opera Garnier and, on a clear day, the Eiffel Tower. The covered passages of the Right Bank, the nineteenth-century glass-roofed arcades like the Galerie Vivienne and the Passage des Panoramas, are free to stroll and full of old bookshops and tearooms. Our guide to the hidden passages and underground wonders of Paris maps out the best of them.
Free culture this week
Even without the first-Sunday scheme, there is free culture on this week. The Petit Palais, the ornate fine-arts museum built for the 1900 World's Fair just off the Champs-Elysees, keeps its permanent collection free all year, from medieval ivories to Impressionist paintings in a beautiful garden courtyard. On top of that it is running a free temporary exhibition, We are (still) here, until 20 September, open Tuesday to Sunday. It is one of the most generous free offers in the city, and it is closed only on Mondays, so any day from Tuesday 7 July works.
For families, the Musee du quai Branly by the Seine is marking the 20th anniversary of its garden with the Jardin d'ete, a free summer programme running to 2 August. Through the week it lays on free storytelling, creative workshops, quizzes and open-air film screenings in the museum's leafy grounds, with different activities on different days, from quizzes early in the week to outdoor cinema and Saturday workshops. It is a lovely, low-key way to spend a warm afternoon without spending anything.
A free Bastille Day, with a twist
The biggest free spectacle of the Paris summer arrives right at the end of this week and into the next, and it comes with an unusual change this year. The Bals des Pompiers, the firefighters' dances held in the courtyards of fire stations across the city, start earlier than usual: a handful of stations, including the Caserne Malar near the Eiffel Tower, open on the evening of Sunday 12 July, the last day of this week, before the main dances on 13 and 14 July. A small voluntary donation gets you in, and the parties run late. The fireworks have also moved. Rather than the traditional 14 July, the great display beneath the Eiffel Tower will be launched exceptionally on the evening of Monday 13 July 2026, a drone and pyrotechnic show from the Champ-de-Mars, because 14 July this year is reserved for a national tribute marking ten years since the 2016 Nice attack. It is free to watch from the lawns and the surrounding bridges. The military parade down the Champs-Elysees still runs on the morning of Tuesday 14 July, also free if you arrive early. If your trip stretches into the next week, keep those evenings clear.
A few low-cost extras
If you want to add a little to your free days without spending much, some of the city's landmarks are still gentle on the wallet. The Conciergerie, the medieval royal palace and revolutionary prison on the Ile de la Cite, starts from EUR 13.00, and the Pantheon, resting place of Voltaire, Rousseau and Marie Curie, from EUR 14.00, with a colonnade that in summer opens for a rooftop view over the Latin Quarter. Both make a good-value pairing with a free riverside walk. For more of the low-key, local side of the city, our guide to the secret cultural gems of Paris is full of ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Are the national museums free this week?
No. The free first-Sunday-of-the-month scheme applies on 5 July, which was the day before this week began, so there is no free national museum day within 6 to 12 July. The next one falls on the first Sunday of August.
Is Paris Plages really free?
Yes. Access to the riverside beaches at the Rives de Seine and the Bassin de la Villette is free, as are most of the activities, including the supervised swimming, pedal boats, petanque and many of the concerts. You just turn up.
What is the best free view in Paris?
The terrace in front of the Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre is the classic free viewpoint, taking in the whole city. The free rooftop of the Galeries Lafayette department store is a lesser-known alternative closer to the centre.
Is the Sacre-Coeur free to enter?
Yes, entry to the basilica itself is free. There is a small charge to climb the dome, but the church and the famous terrace outside cost nothing.
When is the free Bastille Day fireworks display in 2026?
Exceptionally, on the evening of Monday 13 July 2026, not the usual 14 July, launched from the Champ-de-Mars beneath the Eiffel Tower. The date moved because 14 July is reserved for a national tribute marking ten years since the 2016 Nice attack. The display falls just after this week, so keep it in mind if your trip continues into the following week.
How can I save on the paid attractions?
If you plan several bookings or visit Paris often, tickadoo+ membership is where to look for ongoing savings across experiences. You can find the details at tickadoo.com/membership.
For the rest of the week, see our what's on in Paris guide, our art and exhibitions guide and, for families, our things to do with kids this week.
Built by the founders of London Theatre Direct, with 25 years of expertise in theatre ticketing. The tickadoo editorial team covers West End and Broadway shows, attractions, tours and experiences across 700+ cities.
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