Paris Off the Beaten Path: 25 Unusual Things to Do

Paris Off the Beaten Path: 25 Unusual Things to Do

You’ve seen the Eiffel Tower in all her glory, perhaps even visited her at night for the famous hourly light show. You’ve walked the surface area of the Arc de Triomphe, said a prayer in the Sacre Coeur and bought a beret from a vendor on the side of the road.

What next?

Instead of another saturated tourist attraction, why not venture off the beaten track for a change? Paris is Pandora’s Box when it comes to unusual things to do, you simply have to know where to look…

1. Watch a Movie in a Real Japanese Pagoda in Paris

You’ll have to see it to believe it, but the 7th arrondissement of Paris holds a cinema experience you’ve probably only seen in films themselves.

Here sits a traditional Japanese pagoda, one with a single movie screening space embedded deep inside the oriental walls. Think dragons and elephants suspending ornate candelabras, and a beautiful Asian-inspired garden for tea & cake after your film.

La Pagode updates their screening schedule regularly and you can find it on their website. 

La Pagode – by Guerinf – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Daily

ADDRESS: 48 Rue de Courcelles, 75008 Paris, France

Metro STATION: Courcelles

2. Visit Edith Piaf’s Old Home in Paris

Miss Edith Piaf was a Parisian native; born and raised in the far east of the city in a district known as Belleville.

If you venture into Belleville today you’ll be able to visit the actual apartment in which Piaf lived most of her life.

The space is only open to the public three days out of the week, and appointments are necessary. The apartment contains all of the singer’s possessions as she left them; it’s an eerie yet beautiful experience.

Édith Piaf – by Eric Koch / Anefo – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Monday to Wednesday — 1pm to 6pm

ADDRESS: 5 Rue Crespin du Gast, 75011 Paris, France

Metro STATION: Ménilmontant

3. Eat Kosher in Paris’ Jewish District

The 4th arrondissement of Paris has been home to the city’s Jewish community since as far back as the 13th century. There are a cluster of streets that make up this area, known as Pletzl, which is Yiddish for “little place”.

It’s here in Pletzl where you’ll be able to eat the best kosher food in the French capital. Numerous restaurants nestled between synagogues, bakeries and old Jewish retail shops will keep you fed all day and night.

I took some time to list a few of the best spots, click here for more!

Pletzl, Paris – by Klaus Graf – Wikimedia Commons

4. Track Down the Five Women Buried in the Paris Pantheon

With close to two hundred men buried inside of Paris’ esteemed Pantheon, it’s somewhat alarming that only five women in French history have ever made the cut.

With great hope, Paris’ Pantheon will become more welcoming to heroic women over the coming ages. For now, if you do intend to visit the monument, take some time to track down all five of the already included women who are now permanent residents in the mausoleum.

They are: Germaine Tillion, Marie Curie, Sophie Berthelot, Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz and Simone Veil.

Paris Pantheon – by Jean-Pierre Lavoie – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday — 10am to 6:30pm

ADDRESS: Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris, France

Metro STATION: Cardinal Lemoine

5. Dance Salsa in République Square in Paris

Spontaneous public dance classes are nothing new to Paris. The French love an outdoor dance, and in the summer months you’ll find them taking place across the city, often close to the banks of the Seine.

Every Monday evening in the Bastille there is public salsa dancing in the République Square. It takes place close to the center statues around sunset time.

Joining in is absolutely free and usually spontaneous. It’s good fun, and no need to worry about showing up without a partner; there are always lingering folk who will be over the moon to dance with you.

6. Visit the Arthouse Cinemas of Paris

In the colder months, the French spend a lot of time frequenting their local cinema complexes.

Being the historic, romantic city that it is, Paris has an abundance of old theatre buildings that have almost all been transformed into arthouse screening spaces.

There is something undeniably whimsical about watching films in these spaces as opposed to attending a regular movie house in a mall. For a more detailed list of your cinema options, click here.

Studio 28 Paris – by LPLT – Wikimedia Commons

7. Wander Through the Vampire Museum of Paris

The Vampire Museum is something that was recommended to me many times when I first moved to Paris. Because it’s situated in the outlying suburbs, I took my sweet, sweet time before finally going to visit.

This museum will change the way to see the vampire world for good. It immerses you deep into this unusual community that few know exist, while maintaining a perfect balance between informative and completely bizarre.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS: 14 Rue Jules David, 93260 Les Lilas, France

Metro STATION: Gallieni

8. Drink Absinthe in Paris

Unfortunately, the original recipe for Absinthe was banned across most of Europe and the world many years ago.

While in Paris, it seems only necessary to sample the infamous drink, even if it is at a carefully moderated alcohol content.

Absinthe was invented by a doctor in France in the 1700s. It quickly became the backbone of the Parisian nightlife thanks to its hallucinogenic effect on the mind.

You’ll find unusual bars in Paris that remain dedicated to the memory of the drink. Most bars in Paris, however, will have the regulated version of the beverage on offer.

by Timon Studler – Unsplash

9. Peep into the Eiffel Tower’s Secret Apartment

Few people know this, but the creator of the Eiffel Tower actually built a tiny apartment for himself at the top of the building.

While the apartment is not open to the public for entry, visitors to the tower are permitted to peep into the space while touring the top of the tower. Be sure to ask the nearest employee or tour guide exactly where to find the secret nook.

10. Explore Paris’ Chinatown

Another thing few people know is that Paris’ Chinatown is the largest one in Europe.

Situated in the south of the city, Paris saw an influx of Chinese communities during the 70s when citizens began to flee from Vietnam and the war. The buildings in the south of Paris remained unoccupied and posed the perfect home base for the displaced individuals.

Today, Chinatown in Paris is a bustling neighborhood with incredible Asian food, street festivities and affordable shopping.

by Khachik Simonian – Unsplash

11. Head to the Market in Belleville

Belleville is a neighborhood that is naturally off the beaten track in everything it embodies.

The Belleville Market is a daily attraction that brings together diverse communities from all over Paris. Here you’ll find Orthodox Jewish families amongst Middle Eastern, Chinese and North African immigrant groups.

Everyone comes for the rich spices, fresh fish options and delicious global street foods. It’s a very different energy to what you’re used to in Paris!

12. Eat at a Traditional Bouillon in Paris

In the early centuries in Paris, the working class folk needed somewhere to eat everyday that was affordable and nutritious. Bouillon’s emerged throughout the city.

Today, eating in a bouillon is somewhat of a cultural experience. There are a few of them that have been brought back from the dead, and are able to hold around 300 diners at any give time.

Bouillon food menu’s have traditional French cuisine of top quality, but everything is priced well below average costs. My favorite one is in Pigalle and is the newest of the bunch!

Bouillon in Paris – by Celette – Wikimedia Commons

13. Linger Outside of Paris Fashion Week

A few times a year you’ll have the opportunity to behold the phenomenon that is Paris Fashion Week.

Depending on the season, there will be week long periods in which Europe’s most stylish individuals flock to the city for the local shows. If you’re in town for one of these events, simply find out where said shows are taking place and head to the venues.

You’ll be able to linger outside of the events and observe the show-goers arriving up to an hour prior. Street style is a big part of PFW, so seeing the photographers and paparazzi running around is quite something. You might even spot someone famous…

Paris Fashion Week – by Dustin Gaffke – Wikimedia Commons

14. Ride Through Town on the Bustronome of Paris

The Bustronome is something I feel not enough people take advantage of while in Paris. To be fair, most don’t even know of its existence until it drives right past them on the city streets.

The Bustronome is a double decker bus with a transparent top floor made entirely of glass. The bus takes travelers on tours through the city both by day and by night, giving them exquisite views from the rooftop even in the depths of winter.

I took a close look at this activity, click here to read about my experience.

The Bustronome Paris – by Bustronome – Sourced from their website

15. Visit an Unusual Bar in Paris

Just as Paris is no stranger to unusual activities, nor is it a stranger to unusual bars.

There are some really creative concept bars within the city center that offer something for everyone. Whether you like jazz music, circus acts, touching the Moulin Rouge windmill or even a secret bar in an abandoned hotel room, Paris has it all.

Click here for more unusually cool and secret bars in the city.

16. Join a Free Walk with a Paris Greeter

Photo by Shvets Anna from Pexels

Paris provides a whirlwind vacation with top attractions, stunning architecture, historical landmarks, and much more, but it can be difficult to know where to begin. If so, consider taking a free walking tour with Paris Greeters!

The Paris Greeters are volunteer ambassadors who want to showcase their city to visitors from around the world. They provide free walks throughout Paris and its surrounding districts.

Meetings between locals and visitors focus on sharing experiences and discovering each other’s cultures. Taking a walk with a greeter allows you to experience Paris from a local’s perspective and explore hidden gems with warmth and enthusiasm.‏ 

17. Explore the Catacombs

Cesar I. Martins from Jundiai, Brazil, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

So you’ve seen Paris’s most famous monuments and attractions, as well as the usual tourist sights and trails! Would you like to discover what it’s like below ground, what its secrets are, and even see ghosts from the past? Experience a one-of-a-kind tour of the Catacombes, located 20 meters beneath the city.

A visit to the Catacombs is not for the faint-hearted. The words “Arrête, c’est ici l’empire de la mort” ( “Stop, this is the empire of the dead” ) are carved into stone above the entrance to the underground ossuary. Walking through the ossuary’s network of tunnels, you’ll see wall after wall of human bones, some of which have been fashioned into elaborate crucifixes and curious sculptures.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday — 9:45 am to 8:30 pm

ADDRESS: 1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France

website: CATACOMBS OF PARIS

18. Take a stroll in La Petite Ceinture

Jef Poskanzer, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The abandoned railway, La Petite Ceinture, is one of Paris’ best-kept secrets. If you enjoy discovering hidden treasures and the allure of abandonment, these abandoned train stations and railroads in Paris are for you. 

The Petite Ceinture is a 36-kilometer-long railroad that runs around Paris. They used to transport freight and passengers, but the service was discontinued decades ago. Since then, the tracks have been abandoned and closed to the public until recently.

If you were hoping to leave soon for a wild hike following the tracks all around Paris, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Unfortunately, the railroads are only partially open to the public. Because some rails in the west are now used by Parisian suburban trains RER, many tunnels have been sealed for safety. So visiting the abandoned railways of the petite Ceinture is a more on-and-off adventure than a long Paris loop, but it is still enjoyable.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS:  75015 Paris, France

Metro STATION: Glacière

Map: HTTPS://MAPS.APP.GOO.GL/SPPRSLQ7WNUSWC9PA

19.  Dine or Cook with a Local

Photo by Shvets Anna from Pexels

Dining or cooking with locals allows you to immerse yourself in Parisian cuisine, providing a one-of-a-kind experience that takes you to the heart of French cuisine. Whether you prefer to eat traditional dishes in a local bistro, a cozy apartment, or a charming bakery, Paris’ culinary adventures are truly exceptional.

Dining with locals offers an authentic and immersive way to discover Paris’ diverse flavors, ranging from cooking classes where you can learn to make French favorites like macarons and croissants to food tours that explore the city’s hidden gems. This is a fun and unusual experience, ideal for those tired of a noisy, crowded city.

20. Enjoy a silent dance party at Silomancie

Have you ever been to a silent party? If not, come see one in Paris. Silomancie hosts a one-of-a-kind dance party in which guests wear wireless headphones and dance to music that only they can hear. These silent discos are held in unexpected public spaces throughout Paris, transforming parks, streets, and plazas into impromptu dance floors.

With three music channels to choose from, you can switch between DJs and genres using your headset. The unusual sight of people wildly dancing in silence is an unforgettable experience. Silomancie events frequently have fun themes and take place rain or shine, allowing you to party in some of Paris’ most iconic locations without disturbing the neighbors.

21. Wander along the Promenade Plantée

jean-louis Zimmermann from Moulins, FRANCE, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Paris has some of Europe’s most beautiful parks, but for something different, check out the Promenade Plantée. It’s a magical, green stroll 10 meters above the street that starts at the Bastille and winds through the 12th arrondissement for three miles, ending before the Bois de Vincennes.

When this long-abandoned mid-nineteenth-century viaduct was converted into the world’s first elevated park walkway in 1993, most locals thought it was a bad investment. Parisians needed time to embrace a project like this, but the Promenade is now a beloved landmark.

This is an excellent place to relax or exercise in a unique natural setting. From this height, you have a unique perspective on the Gare de Lyon and the Romanesque-Byzantine Church of Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts. The path ends at Bois de Vincennes, a massive, hilly park ideal for biking.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday — 8 am to 7 pm/Saturday to Sunday -9 am-7 pm

ADDRESS: 1 Coulée Verte René-Dumont, 75012 Paris, France

website: PROMENADE PLANTÉE

22. Go on a street art walk through the 13th arrondissement

Photo by Dominique ROELLINGER from Pexels

Want to discover street art in Paris? Walking through the 13th Arrondissement will introduce you to some of the best pieces of street art! Wander the district’s back alleys and you’ll find an ever-changing outdoor gallery of graffiti and murals. From massive, photorealistic portraits to abstract designs and bold lettering, the artworks demonstrate a wide range of styles and techniques.

Some of the best spots are on Rue Ricord, Rue Faidherbe, and along the railway tracks near Place Mazas. Many of the artists remain anonymous, but their striking and often politically charged works inject a gritty, urban energy into the neighborhood. Guided tours offer insights into this vibrant and contentious subculture.

23. Immerse yourself in Paris’ vibrant cabaret scene at Crazy Horse or the Moulin Rouge

Photo by Lorena Villarreal from Pexels

If you want to see a spectacular show in the heart of Paris, choose one of the city’s best cabarets. The Moulin Rouge has an extraordinary ambiance. Its Belle Époque décor transports visitors to a world that has not changed.

Nestled at the foot of Montmartre, this cabaret provides an unforgettable experience! Experience the incredible magic of the Féerie show, complete with sparkling decor and sequin- and rhinestone-adorned costumes. The Moulin Rouge dancers will lead you through various scenes before performing the world-famous French Cancan.

The Crazy Horse’s show is not the same as the Moulin Rouge’s. There are no extravagant spectacles here, just revues performed entirely by women. This Parisian cabaret features elegant burlesque and polished dance performances. Enjoy a unique nighttime show in a cozy, hushed setting. The Crazy Horse also invites well-known artists to perform onstage.

24. Discover eclectic objects at Tombées du Camion

This is a small shop hidden in an unassuming passage near the Grands Boulevards metro station. Tombées du Camion (meaning goods that have fallen off the back of a truck) was founded in 2006 by sculptor and interior designer Charles Mas, who rescues eclectic stock from the dusty corners of disused factories across France, primarily fabrication française (French fabrication), with small and unusual items in large quantities.

Here you’ll find pristine packets of toilet paper from the 1930s, old wooden typographic stamps, thousands of glass doll’s eyes, fake tattoos from the 1960s, poison jars, wartime postcards, heavy old coffin handles, and Tour de France-shaped sunglasses. Each artifact is housed in its wooden box or crate and has a unique story.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Friday — 9 am to 5 pm/Saturday to Sunday -10 am-6 pm/Monday -10 am-5 pm/TUESDAY to Thursday -closed

ADDRESS: 99 Rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France

website: TOMBÉES DU CAMION

25. Check out the eccentric Musée des Arts et Métiers

Marianne Casamance, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Musée des Arts et Métiers is an eccentric museum devoted to scientific instruments and inventions. Located on the site of the deserted priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs on Rue Réaumur, its vast halls are filled with an eclectic collection of over 3000 inventions, scientific discoveries, and technological innovations on display including Pascal’s calculator and Foucault’s pendulum.

The most impressive display in the Musée des Arts et Métiers is in the part that was formerly a chapel which now houses a collection of vintage cars and flying machines, all of which are suspended from the roof. There is also a scaled-down version of the Statue of Liberty, which is imaginatively displayed. The museum’s creaking wood floors and dimly lit displays give it an antiquated, academic feel as if you’ve stepped into a mad inventor’s 19th-century workshop.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday — 10 am to 6 pm/Friday -10 am-9 pm/ Monday – closed

ADDRESS: 292 Rue Saint-Martin, 75141 Paris, France

website: MUSÉE DES ARTS ET MÉTIERS