A Dozen Things to Do in Paris: Tips for the First Time and Return Visitor

Today we’re featuring some tips for exploring one of our favourite cities in the world: Paris. We've skipped the usuals suspects - everyone knows about the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the D'Orsay. Below you'll find suggestions for what to do when you're done with sightseeing, and just ready to soak up the city's everyday charms.

12 Fun Ways to Explore Paris

1. Hop on a Velib bike and ride along the banks of the Seine. Glide past the city’s grandest landmarks – the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, and start to get more familiar with the city’s layout. The bike lanes along the river make the ride safe and pleasant. (To learn more about how to use the city’s free bike system as a tourist, read our earlier blog entry: Velib and the Tourist: a love story.)

2. Pick a neighbourhood and explore it on foot without a planned route. Duck into courtyards that pique your curiosity, take a left or a right without a sense of where it will lead you. The Marais, the quiet west side of Montmartre (around Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro), and the pedestrianized areas around Rue Montorgueil in the 2nd are some of our favourites.3. Go to one of the city’s many markets and purchase: fresh fruit, a baguette, some jambon or a roast chicken and a bottle of wine. Head to the nearest park and savour. Rue Cler is particularly popular because of its proximity to the Eiffel Tower and the grassy Champ de Mars, which is full of picnicking couples and groups. Rue Mouffetard in the 5th arrondissement is another lively spot, and if you’re lucky you’ll stumble upon some afternoon dancing in the street – the joie de vivre in action!4. Go in search of the perfectly Parisian sidewalk café (St Germain des Pres in the 6th has some of the most well-known, but you can ask your guide for recommendations for smaller, quieter favourites!) Order a café au lait and pain au chocolat and engage in the fine art of people watching.

5. Plan to leave the “single digit” arrondissements after seeing the highlights, and explore outside of the tourist zone. The Batignolles neighbourhood in the 17th, Edith Piaf’s old stomping grounds of Belleville in the 20th, and the striking Buttes Chaumont park in the 19th will all give you a taste of Paris away from the throngs of tourists. (A tip: go for sunset at Buttes Chaumont for golden views of the sun setting over Sacre Coeur.)

Once you’ve got the hang of the city, it’s time to dive a little bit deeper into its hidden corners and history. We reached out to the local guides in Paris to get some more detailed suggestions for the next 7 tips, which will help you find a few of the gems waiting just beneath the surface…

6. Find the Roman Amphitheatre hidden in Paris' Latin quarter. In the famous Latin Quarter, at 49 Rue Monge, there is a municipal park, not easy to find if you don’t know about its existence. It is a real Roman ruin, living inside modern day Paris. It used to be an Arena like the Colosseum in Rome, but it was also used as a theater, and there is still a stage in it today. With time, it has been partly destroyed, but now it is a quiet place where kids play football, and where you can have a picnic or relax away from the crowds in the 5th arrondissement.7. Discover Paris’ charming version of “Central Park”. The Parc Monceau is one of the most charming and yet unknown Parisian parks. Push open its gilded gates and enter a fanciful world, where a pyramid stands behind a corner and Roman ruins hide under luxuriant vegetation. Meant to rival the romantic English parks, and even Versailles, the Monceau Park is the only English-style romantic garden still visible in Paris. The Monceau Park is the ultimate romantic Parisian park. Take a stroll down the paths, let yourself be charmed by the beauty of the flowerbeds and admire the lavish residences facing the greenery. Outstanding photos guaranteed!

8. Discover the smallest and narrowest street in Paris. Do you know where to find the smallest and narrowest street of Paris? It’s a small alley in the Latin quarter that you will cross in few seconds and it's nice to see if you like to search out unusual sites. It’s called "Rue du Chat qui Pȃche" (Street of the fishing cat). While you are going to visit Cathedral Notre-Dame, if you are passing through Boulevard Saint Michel, you will find this street. It has one door leading off of it to a building, therefore it can be called a “street”, despite its tiny size!9. Enjoy the Louvre without the crowds, at night! Prior to COVID (and hopefully soon to resume) twice a week, on Wednesday and Friday, the world's biggest museum stays open late, till 10pm, for art lovers and curious travelers. The atmosphere changes extraordinarily and it really feels intimate. Imagine encountering an Egyptian pharaoh, a Greek goddess or even the Mona Lisa by night! The Louvre hosts over 38,000 works of art and other objects. There are several sections such as Egyptian antiquities, Egyptian art, French paintings, French crown jewels. You can choose to see the one you are most interested in. When you get inside, take the free Museum Map so you don't get lost.

10. Experience Gastronomical Paris in one of its oldest streets. An appealing combination of Restaurant, Salon de Thé, Pastry shop, Chocolaterie, gastronomical workshop and boutique! In this place you will be able to find fantastic pastries as well as original chocolates, see the chefs preparing the desserts in front of your eyes or sit at the restaurant for a fine dining experience. Hidden in the 6th arrondisement of the old city, you will find this little gastronomical oasis, especially for those that like sweet things. Try the spices coated with chocolate, the macarons, ice cream and other beautifully presented pastries and cakes. You can just take a quick look and buy the sweets that get your attention, or you might want to stay for a full meal at the restaurant. If you speak some French you might also want to join one of the pastry workshops available. Any time of the year is perfect to visit this place, but especially for Sunday's Brunch, since the restaurant is called "Un Dimanche à Paris" (A Sunday in Paris).11. See Paris from the rooftop of the Pompidou. If you are searching for a beautiful View of Paris, head up to the rooftop of the modern art museum, Centre Pompidou. Designed at the end of the 20th century by Renzo Piano and Richard Roger, Centre Pompidou is an iconic 20th-century architecture, of which there’s much to discover. The Georges Restaurant, located on the top floor of the museum, offers visitors a chance to dine in its romantic ambience while enjoying a spectacular panorama of Paris featuring an exquisite view of the Sacred Heart Church.12. Enjoy a picnic on the banks of the Seine. Enter into the perfect postcard for once! Paris is a changing city, and often it changes in wonderful ways. The banks of the river Seine used to be a “motorway”, but now it is totally closed to car traffic. This mean you can go there with a bicycle or just walking to enjoy some of the best views of Paris. The riverbanks are world classified by UNESCO, and it is the perfect place to enjoy a picnic. You could visit a bakery and cheese seller first, then stroll by the river and enjoy your food. Between April up to mid-October is good weather to enjoy pubs and restaurants around there, but it can be also very romantic during the winter!

You wouldn’t believe how many other special places our guides know about, and would love to show you on your next trip to Paris! You can reach out to any of them for your own customized perfect day in Paris: Find a Local Paris Guide. They can’t wait to hear from you!