Free audio walk in Paris
The 2nd Arrondissement
- 61 min
- 3.4 km
- 10 stops
- Free
Starts at Rue Catinat
About this walk
This walk leads you through the 2nd arrondissement, a lively Parisian district full of character. Stroll past elegant passages, discover hidden cafés, and enjoy the vibrant streets that mix history with everyday life. A compact route that shows the city’s more authentic side. The route begins and ends at the same location.
The stops
Walk them in order; each story plays when you reach its pin.
- 1Stop 1
The Start
Welcome to the neighborhood where Paris invented the art of window shopping — and never looked back.
- 2Stop 2
Place des Victoires
One man spent his entire fortune building this square to impress a king who was secretly embarrassed by the whole thing.
Read the story - 3Stop 3
Galerie Vivienne
Beneath this glass roof lies a passage where a teenage girl, the world's first private detective, and a fashion revolution all quietly share the same mosaic floor.
Read the story - 4Stop 4
Galerie Colbert
Behind this elegant glass-roofed arcade hides a rivalry, a Hollywood romance, and a mosaic floor with a secret connection.
Read the story - 5Stop 5
Théâtre de la Michodière
Before this elegant theater existed, a grand marshal's palace stood here — and the street itself is younger than you might think.
Read the story - 6Stop 6
Boulevard Montmartre
This boulevard hides two secret worlds behind its walls, and most people walk right past them.
Read the story - 7Stop 7
Passage des Panoramas
The arcade above you hasn't changed much in over two centuries, and that's exactly what makes it so extraordinary.
Read the story - 8Stop 8
The Grand Rex
Europe's biggest cinema has a past that's equal parts glamour, resistance, and one very inconvenient train announcement.
Read the story - 9Stop 9
Passage du Caire
The oldest covered arcade in Paris was built on the graves of nuns, and almost nobody knows it exists.
Read the story - 10Stop 10
The End
You've just walked one of Paris's most hidden chapters, and there's a lot more waiting for you.
Ready when you are
Walk The 2nd Arrondissement with ROODS.
10 stops through Paris, about 61 minutes. Open ROODS in your browser, walk to the first pin and the story plays.
- Stories on a map, with narrated audio
- Walk at your own pace, stop where you like
- Runs in your browser. An app is optional.
