The Best Treasure Hunts of Paris

You would be forgiven for not thinking immediately of Paris when Treasure hunts are mentioned.

Perhaps pirates’ gold and a tropical location spring to mind?

Maybe your childhood garden with shiny Easter eggs nestled between plants?

If I told you that today we’ll look at no less than seven fun, friendly and functional treasure hunts all based within the city limits – you might well see things differently.

When did this all start?

With the recession there was a big swing towards spending money on “experiences”, rather than stuff.

This is echoed in the minimalism trend. We can see how it has gripped the popular imagination when watching Youtube videos titled ‘Haul– my 30 piece wardrobe’.

Photo credit, Pexels from Pixabay.

It also explains the success of Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix, simply titled ‘Tidying up with Marie Kondo’. Her catchphrase, is only to keep items that when you hold them ‘spark joy’.

A lot of these Treasure hunts started in the last few years.

Tourists and locals alike can’t get enough of them.

In a city not known for its outdoorsy population until recently going a little sporty, (more on that another time). The unquestioned leisure activity was; Apéro!

Parisians of all ages seem never to tire of the simple pleasure of meeting their friends, lovers, colleagues and acquaintances ‘en terrasse’ to enjoy a small glass of wine, petite plate of bar snacks and some early evening light.

Photo credit, Rishabh Varshney from Unsplash.

But there are times when you want to digress a little from this much loved social plan.

Special occasions call for change and novelty. 30ths, a friends and family reunion or a EVJF (standing for enterrement de vie de jeune fille, meaning Hen Party, but translate it literally and it shan’t leave you feeling all that positive about your social life prospects post marriage!)

The huge advantage of this type of activity is that it gets everyone working together and interacting. No awkward silences, healthy competition and a go-getting attitude. Hey, you can always go for that chilled drink on bistrot chairs afterwards and it will taste even sweeter for being well deserved!

Corporate culture has unsurprisingly jumped on board for all the aforementioned reasons: It’s an easy fix team bonding for instantly improved office dynamics.

However, all the treasure hunts that we’ll be focusing on are open to individuals, for groups of 8 or more, sometimes 6.

The Louvre

This must be one of the top spots in Paris for a treasure hunt!

Photo credit, Chris Karidis from Unsplash.

Here are a few reasons why a hunt here is a canny idea:

• I think we can all agree this is a massive museum. Sometimes that choice of what to go and see is pretty overwhelming, it’s nice to be nudged in the right direction.

• Without a great guide, it’s pretty easy to waste an entire morning of fresh energy on ceramics and you’re just getting to some of the old masters when you realise you’re exhausted, and hungry.

• Armchair academics, Art History buffs and culture vultures alike have no problem taking on a day in a museum. For families, fêtards, foodies and those of us with similar attention spans to our children, it’s a big ask.

• In the same vein, Henri Loyrette, the former director of the Louvre, said that 80% visitors go, see the Mona Lisa then take off.

• A treasure hunt makes matters instantly pleasurably, giving you a goal and purpose for the day. By the end of it you’ll know that you benefitted from both fun and expert guidance.

Diverto – at the Louvre

The First hunt requires two teams for its educational and recreational offer.

After an initial briefing the teams set off to discover the lovely Louvre independently, guided by their detailed roadmap.

Participants will run into questions testing their powers of observation to incite their curiosity, even the youngest group members will adore these creative challenges.

The team’s photos need to be original, the drawings a little absurd, and the team spirit fierce.

Here are just some of the unmissable ‘Oeuvres’ that players will discover –

The raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault

The Raft of the Medusa. Photo credit, WikiCommons.

The Wedding Feast at Cana by Paolo Veronese

The Wedding Feast at Cana. Photo credit, WikiCommons.

  Venus de Milo (sculpture) by Alexandros d’Antioche

Venus de Milo. Photo credit, Micheal Espinola Jr from WikiCommons.

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The MONA LISA (of course)

Photo credit, WikiImages from Pixabay.

Visitors can enjoy this treasure hunt all year round, thanks to the indoor location.

For pricing information, fill in this form :

https://www.diverteo.com/activite/chasse-au-tresor-au-louvre/#contact-form

THATMuse

And of course, we can’t talk about treasure hunts at the Louvre without running into THATMuse.

Daisy de Plume is the elegant alter ego of Charlotte Louise, the woman behind THATConcept treasure hunts, which are now available in Paris as well as London.

Having grown up in New York in a family fond of culture, after employment in New York and Paris, Daisy got bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and set up THATLou to make sense of the  65,000 m² palace of the Louvre, rendering it accessible and less overwhelming.

A well established recipe, Daisy expanded THATMuse to include themes, which is fun, allowing you to style your treasure hunt to your group’s specific interests.

Her themes include :

– Beauty & the Bestiary

If you didn’t know what Bestiary meant, you’re not alone! Bestiary is the term given to imaginary creatures such as unicorns, griffins and dragons.

Photo credit, Coco Parisienne from Pixabay.

In order to nudge hunters in the right direction at the epic location, the term is used loosely to include Egyptian sphinxes, Roman satyrs and Greek Centaurs.

This theme is the most popular and most regularly booked. It covers the Louvres famous residents, but also takes guests off the beaten path into the Islamic Collection and the Near Eastern, allowing for welcome breathing space away from the main thoroughfare.

Open to and suitable for younger and older explorers alike.

-Love Hunt

This trail is for the eternal romantics amongst you! The physically fit younger couples and newlyweds on an anniversary trip to Paris, as this hunt covers a good amount of ground.

Venus de Milo has her moment in this theme, and the wedding feasts get good airtime too. Everything Eros that reeks of romance, at the Louvre in a city world famous for lovers.

THATConcept say it’s a popular trail to customise for Hen or Stag parties. They often customise it to suit their needs.

-Ladies at the Louvre

Is another good go-to for girlfriends. This hunt leads us past the most memorable Louvre ladies, but also into lesser known corners.

Patient hunters with things to chat about whilst walking will do well on this trail, as there are some stretches without treasure – the fault of the patriarchy, not the excellently organised hunt.

Round this one off with a drink at le café Marly.

Le Café Marly. Photo credit, official site of le Café Marly.

Word of caution – wear flat shoes!

Pricing goes a bit like this

Classic hunt: 29€/person

Luxe hunt: 350€/ 3 hours for six people or fewer, including extras

Group hunt,  go here for a quote :  https://thatmuse.com/contact/

Need to know – prices don’t include museum entry, so you will need to sort out tickets ahead of time yourself.

Diverto – Treasure Hunt on the Ile de la Cité

What could be more fitting than a treasure hunt on an Island?

Île-de-la-Cité. Photo credit, WikiCommons.

You’re dreams can be reality, as you discover Paris in a playful and original way. This small island stradling the Seine between Rive Gauche and Rive Droite, truly is in the heartlands of Paris.

Participants in their teams sniff out the trail for clues that help them understand life and history on this incredible island.

A booklet stuffed with clues will lead you to the hiding place. This quest shan’t be easy, you’ll be passing by a stone dragon chased from the city in yesteryear by a bishop.

One clue follows another to lead you to X marks the spot. Once the mystery uncovered, the lucky winners will discover real treasure.

Qui Veut Pister Paris

Photo credit, Blue Budgie from Pixabay.

This is the treasure trail / murder mystery game if you’d like to mingle and see some new faces. Games aren’t privatised for you and your group, unless you specify, ask and pay for just that.

Topics on offer include ‘Le Suicide du Pont Neuf’ (the suicide victim seems to have a link to a theft committed at the same time at Notre Dame) – up to you to figure it out; ‘Le Paris et tout vert’ encourages you to uncover bodies hidden in the city’s green spaces; ‘Un Mystère à Montmartre’ evokes a haunting voice calling for help, up to our teams to search Montmartre and solve the mystery.

These games last a little over two hours and cost €14 per participant, €12 for the under 25s.

Sorry, with all the ghostly goings on and murder mystery, these games are not for the whole family: Open to adults only.

Reservations : https://www.quiveutpisterparis.com/31-reservation-html/

Diverto – Buttes Chaumont

Sometimes it’s nice, just for a moment or two, to escape the Parisian hustle and bustle and seek out nature in the capital.

That is exactly what’s on offer in this enjoyable outdoor activity: More so than trailing on the streets, here you’ll feel the thrill of the chase, the wind on your face and all whilst taking in the stunning surroundings.

If you’ve never been to the Park Buttes Chaumont, you’re in for a real treat. This little gem of greenery is one of the least typical Parisian parks you’ll find.

It’s a little of the tourist track, embedded in the 19th arrondissement. Yet well worth the trip. As you can see, once arrived the scenery is pretty breathtaking.

The Temple Sybille at Buttes Chaumont park. Photo credit Sophia Novita from Pixabay.

Aside from the fun feeling of have stumbled far out of central Paris, there’s also something just a little bit ‘Lord of the Rings’ about this park. In my view it lends itself perfectly to a treasure hunt activity.

So, escaping the city buzz and grey skies, what does this activity have in store?

A roadmap will deliver your itinerary, you’ll pick this up from a cheerful helper right at the start of your adventure. An original exploration of the park takes you down twisted trails, all whilst asking questions to encourage observation and wonder for this natural habitat, and make them aware of environmental challenges.

On answering these questions correctly, the team crack a code made up of letters – the right combination of which leads to a key that will unlock their treasure!

Tresor & Co – Montmartre

This Montmartre based treasure hunt gets you off the beaten path in one of the most well-trodden parts of town. You’ll leave wiser having explored plenty of nooks and crannies in the neighbourhood.

In Montmartre, the key thing to remember, is that you are actually in a village in the heart of Paris.

Photo credit, Edmond la Foto from Pixabay.

If your schedule allows it, I would sincerely recommend avoiding the weekends, and enjoying Montmartre to yourself, and of course les montmartrois – many of whom are bohemian characters themselves, straight out of a novel.

This hunt mixes history, anecdotal whimsy with street art. There’s a little coaching on architecture styles such as Art Nouveau and Art Déco which will serve you well for the rest of your Parisian séjour.

The trip takes roughly two or two and a half hours. If you’d like it to fly by a little faster you can start at Abbesses metro rather than Pigalle, skipping the first few clues.

Children as young as 8 years old will enjoy themselves and get a lot out of this trip. Younger children in the family may get some of the clues, but the pathway through Montmartre isn’t pushchair friendly, with cobblestones and flights of stairs aplenty.

More details : https://tresorand.co/en/product/treasure-hunt-montmartre/

Is sleuthing it out in Paris a trend that’s here to stay?

Somehow I feel fairly convinced that this is a trend that will stick. The city can be a fickle mistress on some counts; think only of the rapid turnover of its range of restaurants!

But whilst Parisians and visitors are thirsty for nouveauté, Treasure Hunts can offer just that several times over: Done a high culture one in a museum? Take to the backstreets next, hunting for Banksy and other Street Art.

Ghost Hunts, Murder Mysteries, Trails based through famous neighbourhoods or focusing on a particular figure.

The hardest part really, is choosing which one to do first.