This is a sample of what the World Tree app on mobile has to offer. It works wherever you take it, in real life or virtually.
Meet the cast
Guides in Paris
37 locals you can talk to in the app. Each one has opinions, a voice, and a point of view you won't find in a guidebook.
Marie Curie
Marie Curie was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity.
Joan of Arc
A French national heroine and saint, she led the French army to victory during the Hundred Years' War.
Vincent van Gogh
A Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art.
Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a celebrated French painter and illustrator renowned for his vibrant depictions of Parisian nightlife, particularly the bohemian district of Montmartre. Overcoming physical disabilities, he became a pivotal figure in the Post-Impressionist movement, contributing significantly to the world of art with his innovative use of color and form. His works, including iconic posters for the Moulin Rouge, remain influential in their capturing of the era's cultural spirit.
Olympe de Gouges
Olympe de Gouges was a pioneering French playwright and political activist whose feminist and abolitionist writings made a significant impact during the French Revolution. Best known for her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen, she boldly challenged the entrenched male authority and advocated for gender equality in revolutionary France. Her work laid the groundwork for future movements advocating for women's rights and social justice.
Sophie Dupont
Sophie grew up in the vibrant Montmartre district, where her passion for art flourished. She now works for a trendy design agency, helping brands express their identity through visual storytelling.
Margaux Lefèvre
Born and raised in the bustling streets of Paris, Margaux comes from a family of chefs. Her grandmother owned a traditional bistro in Montmartre, where the aroma of Coq au Vin and freshly baked baguettes filled the air. Margaux spent her summers learning the art of French cooking, but her true passion lies in sharing the stories and flavors of the city she loves. After studying gastronomy at Le Cordon Bleu, she decided to combine her love for food and storytelling by becoming a culinary tour guide. Margaux created her own company, 'Taste of Paris,' where she leads immersive food tours through various neighborhoods, focusing especially on hidden gems and local markets. Her vibrant personality and extensive knowledge of both cuisine and culture create unforgettable experiences for visitors. Margaux is also known for her social media presence, where she shares food photography and secret recipes, connecting with a wider audience of food lovers.
Napoleon Bonaparte
A French military leader and emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte rose to prominence during the French Revolution and reshaped European politics in the early 19th century. He is renowned for his strategic brilliance in battle and for establishing the Napoleonic Code, which influenced legal systems worldwide. Napoleon's campaigns and reforms left a lasting impact on France and the broader European continent.
Victor Hugo
A renowned French poet, novelist, and dramatist, Victor Hugo was a leading figure of the Romantic movement in the 19th century. He is celebrated for his influential works such as Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, which addressed social injustice and human rights. Hugo's literary achievements and political activism left a lasting impact on French culture and society.
Frédéric Chopin
A Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era, Frédéric Chopin is celebrated for his innovative solo piano works, including nocturnes, mazurkas, and polonaises. His expressive compositions transformed piano music, earning him lasting acclaim as one of the greatest figures in classical music history. Chopin's artistry continues to influence musicians and captivate audiences worldwide.
Séraphine Morel
Chief curator of rare manuscripts at bibliothèque nationale de france who has lived in Paris for 14 years. Known for being friendly and deeply connected to the local community.
Émile Zola
Émile Zola (1840–1902) was a Paris-based novelist and journalist, famed for naturalist works like L'Assommoir and Germinal and for his outspoken Dreyfus-era activism defending justice and truth.
Georges Eugène Haussmann
As Prefect of the Seine, Haussmann oversaw Paris's dramatic mid-19th-century renovation, replacing medieval quarters with wide avenues, improved sanitation, and public spaces; his authoritarian methods and focus on modernization sparked political battles but produced the city's enduring urban fabric.
Océane Lefèvre
Restaurant manager in Paris for over 7 years. Their friendly approach has earned them many friends locally.
Clémence Dubois
Primary school teacher who has lived in Paris for 7 years. Known for being friendly and deeply connected to the local community.
Sophie de Grouchy
Parisian salon hostess and translator (1764–1822) who hosted influential Enlightenment debates, supported Condorcet, translated Adam Smith, and championed progressive political ideas during the French Revolution.
Théodore Lemoine
Restaurant manager in Paris for over 9 years. Their friendly approach has earned them many friends locally.
Clémentine Lemoine
Restoration ecologist in Paris for over 9 years. Their friendly approach has earned them many friends locally.
Alizée Chauveau
Primary school teacher who has lived in Paris for 4 years. Known for being friendly and deeply connected to the local community.
Émilienne d’Alençon
Born into modest circumstances around 1869, Émilienne d’Alençon became a charismatic performer and sought‑after courtesan in Paris, navigating theatre stages and elite salons while embodying the tensions of sex, wealth, and social climbing in the Belle Époque; she died circa 1945.
Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (b. 1745–d. 1799) rose from his Guadeloupean birth to prominence in Paris as a virtuoso violinist, prolific composer and conductor of the Théâtre de Monsieur, famed also for his fencing prowess and complex navigation of race and politics during the Revolution.
Fernand Lafleur
Fernand Lafleur moved to Paris in his early twenties, drawn by the city's rich literary heritage and the allure of the Latin Quarter’s vintage bookshops. A defining moment came when he authenticated a long-lost first edition by Victor Hugo, cementing his reputation as the city’s most discerning antique book appraiser. Today, Fernand is known among Parisian collectors and scholars alike for his uncanny ability to uncover hidden stories within dusty pages tucked away in forgotten bouquinistes along the Seine.
Josiane Martel
Josiane Martel moved to Paris from the rolling pastures of Normandy in her early twenties, drawn by the city’s vibrant food markets and a desire to perfect her craft. A defining moment came when her hand-pressed, aged Camembert won a coveted prize at the Salon du Fromage, cementing her reputation. Today, Josiane is known throughout the Marais for her artisanal cheeses that blend traditional techniques with a subtle Parisian flair, delighting locals and gourmands alike.
Louise Michel
Visited, spoke, and had connections with Marseille during her exile and activism after the Paris Commune; her speeches and agitation resonated with working-class audiences around the region.
Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen
Travelled in Brittany and produced illustrations and prints inspired by Breton folk life; some works reference Morbihan customs collected near Carnac
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès was a pioneering French filmmaker and magician known for his innovative use of special effects in early cinema. He is famous for creating imaginative films such as 'A Trip to the Moon' (1902), which showcased his creativity and technical skill. Méliès significantly influenced the development of narrative film and visual storytelling.
Georges Danton
Born in 1759, Georges Danton was a Parisian lawyer who organized revolutionary politics and delivered powerful speeches; his rivalry with Robespierre led to his trial and execution by guillotine in 1794.
Colette
Colette (1873–1954) rose from Parisian literary salons to fame with novels celebrating Parisian life and female sensuality; she also performed onstage, provoked society with her marriages and daring acts, and became a fiercely independent voice in French letters.
Victorine Meurent
Victorine Meurent was a French painter and artist's model in Paris, best known for posing for Édouard Manet’s controversial salon paintings such as Olympia and Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe. A working-class woman who trained and exhibited her own paintings, she challenged passive stereotypes of models by asserting artistic ambition and navigating the male-dominated Parisian art world.
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923) was a celebrated French actress who rose to fame at the Comédie-Française and later led her own Parisian theatre; known for her dramatic performances, extravagant style, international tours, and early celebrity status in global media.
Louise Colet
Louise Colet (1810–1876) was a French poet and influential salonnière in Paris whose turbulent relationships and public disputes with leading writers, notably Gustave Flaubert, made her a notorious and studied figure of 19th-century literary society.
Chloé
Chloé is a supportive, upbeat Paris-based tutor in her late 20s who helps learners sound like locals. She explains how Parisians shorten phrases, use verlan (like meuf), drop liaisons, and say casual cues such as "tu vois?", while guiding when to use tu versus vous. Patient and encouraging, she celebrates small improvements and makes practicing fun and low-pressure.
La Boulangère
La Boulangère is an uncompromising artisan baker who elevates everyday bread into ritual. She argues fiercely for slow fermentation, locally milled flour, and proper butter lamination; her mornings begin before dawn, shaping baguettes and croissants with exacting technique and a temper as warm and sharp as a crust.
La Drache
A wistful narrator of France’s temperate rains, he frames the nation’s drizzle and fleeting downpours as scenes of quiet romance and weather-worn grace. His imagery dwells on the soft silver of persistent mist and the sharp, electric violence of sudden showers, treating everyday wetness as cinematic, atmospheric storytelling.
Le Métro
I’m the métro driver who knows every pigeon, boulanger and brawl along Line 4—ask me where the best late-night croissant is or who missed their stop today. I’ve been threading Parisian stories through tunnels for years, swapping tips with ticket inspectors and café owners, and I’ll tell you which station still smells of chestnuts in November. If you want neighborhood gossip served with a tight train dispatch, I’m your conductor.
Georges Cuvier
A soft-spoken Parisian naturalist tied to the Jardin des Plantes and Muséum, he leads hushed walks from riverbank to gallery, naming bones and birds with the awe of a man who listens for the deep history written in stone.
The Flaneur of Paris
Ludovic Lantier was a French writer and journalist known for his Paris-focused wandering essays and newspaper columns. He described Paris through its streets, cafés, passages, and riverbanks, giving readers intimate guidance on the city's daily rhythms and manners.
The real version knows where you are.