Last Updated: 02/02/20 | February 2nd, 2020
Paris is filled with well-known attractions: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Versailles, the catacombs, the Pantheon, the Arc de Triomphe, Sacre-Coeur. The list goes on. There are so numerous remarkable sites here that you could spend days (heck, even weeks) just seeing the main, many well-known ones.
But there’s much more to Paris than the sites that attract thousands upon thousands of visitors each day.
While I was living Paris the past few months, I made it my mission to see some of the much more unusual, lesser-known (but equally awesome) attractions (that didn’t come with the aggravating crowds that make so numerous of Paris’ attractions unbearable).
And, while some of the things on the list below might not be “super secret” attractions or activities, they do fall into the category of “overlooked attractions” so I included them.
Here are some of the best off-the-beaten-path things to see and do in Paris:
1. Le Manoir de Paris
This is where macabre museum meets haunted house. various rooms highlight some of the much more unsettling aspects of Paris’s long and typically dark past, such as the Phantom of the Opera, vampires, or the crocodiles in the sewers. using real actors as well as animatronics, the city’s gruesome and unsettling history is brought to life in an interesting way. In addition to their museum, they also have escape rooms as well as different levels of intensity depending on how frightened you get!
18 Rue de Paradis, +33 6 70 89 35 87, lemanoirdeparis.com. open Fridays 6pm-9:30pm and weekends 3pm-6:30pm. Admission is 29 EUR for adults and 20 EUR for children 10-15.
2. Musée Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf is possibly the most well-known French singer from the 1930s to the 1960s, and know around the world for her songs La vie en rose and Non, je ne regrette rien (which appeared in the film Inception). She lived in a little house in the Ménilmontant district at the start of her career, which has been turned into a tiny museum dedicated to her. You get a peek at her life through her gold and platinum records, photographs, clothing, letters from fans, posters, recordings, and sheet music.
5 Rue Crespin du Gast, +33 1 43 55 52 72. open Monday-Wednesday 1pm-6pm and Thursdays 10am-12pm. Admission is free, but you’ll need to make an appointment. You’ll also want to either speak good French or choose someone who does.
3. Musée Curie
Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel prize (and the only woman to win it twice) for her research into radioactivity (a word that she invented). She was the first female professor at the university of Paris as well as the first woman to be entombed in the Panthéon on her own merits. located in the 5th arrondissement, this museum, in her old laboratory, highlights her radiological research. It’s insightful and eye-opening for anybody unfamiliar with her historic discoveries.
1 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, +33 1 56 24 55 33, musee.curie.fr. open Wednesday-Saturday 1pm-5pm. Admission is free.
4. Archives Nationales
Opened in 1867, the national Archives houses thousands of historical files dating back to 625 CE. one of six national archives in the country, the museum sheds light on France’s turbulent past, offering nuanced historical details and context through permanent and short-term exhibitions.
Built by the purchase of Napoleon I, the building itself (known as the Hôtel de Soubise) is absolutely stunning. It is in the late Baroque style, embracing long columns and lots of statues and sculptures. It features immaculate grounds and gardens as well. They always hold a lot of good exhibitions too.
59 Rue Guynemer, +33 1 75 47 20 02, archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/en. open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm. Admission is 8 EUR per person.
5. The Vampire Museum
Paris has a long history with the esoteric, one that is brought to life in this fascinating (if not macabre) museum founded by an eccentric scholar to showcase his knowledge of the undead and esoteric. here you’ll find vampire-killing kits, rare texts on demonology, and mysterious ancient relics. It’s a busy, eclectic, creepy museum that’s a feast for the eyes and one worthy of a check out if you’re whatsoever interested in much more obscure (and fanciful) tales. It’s a fun, kitschy museum.
14 Rue Jules David, +33 1 43 62 80 76, artclips.free.fr/musee_des_vampires/MuseeVampires1.html. You’ll need to make an appointment in advancement by phone. (Don’t worry if the voicemail greeting is in French — the curator speakers ideal English).
6. The Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy
Opened in 1898, this museum is home to over 1,000 animal skeletons from around the world, including complete skeletons of elephants, large cats, and even dinosaurs. It’s as interesting as it is unsettling: all the animals are facing the same way, making it look like you’re in the midst of some undead stampede!
2Rue Buffon, +33 1 40 79 56 01, www.mnhn.fr/en/visit/lieux/galerie-paleontologie-anatomie-comparee-paleontology-and-comparative-anatomy-gallery. open daily 10am-6pm (closed Tuesdays). Admission is free.
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7. petite Ceinture
In use from 1862 through 1964, the railway circling Paris was abandoned when the city expanded beyond its limits. It’s mostly hidden behind buildings and covered in wild plants and turf now, though some sections are now officially open to the public. You’ll find all sorts of flowers and street art along the tracks.
While some sections are illegal to visit, near Parc Georges Brassens you’ll find a section of the tracks known as the ‘Passage de la petite Ceinture’ that is both totally free and legal to visit. It’s located in the 15e arrondissement.
8. The Salvador Dalí Sundial
This surrealist sundial was created by world-renowned artist Salvador Dalí. located on Rue Saint-Jacques, it’s is a mix of a human face and a scallop shell (the symbol of the Camino to Santiago, because the street is named after the saint). While the sundial doesn’t actually work, it’s nevertheless an easy way to see a piece of artwork by one of the most well-known artists in the world.
27 Rue Saint-Jacques. open 24/7 with no admission.
9. Montmartre Cemetery
While the Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest and many popular in Paris, for a much more secluded stroll, check out the Montmartre Cemetery. plenty of people check out the top of Montmartre for Sacré-Coeur and the view, but few take the time to wander this cemetery sitting at the foot of the district. It opened in 1825 and is home to numerous cobwebbed mausoleums, as well as a handful of stray cats. You won’t see numerous people here, so you can explore in peace.
20 Avenue Rachel, +33 1 53 42 36 30, paris.fr/equipements/cimetiere-de-montmartre-5061. open Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturdays 8:30am-6pm, and Sundays 9am-6pm.
10. The museum of Counterfeiting
Opened in 1972, this museum is home to counterfeit items that have been collected by France’s customs agents and police (as well as donated items from brands and consumers alike). There are over 500 items in the museum, ranging from counterfeit art and luxury goods to much more mundane items, like cleaning supplies. While some knockoffs are outstanding in their duplicity, it’s also funny to see just how bad some counterfeiters were!
16 Rue de la Faisanderie, +33 1 56 26 14 03, musee-contrefacon.com. open Monday-Saturday 2pm-5:30pm. Admission is 6 EUR per person for adults and 5 EUR for students and seniors.
11. Promenade Planteé (Coulée verte René-Dumont)
This tree-lined walkway is a greenbelt that extends practically 5km along the old Vincennes railway line. The railway line ceased functioning in 1969, with the park being inaugurated a few decades afterward. until new York built their High Line, it was the only elevated park in the entire world. (And, honestly, this is way nicer then the nyc High Line).
You’ll find lots of trees, flowers, ponds, and places to sit along this long path that stretches from Bastille to the edge of Paris. It’s a long, easy, and stunning walk. You won’t find numerous people here. even on a good day, it’s rather empty. It rapidly became one of my favorite things to do in Paris and I can’t recommend coming here enough!
1 Coulée verte René-Dumont (12th arrondissement). open daily from 8am-9:30pm. Admission is free.
12. Canal Saint-Martin
Stretching 4.5km, the Canal Saint-Martin is a man-made waterway commissioned by Napoleon. construction finished in 1825, connecting the Canal de l’Ourcq to the Seine through both above ground locks and underground tunnels. While not any secret spot (on a good day, you’ll find the canal lined with people), it’s mostly a spot for locals who want to have a picnic and relax. So, say no to the Seine, and come have your outdoor picnic along the canal. It’s much more unwinding and there will be fewer people!
The canal starts at place de Stalingrad and ends at Quai de la Râpée. Canal cruises last 2.5 hours and cost around 16 EUR per person.
13. Museé de Montmartre
Founded in 1960, this museum is located throughout two building that dates back to the 17th century. Over the years, the buildings were home to numerous well-known writers and painters. Museets haver blev faktisk renoveret for at ligne meget mere som haverne i Renoirs malerier (der er også en vingård i nærheden, der stammer tilbage til middelalderen, men det gør forfærdelig vin). Museets permanente samling inkluderer en bred vifte af malerier, plakater og tegninger.
12 Rue Cortot, +33 1 49 25 89 39, Museedemontmartre.fr/en/le-musee. Åben dagligt fra kl. 10 til 18 (19 om sommeren). Optagelse er 12 EUR for voksne, der inkluderer en lydguide. Rabatter er tilgængelige for studerende, børn og personer med handicap.
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Book din rejse til Paris: logistiske forslag og tricks
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St. Christopher’s Canal
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Les Piaules
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