podtour
From Vendôme to the Opera
You start in the Place Vendôme with a bronze horse so big that, people said, twenty men could fit in its belly.
From Orsay to Furstenberg along the Quai Voltaire: audio walk in Paris
From the station that's now a museum to the most hidden square in Saint-Germain: a bridge the river carried away, Voltaire's death as told to Catherine the Great, Queen Margot's vow, Mazarin's college, Wilde and Borges, the rescued royal tombs and Delacroix's last studio.
What this walk is about
You start beneath the clocks of Orsay, a station built in two years for 1900 that in 1945 welcomed people coming home, and discover that the quay it's named after was once the Grenouillère, a port of timber and mud, and took its name from a provost of the merchants, Charles Boucher, lord of Orsay. Along the quay you reach the Pont Royal, heir to a ferry and a red bridge, and the house where Voltaire died while his parish was preparing to refuse him burial, according to an account written for Catherine the Great. You carry on past a vanished convent, Queen Margot's vow and the dome of the college Mazarin founded on his deathbed for pupils from four nations, Roussillon included. Behind it, Wilde and Borges on the same façade, the museum of the royal tombs, Balzac's printing works and the square where Delacroix spent his last years.
- Start
- The station dressed as a palace
- Finish
- Delacroix's last studio
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about literature and art. A walk for couples.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The station dressed as a palace
- 2
The people coming home
- 3
The quay of the frogs
- 4
From the ferry to the friar's bridge
- 5
Let me die in peace
- 6
The convent that became a café
- 7
Queen Margot's vow
- 8
Mazarin's will
- 9
Wilde died here; Borges kept returning
- 10
The man who saved the royal tombs
- 11
The printing business that ruined Balzac
- 12
Delacroix's last studio
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Paris, before you go
Paris works best a neighbourhood at a time. Combine a walk, a pause and another look: the distances on the map can be deceptive.
More walks nearby
The Revolution on the Rue Saint-Honoré
You start at the end: the steps of Saint-Roch, where a young general called Bonaparte brought the Revolution to a close with cannon fire.
The Louvre and Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois
You start by looking towards the Tuileries, the palace Catherine de' Medici began beside some tile works, and which ended in flames in 1871.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.