New Paris Tour Focuses on Women’s History

Of the many fascinating tours one can take in Paris, a new operation looks at an under-sung part of the city’s history: the influence of women.

Heidi Evans launched a tour called Women of Paris, dedicated solely to the influence of women in the French capital. Evans realized most of the city’s tours focus on male figures like Napoleon, Victor Hugo, and Louis XIV, before deciding to offer the new tour.

France never had a female monarch or president, so Evans wanted to showcase women like Marie Curie, Gertrude Stein and Catherine de Medici, all of whom helped make Paris what it is today.

“People who come on my tours are always amazed by the stories of these women who very often had to combat a lot of prejudice to succeed,” Evans told Lonely Planet. “They are also taken aback by, despite how far we’ve advanced in the quest for gender equality in the West over the last century, there is still so much work to be done!”

Tours run Monday to Saturday and can be reserved online.