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A stroll through the beautiful Tuileries Gardens is one of the must-dos of Paris. Before the Revolution this was a prime spot for the aristocracy to show off their latest fashions, and it remains a great place for people-watching.

A very Parisian walk, particularly on a Sunday, is along the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) of the Seine. The riverside quays of the Latin Quarter have been lined with second-hand bookstalls (bouquinistes ) for centuries. The books are mostly in French, but you’ll also find stalls selling prints and postcards (see Bouquinistes).

The steep streets of the Butte are a good place to get some exercise after indulging in the irresistible French cuisine. Although this famous artists’ quarter is more touristy than Bohemian these days, its old charms can still be found in the winding back streets and small squares (see Montmartre and Pigalle).

With inspiring art galleries, delectable delis, and shop after shop filled with contemporary fashions and objets d’art , a walk in the Marais is great fun, even if you only window-shop. The beautiful mansions are a great backdrop for your stroll and there are plenty of cafés and bars for sustenance (see Marais and the Bastille).

In this historic botanical garden you can escape the bustle of the city and lose yourself on the shady tree-lined avenues, amid colourful flowerbeds, or the hothouses and exotic gardens. Or simply relax on the lawns.

Napoleon designated this the “garden of children”, and whether or not you have little ones in tow you’ll enjoy a walk through this favourite haunt of the Latin Quarter. After you’ve seen the octagonal pond and the Medicis Fountain, seek out the miniature Statue of Liberty and the statues of French queens.

These covered arcades were built at the end of the 18th century to shelter elegant shoppers from grimy streets and bad weather. Now lined with speciality and antiques shops, they are wonderfully atmospheric places to explore. Most are in the 2nd arrondissement , and connecting passages Verdeau, Jouffroy and Panoramas together form the longest in Paris.

Although you could walk end to end in about 10 minutes, the Seine’s smaller island demands a more leisurely stroll. You’ll discover superb little art galleries, trendy boutiques, and a village-like atmosphere within this up-market enclave (see Ile de la Cité and Ile St-Louis).

Come here at the weekend if you want to join the locals in the “great escape”, and you’ll have 865 ha (2,135 acres) from which to choose your path. The Bagatelle Gardens are a fine place for a walk in spring and summer, when a stunning array of roses and other flowers are in bloom.

There’s no better way to enjoy the Latin Quarter than to do as the Parisians do – stroll the Boulevard St-Germain, preferably late on a Sunday morning. After your walk, honour the birthplace of café society with a coffee at either Les Deux Magots or Café de Flore, two of the city’s most famous literary and intellectual haunts (see St-Germain, Latin and Luxembourg Quarters).