Hi,
I am going to Paris early in September for 4 days. I have been to Paris many times and seen and done all of the tourist sites. I now want to see some less known but intersting parts of Paris. Any ideas of some nice places to see and things to do? Would appreciate some help. Thanks
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We went to the antique market in St Ouen. You could probably spend a day there if you%26#39;re a bigtime shopper. We spend most of the morning, and never made it out of Vernaison, which is only one of maybe 10 markets in the area. Vernaison should probably be your first stop, if you like antiques. It was an easy metro ride. Just walk past all of the handbag knockoffs, t-shirts, belts, etc. to get to the good stuff. Good resources on this site:
http://www.parispuces.com/en/Default.asp
Also, I got some good advice from other Trip Advisor posters.
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Try this: ourparisforum.com/index.cgi…
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If youread French Rodolphe Treuillaux has a fantastic book %26quot;Paris Secret et Insolite%26quot;. I think there is an English version of this book. It is full and I mean full of things to see, all categorized by Arrondissements and each %26quot;attraction%26quot; is described in a half-page the other halfhas a picture. Very convenient book.
Each trip I try to see some stuff in one or 2 arrondissements, of course I don%26#39;t see them all. The poinjt is go towards your main interests.
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There are lots of threads on %26#39;Secret%26#39; Paris, %26#39;Hidden%26#39; Paris, and %26#39;Quirky%26#39; things to do in Paris.
See the search bar at the top of the forum?
Type in any of these suggestions, and you will find a wealth of information and experience on these subjects at your fingertips!
Bon Chance
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Have you investigated subterranean Paris? I highly recommend visiting Les Catacombes which some may find slightly macabre because you walk past the bones of dead Parisians. However, the bones are arranged as art. Visiting days are limited so check on the internet for opening times.
I have also visited the Paris sewers, Les Egouts, which was fascinating. It was a little smelly but not nauseating.
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Here are some ideas:
Musee des Arts Decoratif on Rue de Rivoli. Go for the temporary exhibit (check out in advance what will be there). They like to display haute coulture. I saw a Balanciaga show and a Gaultier/chopinot (ballet costumes) show. Both were fantastic.
Check fnac.com for other special exhibits. I saw a Rock-n-Roll Expo at the Fondation Cartier Pour L%26#39;Art Contemporain in 9/07 and a fabulous furniture expo called Design Contre Design at the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais. Fantastic.
Vaux-le-Vicomte is lovely, especially if you are able to go at night when they light thousands of candles of the grounds. (Bring your own food. Theirs is terrible.)
Have you seen the Palais-Royal garden--great place to relax with the local Parisiens.
Have you been to the various parks? I love Parc Montsouris, Parc Monceau, Park des buttes-Chaumont, Bois de Bologne (see if there are any open air plays there--I saw Moliere in 9/06).
Musee de la Musique in Parc de la Villette has the most beautiful instruments including amazing clavecins and clavicordes.
La Promenade Plantee and Le Viaduc des Arts underneath.
Have lunch at Le Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon train station
Wander through all of the covered passageways including Galerie Vivienne (perhaps lunch at Apriori The (accent on the %26quot;e%26quot;)
Take a walk or two with pariswalks.com. They are cheap 10E and wonderful.
Musee Albert Kahn (including the lovely gardens of varying contrasting themes)
Musee Pasteur including his apartment, science memory room, and his crypt. Very interesting
Musee Curie. Wonderful.
Take a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu (a one day class-they are usually on Saturday or they do City tours of Poilane Bakery, etc.)
Have dinner at Dans Le Noir (a restaurant run by the blind where you eat in total darkness)--you need a reservation.
See a ballet or opera at Opera Garnier (surely you have already seen the inside)!!!!!!
Manufacture des Gobelins. they make tapestries (tour is in French) need advanced reservations.
Check out the various cemeteries. I enjoyed Cimetiere du Montparnasse as well as Pere Lachaise, of course.
Go on a Hotel de Ville Tour. You need advance reservations. It is in French but the inside of the building is otherwise off limits and it is so gorgeous.
Of course Musee Jacquemart-Andre and lunch in their beautiful restaurant.
Musee de la Poupee (doll museum) in a little deadend street next to the Pompidou Musee. Also be sure to see the Stravinsky fountains next to the Pompidou and the Anne Frank park next door to the Musee de la Poupee (it has the flora similar to what she looked at outside of her attic window).
Louis Lepine Place--on sundays they have birds/rabbits/hamsters along with flowers. Great people watching.
Look for great photo exhibits. I saw several.
Cafe des Deux Moulins, 15 rue Lepic where Amelie was a waitress. It is supposed to be too dirty to eat there--just peak in.
Champagne at the Hemingway Bar at the Hotel Ritz--your glass has a red rose attached to it.
Buy yourself some new makeup at Chanel--it isn%26#39;t that expensive and is great quality. Then you get it gift wrapped beautifully and they put it in a chanel bag.
take a segway tour--especially at night to see the city lights. It is so much fun--and I%26#39;m not coordinated.
Walk along the Canal St. Martin to see the locks open and close
Visit the Musee Pierre Cardin. It is big and wonderful.
Visit a cabaret at night: either Au Lapin Agile behind Sacre Coeur or Le Canotier du Pied de la butte in the 18e (oldest cabaret in Paris). They are both sing-alongs with professional singers and you must have reservations.
Definitely take a tour of the apartment above Maxim%26#39;s restaurant. It is owned by Pierre Cardin and it is stunning! (You get to see the inside of Maxims this way too.)
Musee de la Contrafacon. A beautiful building which has many counterfeit items next to the originals and you can guess which is which. Tons of school children do fieldtrips here. It is very interesting.
Go see the Artisan Well at Passy Square Lamartine. The water is supposed to have special powers.
BEST: Musee des Arts Forains, Bercy Village. It is antique fairground arts you look at, ride and play. You must have a reservation. It only costs about 15E. contact diane@pavillons-de-bercy.com.
Organ concert at Eglise St. Gervais-St Protais 4pm free.
See a movie at La Pagode movie theater. There are two theatres. I was in the room on the left. It is gorgeous. This is a real Pagoda from Japan!
Musee Edith Piaf. It is open by appointment. Call 01-43-55-52-72. Donation, no entrance fee. It is run by a friend of Edith Piaf. It is emotional.
Le Chateau de Monte-Crist (3 Muskateers/Alexander Dumas)
go see an auction at Drouot, 9 rue Drouot. Very interestint.
Memorial de la Deportation--Square de l%26#39;Ile de France by Notre Dame
Salon Chopin, 6 quai d%26#39;Orleans
Tour Jean Sans Peur, 20 rue Etienne Marcel
La Parfumerie Fragonard (Musee)
Musee Nissim de Camondo Musee (beautiful)
Musee Baccarat
Musee Galliera: Musee de la Mode et du Costume (it is never open when I am there and may not be open when you are there either. It is only open for temporary exhibits about 3 times per year. Check it out.
Rue de Paradis--50 shops with elegant tableware
Palais de Tokyo--modern art; open until midnight nightly.
Maison de Balzac, 47 rue Raynouard
Le mur Vegetal on the front wall of the Quai Branly
Marmottan (best museum in Paris).
Musee de l%26#39;Evantail (fan museum) wonderful and beautiful.
Espace Salvador Dali, 11 rue Poulbot
Le Boudoir et sa Philosophie, 18 rue Charlot (cute shop)
Polaine bakery, 8 rue de cherche-Midi and the Tartine cafe nextdoor.
Nicolas Flamel--oldest (or second oldest) living quarters in Paris. Great restaurant too with wonderful creme brulee.
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Have a look at 101 things to do in Paris: http://www.rentals.chsparis.com/101.htm
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Wow, In Love with Paris! Brilliant list! Thanks - there are a few things in there that I%26#39;ll keep in mind for my next trip!
:)
halwimsey
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Thanks\ you all for your ideas. A few of them I have done or seen but there are some new ones that I will probably try out
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In Love with Paris - What an amazing list. I cannot wait to get back to Paris. Many thanks
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