Oui, Paris!: See the Best of Paris, Beyond the Popular Tourist Stops

​Everyone knows that you have to see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre while you’re in Paris. These must-see attractions are worth the visit every time, whether it’s your first trip or your fifteenth. However, there is so much more to see and do in Paris beyond the standard tourist fare. You owe it to yourself to take a little time to explore the hidden gems in the City of Light.

The Catacombs of Paris
Although this isn’t exactly a secret destination, it’s one that often gets overlooked on a typical Paris visit. The Catacombs lie right beneath the streets of Paris, and hold the remains of as many as six million people. This exploratory walk will take you on a creepy journey through the city’s solution to overflowing cemeteries. It’s best to visit on a weekday morning to avoid the crowds, but it’s worth the wait even if you have to go when it is busier.

The Catacombs of Paris

59 Rivoli
The Louvre is the obvious stop for art, but if you want to see something a little more off the beaten path, head over to 59 Rivoli. This was an artists’ squatting place for many years, dating back to the 1800s. Today, it has been renovated and restored, offering a welcoming space for local artists and the fringe art scene in Paris.

The Montmartre Vineyard
This vineyard has been quietly hiding in Paris for more than 800 years. It is the only active vineyard left in the entire city, and yet it still goes unnoticed by most tourists. Get a firsthand glimpse at winemaking in Paris fashion and enjoy a walk through the beautiful vineyard grounds that feels like you are a million miles away, right in the heart of the city.

Montmartre Vineyard

Paris Sewer Museum
Designed especially for those who want to see the true dark side of Paris, the museum provides tours of the sewer lines running under Paris. It is also home to detailed and intricate plans of the Paris sewers, including unusual history and how the modern masterpiece came to be what it is today.

Paris Sewer

​There is so much to see and do in Paris beyond the main streets and hot spots. You really owe it to yourself to explore these, and many other, lesser-known Paris attractions and destinations. There are unusual churches, obscure historical landmarks, cheeky folklore statues, beautiful gardens, and so much more. 

Ready to visit Paris yourself?  Contact me to start planning today!