The story of Victor Hugo in Paris Old Town Tour & Museum｜France

Get a glimpse into the tragic life of Victor Hugo, one of the best-known poets, novelists and dramatists of the Romantic movement. Learn about the people, events and places that inspired the novels and poems that became a canon of French literature. Experience the historic Old Town of Paris through the eyes of one of the greatest French writers.

On this original 2-hour tour your private guide will take you back in time to 19th-century France to examine the political and social issues and the artistic trends of Victor Hugo’s time. Take a walk through the Old Town and see Saint James’s Tower (Tour Saint-Jacques), which is all that remains of the medieval church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, pillaged and destroyed by French revolutionaries. As the French Revolution is the theme of one of Hugo’s most popular novels, ‘Les Misérables’, it's a great place to learn about its historical background.

Another must-see sight during this special themed tour will be the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was immortalized in Hugo's classic novel ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’. Marvel at its iconic French Gothic architecture and learn about the impact that Hugo’s novel had on preserving the values of French culture and making Notre Dame a national icon. Explore the elegant Marais district and see the writer’s former house on the oldest planned square in Paris, Place des Vosges.

Choose the 3-hour option to enhance your experience with a visit to Maison de Victor Hugo, the house museum where Hugo lived for 16 years with his wife Adele. It is a perfect place to learn more about the writer’s personal life - before, during and after exile. Of special interest are Hugo’s bedroom with original red furnishings and wall coverings, the oriental Chinese Salon, and numerous paintings, drawings and sketches found throughout the house.