Top 5 fun facts walking around Paris

Walking around Paris, visiting the most known monuments and climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower… These are the typical things to do in Paris. But you could also walk around Paris learning about the city and discovering funny stories about Paris. This is why I made a Top 5 fun facts walking around Paris list for you, so that you can visit Paris AND have fun!

1.] A statue of liberty in Paris … Really?

No one would expect to see the Statue of Liberty replica in Paris! In first place of our Top 5 fun facts walking around Paris, this statue will catch your eyes! It’s located on the artificial Isle of Swans (between the 15th and the 16th arrondissements) created in 1827, 850 meters long and 11 meters wide. At the end of the narrow island there is a perfect Statue of Liberty replica: 22 meters high and facing west in the direction of New York City.

This monument was inaugurated on 4 July 1889 (for the centennial of the French Revolution) and was given to the city of Paris by the American community of Paris. The statue initially faced east, towards the Eiffel Tower, but it was turned west in 1937 for the universal exhibition hosted by Paris that year. An even smaller statue is located in the Musée d’Orsay and a third copy can be seen in the Museum des Arts et Métiers.

2.] The “hot” quarter of Pigalle

In second place of our Top 5 fun facts walking around Paris, we have the Pigalle Quarter, located at the foot of Montmartre. It’s an original Quarter because in the 1880’s it was renowned for being the quarter of prostitutes. It began with the inauguration of the cabaret “Le Chat noir”. Since this date, a lot of stripteases and brothels took place in this area. Today the quarter is calmer than in the 19th century, but you can always notice plenty of sex shops and “massage” places. It’s also famous for the cabaret “Le Moulin Rouge” that you can visit!

3.] Paris Sewers – The dark Paris

Would anyone expect to walk into the Paris sewers? Well, you can! All year round, you can visit the underside of Paris from Ancient times to the era of Belgrand (the designer of the Paris sewers system in the 19th century). The beginning of the visit is located in the 7th arrondissement at the Alma Bridge. If you want to get into the darkness and discover the Paris of “The Miserable” of Victor Hugo, this tour is made for you!

4.] A Parisian wine? No Problem, there is the Vineyard of Montmartre

Want to taste a typical Parisian wine? Well, you’ll be surprised to see a vineyard in Montmartre! Behind the Sacré Coeur church you will find a special vineyard. Of course it’s not big but it has its reputation in Paris. You can buy the wine produced in Montmartre; it’s called “Le Clos Montmartre”. It deserves fourth place in our Top 5 fun facts walking around Paris, doesn’t it?

5.] The cemetery of celebrities: Le pere Lachaise cimetery

Finally, in fifth place of our Top 5 fun facts walking around Paris, we have the cemetery Le Père Lachaise. It’s a cemetery where all the French celebrities are buried. The singer Edith Piaf, the painter Eugène Delacroix or the writer Honoré de Balzac are all buried in that cemetery. But there are also foreign celebrities such as Jim Morrison! Go to this cemetery, it’s a nice and fun walk where you can try to identify people you know!