Mastodawn

Friends! Suppose you were going to be in Paris for 8 days this June, with a spouse and a 14yo. What are some lesser known or not obvious things you would plan to do? Any recommendations? I mean besides the standard stuff like the Louvre, Catacombs, etc.

Michael Busch 1d ago

I like the booksellers along the Seine and the bookstores around Place Saint-Michel.

But those are most appreciated if one reads French.

Miguel de Icaza ᯅ🍉1d ago

@mcnees visit to the quartier Latin, plan a dinner at “La jacobine” a hole in the wall; churches host concerts, buy tickets as soon as you see them posted in a church.

Robert McNees 1d ago

@Migueldeicaza Yes, planning on a Sainte Chapelle concert!

Chuck Berray 1d ago

@mcnees Père Lachaise cemetery is a fascinating place. It's also a beautiful green space when it's hot.

Knud Jahnke 1d ago

Visit The Other Statue of Liberty. And the Catacombs are currently closed for renovation, not sure for how much longer.

Oh: and rent bikes. Paris is a very bikable city by now.

Knud Jahnke 1d ago

But if the catacombs are open when you come: book ahead if in any way possible. Very unique!

AndrewBC 1d ago

@mcnees musee d'orsay is a great place to spend half a day. Grab lunch at the cafe there

synlogic4242 1d ago

@mcnees McDonalds. Disneyland. Starbucks

@mcnees Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité. Possibly the finest stained glass in the world. I know it sounds boring, but it's breathtaking. Trust me on this.

Neil Platten 1d ago

@hedders @mcnees Second vote for Sainte-Chapelle, and agreed on the stained glass windows. Short walk from Notre Dame too

Robert McNees 1d ago

@hedders Yes, planning to do one of the concerts there

@mcnees ooh, magical. I hope you have a lovely time!

Von Xylofon 1d ago

@hedders @mcnees Very true, but a word of caution that a half of the planet will be queuing for it, so bring a book.

Geoff Berner 1d ago

@mcnees if you love planes, this would be fun https://www.museeairespace.fr/en/welcome/the-best-things-to-see/

The best things to see - Museum

Must-sees at the museum.

Museum

Steve Dodge 1d ago

@mcnees
Visit the national library and see the murals in the 14th

Konsonantenboy 1d ago

@mcnees Eating yourselves through Rue des Martyrs.

Steve Gisselbrecht 1d ago

The Palais de Tokyo is an incredible and lesser-discussed Paris museum. Also I have a list of pastry and chocolate recommendations:

https://mas.to/@stevegis_ssg/110000988755701131

Steve Gisselbrecht 1d ago

Oh also the Musée Rodin. I was not the biggest Rodin fan before going there and now I am.

Robert McNees 1d ago

@stevegis_ssg *thank you*

bertrand 🏃 👨‍💻 🎸1d ago

@mcnees June 21st is "Fête de la musique" (Music fest) where as many musicians and singers get out in the streets and perform live music.

bertrand 🏃 👨‍💻 🎸1d ago

@mcnees also there is a VR experience at Notre-Dame if you're interested in the history of the monument, very nice for adults, teens and kids. It's called Notre-Dame éternelle

tontongrincheux 1d ago

@mcnees
If you like sciences a la Villette : la cité des sciences
and if you like music la cité de la musique

I do not know if this has reopened but beaubourg and les halles may be an interesting spot and very close of musée des arts et métiers (sciences again)

But I Have not been in Paris for years now

@mcnees If the weather is nice, in the evening you can sit with the locals at the Canal Saint-Martin (on the ground) with a fresh Baguette and something to drink to enjoy the sun and look at the water. It is calm and pleasant there, only bikes are allowed. We were close to the Jardin Villemin, a park where families would have birthday parties for kids.

Laurie Mansfield 1d ago

@mcnees Lunch at the Petit Palais. Not as grand a building as the Grand Palais across the road. But just off the Champs Elysees, possible to go to the restaurant without paying an entrance fee to the Palais, and is (was when I was last there) very reasonably priced.

@mcnees
The Musée National du Moyen Âge has the giant tapestries, and it is also very good for general Middle Ages information.

http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/

Thumpermat 1d ago

@mcnees The Musée Picasso and the whole Marais quarter are definitely worth visiting as well.

Andy Linton 🇮🇪

Visit the Arc de Triomphe for the daily ceremony to relight the eternal flame to the Unknown Soldier. It happens at 1830 but get there earlier to get a good spot.

@artnacrea @mcnees going to the top is worth it with kids.

@mcnees If tech history is of interest, the Musée d’Arts et Metiers is great.

BrisWombat 3h ago

@feorag @mcnees I second this. Lots of tech history there, from early science through to today. Thermometers, the metre, sextants, astronomy, measurements, navigation, but also later discoveries including photography, computing, audio and television.

@mcnees Picasso museum is art that Picasso himself owned and was quite interesting, tho I went long ago. And Musee Rodin is fabulous if you like sculpture. Just walking around and eating at cafes can't be beat really, or buying bread and cheese and mustard and wine and eating in a park. Notre Dame is one of those places that is worth the crowds.

@mcnees @purplepadma Bercy Park is very nice and calming. There is a large coach parking so I’ve spent waiting hours there, back in the day, if the weather was nice. It’s not big so nice to fill some time with.

And Père-Lachaise cemetery, if that wasn’t already on your list.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TL8Gkx1K8XDkhmU67?g_st=ic

Bevor Sie zu Google Maps weitergehen

@mcnees @purplepadma Oh, there is also a library across the water from Bercy Park, don’t know if it is big or special, libraries are not my thing, but a colleague always went there when parked at Bercy.

Noli timere 1d ago

@mcnees Musee de Cluny https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musée_de_Cluny has the most amazing mediaeval tapestries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady_and_the_Unicorn#Popular_culture The novelist Tracy Chevalier’s 2003 book “The Lady and the Unicorn” is a fictional, but moving, account of their creation.

Musée de Cluny - Wikipedia

Von Xylofon 1d ago

@mcnees Paris sewer museum, hands down. Fascinating stuff.

Also Centre Georges Pompidou if you're into modern art.

@mcnees Might be obvious, but Montmartre is well worth a visit.

Dima Pasechnik 🇺🇦 🇳🇱23h ago

@mcnees the standard things will be overcrowded, most probably.
(certainly on weekends)

Chicago Institute of Art, actually, has such great collections that make it possible to skip Paris musea without too much to lose (and I did spend months in Paris in the past, so I can compare).
My personal choice of a museum would be Centre Pompidou.

Just walk around, sit in cafes, and look at buildings and people 🙂. And don't forget parks, such a Jardin du Luxembourg, Jardin des Tuileries, and Bois de Boulogne.

@[email protected]
Musée Méliès at the Cinémathèque Française, great exhibits from the history of early cinema, especially if you've seen the movie "Hugo" that's loosely based on Méliès' life

Dr. ir. Brian R. Pauw 17h ago

@mcnees this one I liked: https://www.salutfromparis.com/coulee-verte-paris-highline/

Explore the Paris Highline: The Enchanting Promenade Plantée

Hidden gem of Paris: The Coulée Verte, also known as the Promenade Plantée. Experience an insider's view of the 12th arrondissement.

Salut from Paris

Tushar Chauhan 10h ago

@mcnees Rent a car and drive away from the decaying offal of a metropolis, and towards the actual, real France.

Tired Sponge 5h ago

@mcnees Sacre Coeur. Lovely place.

I was there as a 14 year old with my parents, admittedly in 1985 so a lot has probably changed now.

I remember we went to an area that had loads of artists and stuff and that was extremely cool.

It's still there apparently. Also this website might help you.

https://parissecret.com/en/meconnu-artists-district-paris/

Also the Pompidou Centre was cool, but I imagine that's probably pretty touristy.

Also, my dad got his pockets picked at the Louvre. So watch your valuables. 😂