Our Paris Bike Tour: the Secrets is a truly local experience. It was designed by our founders who have lived in and explored Paris for more than 30 years. This tour is for anyone who wants to get to know Paris' off-the-beaten-path charms and see what makes it so captivating to us locals.
On this tour we’ll take you away from all of the big monuments and show you the charming Latin Quarter and the quaint Le Marais neighborhoods. On your Blue Bike™ you'll cycle on back streets and discover hidden secrets, ancient ruins, and the oldest café in the world, all the while learning funny and eccentric historical details about the real Paris and its population.
A tour like this can only be given by a true local who knows and loves their city. So let one of our guides show you around and help you to see the unknown ways in which Paris really shines!
the Pantheon
Paris secrets and street Art
The Paris Bike Tour: the Secrets stands out from our other bike tours as it dives deeper into what makes Paris so unique aside from its monuments and museums. This tour takes place entirely on back streets so you’ll see a more authentic and charming side of Paris, one that most tourists only dream about finding.
You’ll pop into a 400 year old building and explore the book lined walls of the Shakespeare and Co. bookshop. On your Blue Bike™ you’ll cycle past the oldest tree in Paris and into the alleys of the Latin Quarter you’ll learn about the Street Art movement in Paris. That way you’ll recognize some of Paris’ most celebrated street art such as the Space Invaders and the many faces of Gregos which pop out from our city’s walls.
Oldest Café in the world and the Pantheon
Wandering into a covered passageway you’ll look through a window and see pastry chefs creating delicacies. Then you’ll realize you’re standing in front of the oldest café in the world, a place where a revolution was planned and where Benjamin Franklin penned some of the Constitution of the United States.
Cycling through the market street of Rue de Buci you’ll smell the fresh baked goods and see thousands of fresh fruits and flowers all around you. You might notice a shop that has been making tiny lead soldiers since the 1700’s and wonder how they can still be there after 250 years. That’s when you’ll remember you’re in Paris and this place is magic.
You’ll have a chance to learn about and explore inside the fascinating church that Dan Brown used in his “Da Vinci Code” where you’ll find the Rose Line for yourself. Leaving the church behind you’ll go up an alley and read a backwards poem on the wall about a drunken boat then cycle alongside the beautiful Luxembourg garden. You’ll pause at the Pantheon, the final resting place of the most beloved “Great men and women of France” such as Victor Hugo and learn of their lives and legacies.
Roman Arena
Roman Arena and Le Marais
Taking a break on rue Mouffetard you’ll admire the little crêpe shops, awesome french bakeries, and local café ambiance that is well off the beaten tourist trail. You’ll be able to choose whatever pleases you the most for your lunch and have 30 minutes to enjoy it.
Once finished with the break the adventure continues as the guide leads you to the center of our 2,000 year old Roman Arena and then across the Seine river into the historically Jewish neighborhood of Le Marais.
You’ll admire the lovely pedestrian street of Rue des Rosiers with all of it’s local boutiques and kosher restaurants then head into the most beautiful square in Paris, the Place des Vosges where the red brick and green trees will show a different side of Paris.
This tour is an excellent tour in and of itself but also a wonderful complement to our Best of Paris Bike Tour which will already have introduced you to the main monuments of Paris and some of the most important historical facts. So, please, don’t try to choose between them. We’ll give you a discount if you book them together (see Special Offers).
Back Streets
Good to Know:
The Paris Bike Tour: the Secrets is 100% different from our other bike tours in Paris. None of the route or stops are the same.
The tour will finish very close to where it started next to the Saint-Michel Fountain.
Gratuities aka "tips" are not included but welcomed by our guides.
For the Paris Bike Tour: the Secrets, you will meet with your guide in the heart of the Latin Quarter, at Place Saint-Michel in front of the Saint-Michel Fountain.
The Fountain Saint-Michel can easily be reached by metro line 4 (stop "SAINT-MICHEL") and the RER lines B & C (stop "SAINT-MICHEL – NOTRE-DAME").
Tour Highlights
Street Art
Paris didn't miss out on the underground street artist movement, it's home to some of the coolest in the world such as Invader and Gregos.
World’s oldest café
The Procope was founded in 1686 and has seen many of the most famous people in history eat there. Among them Benjamin Franklin, Voltaire, Napoléon, and Victor Hugo.
Shakespeare & Co Bookstore
More than just a bookstore, it's almost a shrine to the written word and those who write it. Its walls are overflowing with literature of all sorts, and some authors even sleep there!
The Pantheon
Originally built as a massive basilica, the Pantheon was taken over during the French Revolution and rededicated to the Great Men of France.
Roman arena
Hidden away on the left bank this arena was the stage for countless human and animal battles during the roman occupation of France and it’s almost 2,000 years old!
Ancient city wall of Paris
Built 800 years ago to keep Richard the Lionheart out of Paris, this massive wall protected the city for more than 2 centuries until becoming obsolete as Paris grew larger.
Mouffetard village
Rue Mouffetard is one of Paris' oldest and liveliest neighborhoods with cafés and bistros of all kinds and a famous market as well. We’ll stop here for the 30 minute lunch break.
Place des Vosges
Originally known as Place Royale this square is in the Marais district. Its red brick stands out among the other beige parisian buildings and is full of charm.
Wall of the Righteous
This wall bears the names of over 3,900 people who risked their lives to save Jews in France during the Second World War
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are in the group?
We think that big groups suck! Our guides like getting to know the people in their groups and sharing their personal experience of our city with each one of them. That’s why we only allow 12 people to join us on this small group tour.
What is the Cancellation Policy?
Lots of things can happen that make a person need to change their plans. So you’re welcome to cancel this tour up to 24 hours before it starts and we’ll give you a full refund.
If you plan out your travel time poorly, arrive late, and miss your tour we will feel sad that you missed your tour but we will not issue you a refund.
How far in advance should I book?
We suggest booking your spot on our Hidden Secret Paris Bike Tour at least 1 week in advance.
Do you have kids’ bikes or smaller bikes?
Yes, we’ve got 2 different smaller sized bikes for kids and adults who are too short to use our Blue Bikes™.
We have baby seats for kids that are between the ages of 1 and 3 years old (max weight 22 kg (48 lbs)).
We also have some cool Burley tandem attachment bikes that are suitable for little kids who are too big for the baby seat but too small to cycle on their own (max weight 38 kg (85 lbs) - max height 137 cm (4 ft 6 in)).
We do NOT have tandem bikes that are suitable for two adults. All adults who join our tour must know how to cycle on their own with confidence. Please do not book this tour if an adult in your party is unable to cycle. We do not have any way to include them in this tour.
Do I have to be fit to do this bike tour? Is it only for sporty people?
This tour is for people who know how to ride a bike and want to have some fun! It is not a physically intensive activity and we have had people of all shapes and sizes take part in it and everyone has always loved it.
Can I only do part of the tour?
No. We lend you one of our custom made Blue Bikes™ to use on this tour. When we do that we are counting on you being able to cycle our Blue Bike all the way back to our bike hub where we will need that Blue Bike to be ready for the next tour it will be used for.
Please only book this tour if you are 100% sure to be able to partake in 100% of this tour which will last a full 4 hours long.
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Reviewed on May 25, 2025
O5418HEannek
Best guide for a great and fun tour!! Amazing trip! Our guide Joris was so kind and funny and well informed! He knows so many details and secrets and fun stuff about the area. He was very caref... ul, always had an eye on the group and dried our bikes after the rain! It was a great way to explore the area! Thank you so much! Would totally recommend it!Read more
Reviewed on May 13, 2025
Nadya M
Best hidden gems exploration! Amazing experience to learn the history and secrets of Paris that are hidden. If you are someone who likes knowing history of places you go to, this is def... initely a great tour for you while exploring Paris highlights that you may want to go back again on your own. One note though, you really need to know how to bike and be comfortable biking with cars around you to keep up. Our tour guide, Gigi was amazing, funny, very informative, and made sure that everybody was following the flow and not left behind. I would definitely recommend this tour, especially if you enjoy biking!
Read more
Reviewed on May 13, 2025
caitlina460
Off the beaten path bike tour Guillermo exceeded our expectations as we bicycled around Paris! We did the off-the-beaten path tour and he made us feel part of the city more than we coul... d have hoped for. A true Parisian, he gave us the perspective and experience you can only get from getting out in the air and seeing things with local’s eye. 10/10 on this tour!Read more
Reviewed on May 05, 2025
KRISTINA B
Hidden places in the Latin Quarter This was a well organised and well presented experience. It was interesting to be taken to some more off the beaten track places and also to be given an id... ea and information about some of the more well know monuments and buildings in the city. Antoine was an excellent guide, he gave good instructions and had lots of interesting information about the places we visited, including some maps and photographs of how the city looked in previous times in history.Read more
Planning on booking multiple tours with us? Contact us to receive a 10% discount.
Discount only apply when booking 2, 3 or 4 tours on different dates.
Free Cancellation
We understand that unexpected events can change your travel plans; for this reason Blue Fox Travel offers a full refund, for any reason, if you cancel more than 24hrs before your reserved tour is scheduled to start.
Small Groups
Small Group = Better Experience
We keep our groups small to ensure a more personal and higher quality experience for you.
These are the Terms & Conditions that apply to any tour run by BLUE FOX TRAVEL in France under the brands BLUE BIKE TOURS or BLUE FOX TRAVEL.
In this document, BLUE BIKE TOURS might be abbreviated as BBT and BLUE FOX TRAVEL as BFT.
BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered SARL (Société à Responsabilité Limitée - Limited Liability Company) at the Paris Chamber of Commerce under the number : 534 151 576
BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered French Travel Operator under the licence : IM075160040
BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered Public Service Vehicle Operator under the Licence : 2016/11/0007784
Because BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered French company, and all of our tours take place in France, only the French Law will apply in the case of any conflict.
Last updated : January 2019.
Valid until : the end of the world.
I - Cancellation Policy
BFT offers a 100% refund if a reservation is cancelled more than 24 hours before the scheduled start of the tour. The notification must be made by email. No refunds are given for ANY reason once within the 24 hrs prior to the scheduled tour.
All of our tours run Rain or Shine. We do not issue refunds if you choose to skip your tour because the weather doesn’t suit you. You can always wait until the last minute to book your tour to ensure the weather suits you that day.
BFT reserves the right to cancel any of its tours last minute in case of an Act of God or crazy act from a large group of people. Flooding, hail, dangerous weather conditions, riots, etc. In such instances full refunds will be given to anyone who had their tour cancelled.
II - Satisfaction Guarantee Policy
If the tour you took with us didn’t live up to what we promised you on our website and failed to meet your expectations, we will be heartbroken. We will also give you a 100% refund so long as you do all of these things:
You remember that we we are in no way responsible for the weather and that our guides actually have to give 110% of themselves to you on days when the weather is not as nice in order to help you enjoy the tour.
You participate in the entire tour from: being on time at the meeting point until the “goodbyes” at the very end of the tour. You can’t leave a tour half-way and ask for your money back.
At the end of the tour you tell your guide, in person, that you were not satisfied with the tour you took.
You provide your tour guide with the reasons you were not satisfied with the tour itself.
III - Payment Policy
A valid credit card is required to secure your booking. All reservations must be prepaid online prior to the tour. We accept Visa, Mastercard. None of your personal credit card or billing information is stored by BFT.
IV - Privacy Policy
We are committed to protecting your privacy. Your personal informations will never be disclosed to any third parties.
V - Child Policy
All reservations made for children under the age of 18 years old must be made by an adult and we must be informed at the time of booking exactly how many children are in your party and their ages. This is vital information as it allows our guide to prepare the proper child sized equipments for the bike tours and the booster seats for all day trips/excursions that use one of our vans.
All reservations made for a minor under the age of 18 years old must also include the reservation for an adult who will be 100% solely responsible for the safety and well being of the child while on the tour.
Every child, under the age of 12 years old, partaking in a bicycle tour will be required to wear a helmet and a reflective vest as per French Law.
The adult who accompanies the child agrees to the responsibility of choosing a properly sized helmet, adjusting the helmet, and keeping the helmet on the head of the child during the whole tour. Blue Fox Travel has helmets in multiple sizes for you to choose from at no cost.
Don't forget: Children who will be riding in a baby/child seat, on a tandem attachment bike, or in a booster seat in one of our vans absolutely MUST have their seat reserved beforehand. We NEED to know exactly what your child will need before they show up. Please make it clear in the “Special Requirements” section of our booking form.
VI- Child Bike Policy
Children who will be riding on their own may be subject to a very short test run before the tour starts in which they will be expected to demonstrate: that they are well suited for their bike’s size and settings, that they know how to brake properly and that they are, in general, good cyclists who can be trusted to follow their tour guide in a safe manner.
We own 20” and 24” kids bikes (size of the wheel). Adult bikes are 26”.
If the guide, or manager, finds that the child is not, for any reason, a good enough cyclist then the guide, or manager, has the right to refuse to let the child follow the tour on a personal bike.
This means they will either be asked to ride on one of our ‘tandem attachments’ which is attached to the back of a parents bike OR asked to ride in a child seat attached to the back of a parents bike. If the child refuses the change, then the guide or manager has the right to cancel the reservation, and not allow you and your child on the bike tour.
Refunds will not be issued if your reservation is cancelled because of your child not being able to cycle and their refusal to ride attached to you.
Baby seats are for kids that are between the ages of 1 and 3 years old (max weight 22 kg (48 lbs)).
We also have some cool Burley™ tandem attachment bikes that are suitable for little kids who are too big for the baby seat but too small to cycle on their own (max weight 38 kg (85 lbs) - max height 137 cm (4 ft 6 in)).
VII - Damages to Blue Fox Travel Property
If you or anyone in your party damages a vehicle, a Blue Bike™, a vehicle, a child's bike, a helmet, a baby/child seat, a tandem attachment bike, any bike attachments, or a booster seat in such a way that it becomes badly disfigured, broken, or unusable, then BFT reserves the right to claim a fee of up to the cost of repair of the damaged bike/vehicle or object.
VIII - Miscellaneous
You and everyone in your party will be kind and respectful of your guide.
You and everyone in your party will do their best to follow the safety instructions given orally by the guide before the start of the tour and during the tour.
You agree that everyone in your party will do their best to follow the verbal directions, hand signals, and the physical example of your Guide during the whole tour and always look both ways when crossing a street.
You and everyone in your party will fully respect the rules of the French traffic. You will be solely responsible if you are caught by an authority breaking any laws.
You and everyone else in your party agree that any accident which occurs while your party is on a tour, which injures or harms you or anyone in your party (in any way, including physically, emotionally, or mentally) is not in any way the responsibility of Blue Fox Travel.
You accept all responsibility for any accidents that you or anyone else in your party might experience while on a Blue Fox Travel.
Blue Fox Travel is not to be held responsible for any loss or damage to any personal belongings. You are responsible for all of your belongings.
