Looking for something other than the typical museums and monuments which attract tourists? Then check out these unusual things to do in Paris. Mostly off the beaten track, these unusual attractions will have your friends back home saying “you did what while you were in Paris?”
Looking for free attractions? Read my 5 part series of free things to do in Paris which includes parks, gardens and outdoor attractions, cultural and historical attractions, visiting churches and cemeteries, touring museums and browsing through the many markets and shopping centers that the city has to offer.
Ballon Generali
Park André-Citroën – 75015, Paris
Float 150 meters over the Paris skyline in the world’s largest hot air balloon. Balloon Generali is a tethered helium-filled airship located at André-Citroën Park in the 15th arrondissement. Departing every 15 minutes in good weather conditions, 30 riders are able to hop aboard the gondola for a 10-minute ride above one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Cost: Adults: €12, Age 3-11: €6, Age 3 and under: Free
Hours: Every day from 9 am until 30 minutes before the park closes. Flights depend on weather conditions.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
How to get there: Metro Line 10 – Javel
RER C – Javel
Point Zero
Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II – 75004, Paris
Centrally located next to Notre Dame, Point Zero marks the center of Paris. It’s from this sunken brass plate in the ground that all distances throughout France are measured. It has become a tradition for tourists to perform a ‘ritual’ of sorts at this legendary spot. Some of these rituals include dropping a coin, performing a dance, spinning on one foot while making a wish, and kissing a loved one while standing on the spot together.
Cost: Free
Hours: Always open
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
How to get there: Metro Line 4 – Station City or St. Michael
RER B or C – St-Michel Notre Dame
La Promenade Plantée
Avenue Daumesnil – 75012, Paris
Take a stroll along La Promenade Plantee, one of the most unusual paths in Paris. This abandoned railway line stretches for 3 miles and is lined with shrubs and trees. Often frequented by locals, this is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Cost: Free
Hours: Monday to Friday 7:30 am – 8:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8:30 am – 8:30 pm
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
How to get there: Metro Lines 1, 5 or 8 – Bastille
La Petite Ceinture
This former orbital railway was built in the
These public green spaces are located; in the 16th arrondissement, between the Porte d’Auteuil and the Gare de la Muette; in the 12th arrondissement, accessible from 21 Rue Rottembourg; the 15th arrondissement, between the Place
Several of the abandoned sections of the railway are unofficially accessible through various access points in the fence. Use caution exploring these areas as there are said to be petty crimes as well as homeless camps. There is also a €3750 trespassing fine.
Cost: Free
Hours: Times vary according to the different sections of the trail and the time of year.
Opens between 8 am and 9 am and closes between 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
How to get there: 12th Petite Ceinture Metro Line 8 – Michel Bizot
13th Petite Ceinture Metro Line 7 – Maison Blanche
15th Petite Ceinture Metro Line 12 – Porte de Versailles
16th Petite Ceinture Metro Line 9 – Ranelagh
17th Petite Ceinture Metro Line 13 – Guy Môquet
Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie Comparée
2 rue Buffon – 75005, Paris
Walk among the dinosaurs and other skeletons in this ‘can’t-miss’ section at the Museum of Natural History. The long lines of animal skeletons feature rare species such as the African okapi and the narwhale, as well as the famous rhinoceros skeleton which belonged to Louis XV.
Cost: Full price: €9, Children 3 and under: Free
Hours: Wednesday – Monday 10 am – 6 pm (last admission 45 minutes before closing)
Wheelchair accessible: No
How to get there: Metro Line 5 – Austerlitz, Line 7 – Censier Daubenton, Line 10 – Jussieu or Austerlitz
RER C – Gare d’Austerlitz
La Grande Galerie de l’Évolution
36 Rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire – 75005, Paris
Parading through the center of this gallery is a herd of lifelike wild animals.
This exhibition displays 7000 animals from all parts of the globe. The most notable specimens include; Kiki, the Giant Tortoise of Seychelles who passed away at the age of at the assumed age of 146 and weighing close to 250 Kg, LiLi, President Pompidou’s Panda, which was a gift to French President Georges Pompidou by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, and Wheke, the Giant Squid which was fished off the New Zealand coast in 2000.
Be sure not to miss the Room of Endangered and Extinct Species (La Salle des Espèces Menacées et des Espèces Disparues) for a glimpse at creatures such as the extinct quagga, a Tasmanian Tiger, Barbary, and Cape lions, the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger, and so much more.
Cost: Full price: €10, Reduced price: €7
Hours: Wednesday – Monday 10 am – 6 pm (Last access 45 min. before closing)
Wheelchair accessible: Partial
How to get there: Metro Line 5 – Austerlitz, Line 7 – Censier Daubenton, Line 10 – Jussieu or Austerlitz
RER C – Gare d’Austerlitz
Deyrolle
46 Rue du Bac – 75007, Paris
Stopping in at Deyrolle feels like you are visiting a strange museum. This cabinet of curiosities in the 7th arrondissement has been in operation since 1831 and specializes in taxidermy and entomology. Their eclectic collection of stuffed animals, insects, shells, botanical prints, and other curiosities will impress any visitor seeking an offbeat experience in Paris.
Cost: Free
Hours: Monday 10 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 7 pm, Tuesday to Saturday 10 am – 7 pm
Wheelchair accessible: No
How to get there: Metro Line 12 – Rue du Bac
Le Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine, Université Paris Descartes
12 Rue de l’École de Médecine – 75006, Paris
Marvel at the evolution of medical equipment at The Museum of the History of Medicine. Not for the faint of heart, these collections are somewhat reminiscent of medieval torture devices featuring displays of diagnostic tools, surgical equipment, physiology tools, and rare medical and surgical bags from the 18th and 19th centuries. Be sure not to miss the bizarre side table made entirely of human body parts! Note that the signage is only in French.
Cost: Adults: €3.50, Students and children: €2.50
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and
Wheelchair accessible: No
How to get there: Metro Lines 4 or 10 – Odéon
RER B – Cluny la Sorbonne
FlyView Paris
32 Rue du 4 Septembre – 75002, Paris
Strap on your headset and buckle up your jetpack for views of Paris like you’ve never seen before. After taking off in this realistic flight simulator, visitors are able to soar over the city to admire the panoramic views and many famous landmarks.
With the ability to stop and go, change speeds and turn in any direction, this virtual reality experience is thrilling for the whole family. The minimum height for entry is 1.20 m (4 feet) tall.
Cost: €15
Hours: Sunday – Thursday 11 am – 7 pm Friday and Saturday 11 am – 9 pm
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
How to get there: Metro – Lines 3, 7 or 8 – Opera
RER A – Auber
Musée des Egouts
93 Quai d’Orsay – 75007, Paris
Currently, the Paris Sewers Museum is closed for renovations. It plans to reopen in 2020.
Designed in 1850 by Baron Haussmann and engineer Eugène Belgrand, there are roughly 2,100 km of sewer tunnels under the city of Paris. Today, the Musée des Egouts (Paris Sewer Museum) provides visitors with the unusual opportunity to explore the slightly smelly bowels of the city. There are several exhibits detailing the history and engineering of the sewer system. As well as education about water treatment methods and the roles of sewage workers.
Cost: Adults: €4.40
Hours: Saturday – Wednesday 11 am – 5 pm
Wheelchair accessible: No
How to get there: Métro Line 9 – Alma-Marceau
RER C – Pont de l’Alma
Gustave Eiffel’s Secret Apartment
5 Avenue Anatole – Paris, 75007
Look down on all of Paris from the secret apartment on the 3rd floor of the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel himself, this simple and cozy apartment was the envy of all Parisians. From 305 meters above ground, Eiffel entertained his famous guests including American inventor Thomas Edison. Presently, the apartment is open to visitors and has been restored to its original condition.
Cost: Adults: €25, Ages 12-24: €12.50, Ages 4-11: €6.30, 4 and under: Free
Hours: 21 June – 2 September 9 am – 11 pm The rest of the year 9:30 am – 10:30 pm
Wheelchair Accessible: No
How to get there: Metro Line 9 – Trocadéro, Line 6 Bir-Hakeim, Line 8 – Ecole Militaire
RER C – Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel
Musée De La Magie & Musée des Automates
11 Rue Saint-Paul – Paris, 75004
Pop into the Museum of Magic and Curiosity (Musée De La Magie) and learn about the history of magic. The exhibition features peculiar collections of funhouse mirrors, optical illusions, posters, and magicians’ props. Every tour ends with a brief magic show.
The same building houses the Museum of Automata (Musée des Automates). This bizarre display features over 100 mechanical
Cost: Adults: €14, Children ages 3 – 12: €10
Hours: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 2 pm – 7 pm
Wheelchair Accessible: No
How to get there: Metro Line 1 – Saint Paul or Bastille, Line 7 – Sully-Morland
Les Catacombes de Paris
1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy – Paris, 75014
“ARRETE! C’EST ICI L’EMPIRE DE LA MORT” (‘STOP! THIS IS THE EMPIRE OF DEATH’)
Venture underground to explore the catacombs of Paris. Human skulls and bones line the walls from floor to ceiling in this world-renowned ossuary.
When the cemeteries of the city could no longer accommodate all the dead, French authorities moved the bodies over 6 million people in the quarries beneath the city. Human remains were taken by the wagonload and unceremoniously disposed of underground. It wasn’t until Napoleon came into power that the bones were arranged in a decorative manner, with the hopes of attracting tourists. Presently, a small section of this 300km tunnel network is open to the members of the public looking for unusual things to do in Paris.
Cost: Full rate: €13
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10 am – 8:30 pm
Wheelchair Accessible: No
How to get there: Metro Line 4 – Denfert-Rochereau
La Conciergerie
2 Boulevard du Palais – Paris, 75001
At the Conciergerie, visitors can tour the Medieval royal palace which was converted into a prison and made famous during the French Revolution. It was here that Marie Antoinette and more than 2500 others were held before being beheaded by guillotine. Today, a small part of it is open to the public, and other areas belong to the Paris court system.
Visitors can explore the dungeons, learn about the French Revolution, read the names of those who were executed, tour the medieval kitchens, and admire the Gothic architecture in The Hall of Men at Arms. Adjacent to this notorious prison is Sainte-Chapelle, home to the most impressive stained glass windows in Paris.
Cost: Adults: €9, 18 and under: Free Combined ticket with the Sainte-Chapelle: €15
Hours: Daily 9:30 am – 6 pm
Wheelchair accessible: No
How to get there: Metro Line 4 – Cité
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