Getting Active in Paris!

Ah, Paris! The city of romance, fashion, and serious culture. A visit to this European powerhouse of a city, whether it’s for a weekend or longer, will never be boring, will always be full of sophistication, and will probably leave you with a serious love of good quality wine.

Despite that, what can you do if you feel the need to do a little exercise during your time away? We all need to burn off calories regularly, and when you’re traveling that can be hard to do, especially if you’re eating French pastries and grabing unhealthy food on the go. Luckily, most cities have activities you can do in order to get your heart rate up from time to time, and Paris is no different. Here are four suggestions you might like to try on your next visit to the French capital.

Climb the Sacre Coeur steps

You don’t mind climbing a lot of steps if you know that the view from the top is going to be worth it, right? Well, the panoramic vista of Paris before you once you reach the basilica at the top of the 270 steps is worth every single deep breath, and then some. Obviously you then have to walk back down them, but that’s always the easier part! Sightseeing and exercise combined!

Walk the River Seine

If you’re visiting Paris with a significant other, there is nothing more romantic than a moonlit river walk. If however you’re just visiting Paris because you fancy seeing what all the fuss is about, then you can still do this without it having to be romantic! This is a very popular activity, especially in the evening, so it can get busy, but walking in the direction of Notre Dame will mean you have a fantastic destination to head towards, whilst taking in the skyline and river itself.

Cycling tours

Paris is big, but it’s relatively compact, so it’s quite easy to cycle your way around it. Because of this, you will find lots of companies offering cycling tours, which is a great way to see the major sights of the city, whilst also getting more than your quota of daily exercise. Fat Tire is a well-known and reputable company to book with, and also offer night tours, and jaunts into the nearby countryside.

Jogging

Again, you’ll find lots of different jogging routes, because this is the most popular way of keeping fit for residents too. One of the most beautiful, and therefore most popular routes is the Jardin des Tuileries. Basically this a jog through wide, open, green gardens, where you can see the Champs Elyees and Arc de Triomphe in the distance. Around 2km in length, this is easily done and you can head off for a cool, refreshing drink afterwards, patting yourself on the back!

I guess you could argue that simply avoiding public transport and using your feet to get around is the best way to get exercise during a Paris city break, and this is true, but if you’re not sure where you’re going, you could end up walking around in circles, getting lost, and totally missing the point. For that reason, guided tours are the best thing out there, so the next time you’re heading to any city, and you want a spot of exercise thrown in for good measure, definitely look at this idea first and foremost.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons, Julian Fong View from top of the Notre Dame which you can walk up.

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