Photos: ParisTaras, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Benh LIEU SONG, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Alexandre Vialle, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: ParisTaras, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Benh LIEU SONG, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Alexandre Vialle, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The square where a prison used to stand
Your local guide
Clara Bonnet
View profile
Highlights
- A prison marked only by paving stones now
- A column commemorating a later revolution
- The square's real history, corrected in one call
- Almost nothing left of the building itself
- One of the city's most misunderstood sites
About this tour
This call looks at what actually remains of the Bastille, starting on the square where the prison once stood and finishing at the July Column marking its centre. Clara explains that the column commemorates a later revolution than the famous 1789 storming most visitors expect. The session corrects a common assumption about one of the city's most referenced events.
Clara opens on the square with a short sound check. She walks toward the column, answering questions about the site's real history as they arrive, and sends a short summary once the call ends.
It suits anyone who thought they already knew the Bastille's story. It also works well as a first stop before exploring the surrounding streets.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Paris before heading out.
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Place de la Bastille 15 min
The camera crosses the wide square, and Clara explains that almost nothing of the actual prison remains, its outline marked only by paving stones most visitors walk straight over.
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July Column 15 min
Standing beneath the tall column at the square's centre, Clara points out that it actually commemorates a different, later revolution than the one most people assume.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Paris: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Escargot and Montmartre, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Paris time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Paris, showing you Place de la Bastille and July Column live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk the square live with my phone.
Times shown in Paris time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Mon 7 Dec · 10 seats left From 19,00 €
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