Beyond the Eiffel Tower: 7 Lesser-Known Things to Do in Paris
Look a Little Deeper
When you first arrive in the City of Light, you’ll likely head straight to the main “must-see” attractions, including the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.
But once you’ve seen the top landmarks, what’s next?
Paris is such a huge, diverse and multi-faceted city and there is enough to keep you busy for weeks. Let’s take a look at some of the intriguing lesser-known Paris attractions that you’ll find when you look a little bit deeper.
Jardin Tino Rossi Waterfront Dancing
On summer evenings, the area along the left bank of the Seine at Port St. Bernard is the place to be. From the beginning of June to the end of August, ballroom dancers will gather on the riverside and practice their waltz, tango, salsa and swing.
Anyone is welcome to join in — the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming and the local dancers have some pretty impressive moves.
La Promenade Plantée – aka the “Green Walkway”
Take a break from the city and go for a walk along the green walkway, a 3-mile-long green space built on top of an abandoned viaduct. It is a popular spot for picnics, jogging and lounging.
The walkway starts in the 12th arrondissement and ends up in the Bois de Vincennes. Give yourself plenty of time to explore it, as you’ll want to stop for a while to relax on the grass, read a book and soak up the atmosphere.
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Pere Lachaise Cemetery
You might not immediately think of visiting a cemetery during your time in Paris, but this is no ordinary cemetery. It’s one of the most beautiful and impressive graveyards in the world, with elegantly sculpted tombs honoring the final resting places of many iconic figures — including Jim Morrison, Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde.
Take a quiet moment to stroll down the wide cobbled paths, enjoy the shade of the many trees and reflect on the eternal complexities of life and death.
Bois de Boulogne
Head out of the city to the west and you’ll discover the Bois de Boulogne, an expansive green space that was once a royal hunting ground. The park is now home to the Jardin d’Acclimatation and the Louis Vuitton Art Foundation.
You’ll also find a collection of meandering paths through beautifully landscaped gardens, as well as several cafes and a mini-golf course. Plus, there’s an elegant history chateau you can visit, making this a diverse spot when it comes to Paris points of interest!
The Sewers of Paris Museum
A museum about sewers? It sounds kind of gross, but it’s actually one of the most interesting attractions in Paris. The sewers of Paris are an engineering marvel and are incredibly important in the history of the city.
The museum details the history of the sewers, from their initial creation in the late 14th century to their modern structure that was designed in the 19th century. You can see all sorts of fascinating displays, including the giant iron balls that roll down the sewers to clean them, and the pneumatic tube system that carries packages through the sewers.
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House of Nicolas Flamel
This stone house was built by Nicolas Flamel, one of the city’s great alchemists. He was born in the 14th century and worked for most of his life as a bookseller.
The legend is that Nicolas came upon an ancient book that taught him the secrets of turning ordinary metals into gold. Whether this is true or not, the story lives on and this is where Flamel is said to have carried out his alchemy experiments.
His house, on Montmorency Street, was built in 1407 and is now the oldest stone house in Paris. It’s been converted into a restaurant called Auberge Nicolas Flamel.
Musee de Cluny
If you’ve already seen the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay and are still wondering what to do in Paris, why not check out one of the more unusual museums in the city? The Musee de Cluny is located in one of the oldest buildings in Paris (a former townhouse from 1334) and it focuses on artwork and artifacts from medieval life.
One of the most intriguing displays is a collection of tapestries known as the Lady and the Unicorn. Woven from silk and wool, these tapestries are medieval masterpieces that feature a woman cavorting with a unicorn, a lion and a monkey.
Beneath the museum lies something even older — the ruins of Roman thermal baths that are thought to date back to the third century.
