Explore the top spots for photography and Instagrammable sights around Paris, and take the best travel shots of the city with an immersive private tour.
Join a local influencer and historian as we walk through the most iconic Instagram hashtag locations, such as the bookshop Shakespeare & Co, the mesmerising Square Rene Viviani, the charismatic pastry shop Odette and the quirky Quai de la Seine.
Along this walk, we’ll take you through every beautiful bend and curve of Paris’ trendiest neighbourhoods, the places with the most iconic food dishes, as well as the best spots to take Instagram photos.
As you learn about the history behind the sights and discover the key sightseeing spots of these neighbourhoods, we’ll uncover the true essence of Paris, and delve into a variety of cultures, secret stories and quirky facts that are a part of this must-see city.
The tour starts at Odette café - it’s like a little corner of old medieval Paris, tucked away in the bustling modern metropole. One of the reasons why we start here is that you get a sense of the history of the city in every direction you look. Whether it's a beautiful instagram shot of the flowery Odette Café, the narrow winding medieval cobbled streets to either side, or the perfectly-framed Notre Dame ahead. In this first stop, we’ll explore the concept of framing, and we’ll continue to use it throughout the tour.
Next, we stop at one of our favourite places in Paris : the Shakespeare & Company bookstore. We’ll learn more about the lost generation that frequented the shop and the pilgrims who continue to stay here. This is also the perfect place to try a new technique using iconic Parisian fountains in the foreground and the beautiful bookstore as a blurry background.
Once you’ve dragged yourself away from the books (and the amazing coffee), we arrive at an oasis of tranquility in the middle of Paris: the Square Rene Viviani. We’ll continue developing the framing technique, using trees and plants to frame our subjects. We’ll also hear some pretty incredible tales about the buildings around this square (and we’ll also spot the oldest tree in Paris).
Even though Notre Dame may be covered in scaffolding, it doesn’t mean that you can’t take a great photo of it. As we make our way to the back of the cathedral, we’ll hear all about the evolution of Notre Dame and what she means to the French. We also explore Notre Dame’s renovation and learn about the controversy that surrounds it.
We’ll walk towards the islands of Ile de la Cité and Ile Saint Louis. There are so many beautiful photos that present themselves as we cross the bridges. Here we’ll let you choose what subject to focus on, depending on the lighting and time of day.
Our next technique is all about verticality. Sometimes we focus so much on what we see at eye level, that we forget to look up and view Paris from a different perspective. The narrow medieval streets we’ll explore, with their high walls, tall doors and beautifully decorated facades, will provide us the perfect opportunity to try new tricks.
As we walk past some beautiful flower covered facades, we’ll hear about the story of 2 locals, nicknamed the French Romeo and Juliet. It’s quite a tragic tale of love and loss, but it should hopefully inspire you to take some more romantic Parisian shots.
We’ll end the walk at the beautiful Hotel de Ville, with our most challenging technique: the puddle shot. Julien will give you tips on how to try to get this right as we’ll explore the Hotel de Ville’s facade.
The Vidi Guides experience is enriched with on-screen photos and videos. We also point out where to take the perfect Instagram photos during the tour, and include recommendations for food, drinks, and local attractions. Don't worry, none of our recommendations are sponsored - they are simply favourites of the locals who helped craft the experience.
Vidi Guides creates immersive audio experiences that are like podcasts. This is a self-guided audio tour that can be started or stopped at your own convenience. Download the Vidi Guides app & your tour to explore the area independently and safely! Make sure to download your tour before your visit to streamline your trip!
- Love podcasts and looking to take amazing Instagram shots of Paris? You'll love this immersive photography tour of the Ile de la Cité!
- Discover some of Paris' most photogenic shots and learn some photography techniques
- As we walk, listen to a historian as he tells us about the history of Paris
- Stroll around at your own pace with your audio guide to lead the way
Audio: English