Paris might be the City of Love, but it’s survived its fair share of devastation.
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Paris played a critical role during both World Wars. During WWI, the city narrowly escaped occupation to become a hub for resistance, with local taxis providing reinforcements to the front lines. During WWII, it was occupied for four years by German forces until it was liberated by the French Resistance and Allied forces.
But that’s barely grazing the surface of Paris’s intersection with the greatest conflicts to occur on the European continent.
If you want to explore the city and surrounding areas through the lens of WWI and/or WWII, you need to look for experiences that dive deep into both conflicts.
I recommend starting with these highly rated WWI and WWII tours in Paris and leaving from Paris that will take you to the locations where history was made by brave soldiers and citizens—including some American soldiers who fought in the wars. You can book tours that cover WWI or WWII. In the top list, I also included a three-day tour that explores both.
At a glance: best WWI and WWII tours in Paris
- Learn about WWI & WWII: 3-day WWI & WWII tour from Paris
- Most popular WWI tour: Somme Battlefield Day Trip from Paris
- Most popular WWII tour: Normandy D-Day day trip from Paris
Best WWI tours in Paris
Somme Battlefield Day Trip from Paris
Leave Paris behind to visit one of the most notorious battlegrounds from the Western Front: the Somme. You’ll get to check out the trenches that still crisscross the area, along with the Lochnagar Crater, a man-made mine crater. You will also visit a war monument and a museum in Thiepval.
Somme Battlefield Places trip from Paris
This tour is similar to the last, except that it includes more site visits. (You’ll see that reflected in the price.) In addition to the memorial and trenches, you also get to visit sites like the Australian Corps Memorial and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. I recommend exploring the tour page to check out the itinerary and make sure the stops suit your interests.
Verdun private day trip from Paris
If you’d rather explore battlefields like Verdun and Argonne, head north instead. This tour includes private transportation to explore notable landmarks related to both, like the Romagne War Museum, Trench of Bayonets, and the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial.
Belleau Wood and American Cemetery from Paris
Though less well-known than the Somme and Verdun, WWI included many battlefronts—and this tour takes you to some of the further-out sites. You get to visit Belleau Wood, where US Marines battled German soldiers. You’ll visit actual bomb craters and trenches, along with the famous Devil Dog Fountain.
Best WWII tours in Paris
Normandy D-Day day trip from Paris
This tour takes you up north to the most famous site from WWII: Normandy Beach, where the D-Day landing took place. This visit includes a stop at the Utah Beach Museum, the American Cemetery, and the chance to get eyes on Omaha Beach. Just know that this is a larger tour that includes a ride on a tourist bus. It also includes lunch.
Paris occupation 2-hour walking tour
This walking tour lays out the history of Germany’s occupation of Paris from 1940 to 1944. You’ll learn about history in chronological order as you head to important sites from this period. Along the way, you get to hear how locals survived, how German power structures were organized, and how political control was enacted. The tour also has rare archival photos that help you imagine what it would have been like to survive this era.
Germany occupation small group tour
This tour is similar to the last. I like to list both in case one is fully booked during your stay. The main difference is that this tour maxes out at ten people and can also be booked privately. If you really want to delve into the history of the German occupation of Paris, I recommend booking the private tour, then letting your guide know which topics interest you the most.
Occupation and liberation walking tour game
This ‘tour’ only has one review, but if you’re enjoying learning about WWII history in Paris, it sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon. The app-based tour sends you on a self-guided journey where you step into the shoes of a young Polish teen who wants to piece together his grandpa’s heroic past. Along the way, you’ll learn about the German occupation and all those who resisted.
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