The history of Paris starts in the Île de la Cité: the first inhabitants of Lutèce are said to have lived in this island, before Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Then, the Romans developed the Left Bank (thus the name “Latin Quarter”), and later, medieval kings the Right Bank.

Nowadays, it’s difficult to imagine that the Cité is the oldest part of Paris: Haussmann’s renovation of Paris destroyed the small streets which testified to its historical role and homogeneity (refer to this page), and the omnipresence of police and justice institutions break all its charm. Therefore, most tourists only visit the two big spots of the island: Notre-Dame cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle, famous for its stained glass windows.

But thankfully, two areas have been slightly preserved. In the West, the deserted and quiet Place Dauphine (see the Place Dauphine article) is one of the most charming places in Paris. And in the East, between the Seine and Notre-Dame, a few streets have kept a sort of medieval romantic character. They are generally ignored by the crowds, which gives them even more quietness and mystery, especially in the evening onwards.

So, if you like wandering off the beaten track, explore narrow Rue Chanoinesse, with its beautifully-restored buildings, and walk into neighbouring Rues de la Colombe, des Ursins, des Chantres, and Massillon, onto the steps of Esmeralda and Quasimodo. You might be overwhelmed by the contrast between these streets where time seems to have stopped and the big touristic confusion nearby at Notre-Dame, just one block away!

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Rue Chanoinesse area | Art & culture, Relaxing
Rue Chanoinesse | Quartier Latin
24 hours daily

It’s incredible how sometimes the large and ugly stands next to the small and cosy. But yet this is the case in Place des Fêtes’s area, near Buttes Chaumont park: right behind the five huge blocks of concrete which host many of the last remaining working class families of Paris, about 20 villas (here, villa = alley, lane) concentrated around Rue de Mouzaïa, constitute one of the most charming residential area within Paris’s boundaries.

Also know as “Carrières d’Amérique” – plaster produced from old gypsum quarries ( = carrières) was exported to the USA and is believed to have been used in the White House construction… – this area has a deep working class background. Back in the 19th century, this area was part of the East suburban industrial neighbourhoods, and this sloping site (unstable because of quarry exploitation) could only host fragile two-floored constructions.

More than a century later though, it surely is one of the most picturesque and intimate areas of intra muros Paris, which will ravish not only flower enthusiasts but also cat lovers: cats are indeed the real sovereigns of the villas, and as a poetic homage to their feline fellows, some of their owners have put funny signs on their door (most of them in Villa Sadi Carnot) such as “chat gentil” (= friendly cat), “chat lunatique” (= quirky cat) or “attenti ai gatti” (Italian for “beware of the cats”). A delicate warning, isn’t it?

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Les Villas de la Mouzaïa | Relaxing
Rue de Mouzaïa | La Villette
24 hours daily

You probably won’t need to read Spotted by Locals to know that the Louvre is a Paris “must-see”.

By the way, why is it a must-see??? Probably because it is a gorgeous historical palace, which now hosts the biggest museum of the world, whose collections are among the richest of all, covering all periods of “western” art, from Mesopotamia until the 19th century and Romanticism.

Nevertheless, most guides always advise the same tour path, focusing on the same masterpieces, like the Mona Lisa or the Victory of Samothrace. And for the average visitor without much knowledge in history of art, I’m not sure it makes much sense to follow hordes of tourists whose main purpose is to photograph themselves in front of the same world-famous masterpieces… And it is definitely not the best introduction to art, which, according to me, must target the senses before the reason.

On the contrary, walking in the endless corridors, monumental staircases and exhibition rooms of the Louvre, without any imposed sense of visit, just following one’s intuition, looking OR NOT at the artworks, is a great experience. You will be more relaxed not only to appreciate the works (and also the beautiful views of Paris from the windows) but also to feel this unique sensation to be nearly alone, surrounded by paintings, sculptures or objects, witnessing the glorious heritage of centuries of history and testifying the great genius of human kind!

Far more convincing than any learned explanation about Da Vinci and Mona Lisa…

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Louvre’s empty rooms | Art & culture, Relaxing | Entrance adults € 10
Cour Napoléon | Louvre/Les Halles | +33140205050
Wed – Mon 09:00 – 18:00, Wed & Fri 09:30 – 22:00

An original cemetery is the cats and dogs’ one, located in Asnières (suburbs near Paris).

French people are not particularly animal rights activists, but they love pets! And for more than a century now, pet lovers can bury their pets in this special cemetery, located in a very peaceful and beautiful area along the river Seine.

Reading the pets’ names, their owners’ short epitaphs (some of them are in English) is quite entertaining, and there are actually beautiful graves, showing how some people are more attached to animals than to human beings. The place also hosts a shelter for abandoned cats, which brings life to this area where death reigns.

To get there: metro line 13, until « Gabriel Péri » (be careful, you have to use the yellow branch after « La Fourche »), or bus 54 until « Place Voltaire ».

If you’re still in the mood for another cemetery, walk along the Seine opposite its flow and cross the next bridge until rue Baudin, in Levallois-Perret: this (human) cemetery (not as famous as the big three: Père-Lachaise, Montparnasse and Montmartre) hosts a British WW1 memorial, and the graves of Gustave Eiffel (you might have heard of his tower…), Maurice Ravel (you might know his Bolero) and Louise Michel (the Red Virgin, a key figure of the Commune). Open between 09:00 and 17:00.

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Cimetière des chiens | Art & culture, Relaxing | Entrance fee € 3.50
Parc Robinson (Asnières-sur-Seine) | Montmartre/Clichy
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 16:30

The Pavillon de l’Arsenal – a great place to understand historical and contemporary architecture and urban planning of Paris – recently changed its permanent collection, making it even more attractive than before.

The central space is now occupied by a huge interactive animation which allows the visitors (one by one) to show an aerial view of a place in Paris or its region. All around, short notices (with explanations in French and English), illustrations, maps and models explain how Paris’s territory evolved since the Middle Ages and what major urban planning decisions were undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries to shape contemporary city. A section is also dedicated to the current projects in Paris and its suburbs.

The only thing I regret is that the very comfortable cushions on the floor were substituted by strangely shaped triangular chairs, quite comfortable too, but a little bit too serious to my taste…

The first and second floors are still dedicated to temporary exhibitions, generally more technical than the permanent one on the floor ground, still about architecture and urban planning. And a documentaion centre is accessible from Tuesday to Friday (14:00 – 18:15, 14:00 – 17:15 on Fridays).

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Pavillon de l’Arsenal | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
21 Boulevard Morland | Marais/Bastille | +33142763397
Tue – Sat 10:30 – 18:30, Sun 11:00 – 19:00

There is a walk I like the most in Paris, it is the one from Bastille, the site of the former prison took by the people of Paris in 1789, to the City Hall (Hotel de Ville of Paris) by passing through the quarter of Le Marais. This quarter is called the marsh because it was a real swamp at the beginning of the IXth century before being used as pasture in the XIIth century.

So, from Bastille, you can easily walk on the Beaumarchais Boulevard, and then turn left on the Rue du Pas de la Mule and arrive at the Place des Vosges, the most beautiful place in Paris. Passing by the art galleries, you reach on your left the Rue de Turenne, where you will find lots of clothes shops, with prices you never imagine in Paris. Indeed, there are lots of manufacturers in this district of Paris.

At number 41 in the same street, there is the Bernard Garbo Shop, that you have to know if you are looking for suits at € 150 or very trendy shirts at € 95 for 3. The prices are quite low because they are manufactured and they sell the same merchandise to other shops.

On sale, you can take € 50 off on every suits or jackets (but not on shirts or ties). Go there if you want to mix a wonderful promenade with fashionable shopping all around (see also Rue des Francs Bourgeois just nearby!

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Bernard Garbo | Relaxing, Shopping
41, rue de Turenne | Marais/Bastille | +33142720967
10:00 – 19:00 daily

La Promenade plantée is the only elevated park in the world. Situated on the top of an ancient viaduct it connects Bastille Square with the Periphery Boulevard. It is a nice, not too long walk (4.5 km) through the middle of the 12 arrondisement.

The experience is certainly atypical, as you walk on the approximately 9 meters high viaduct straight ahead, surrounded by different more or less exotic plants and trees and at the same time you are in the middle of the city. All around, you see the diverse architecture styles emerging and changing- great all in one, somehow surrealistic setting.

On the lower level there is a place for cyclists; it is a rare privilege not to cycle “with the cars”. Down, on the street level, in the arcades there are about 50 arts and crafts ateliers, which are the pride of the arrondisement and are really interesting to explore if you like that way of art/craft expression.

La Promenade plantée is usually not too crowded and it can also have a intimate atmosphere. With its intervention of plant and landscape art created by Vergely and Mathieux in the urban milieu this park deserves to be included in 7,8 days visit plan.

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La Promenade plantée | Relaxing | Free
Blv Picpus till Bastille | Marais/Bastille
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 21:00

Situated in the south part of Paris, park Montsouris is a first neighbour of La Cité Universitaire where in the spring-summer sun time you won’t need much more than this.

Constructed within the idea to give to each side of a city one big park/forest, Mount Mice is here from the end of 19 century. Before that time the main inhabitants were the mice, and bones (it was an old cemetery). Now they are Parisians and numerous species of birds.

Tourists are less present, certainly because it doesn’t show up in each general tourist guide. This slightly lesser popularity is maybe due to a fact it is not a typical symmetric French designed garden, but irregularly, a “wild” English one. The English-garden details here, are a lake, small falls and various rare sorts of trees that make it a pleasurable and picturesque place to be.

Positioned unusually on top of the train rails, its 15 hectares are adequate to take in the whole park walk in one visit, or run if it’s more fun for you. The slow-paced life of this park transfers you in a specific timeless mood.

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Parc Montsouris | Relaxing | Free
Rue Gazan | Chinatown/Denfert
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 21:30, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 21:30

The Parc de Belleville may not be as meticulously arranged or as aesthetically perfect as many of the parks in Paris but it does boast one of the best views of the city. Perched at the top of the steep rue Belleville, the park descends in a series of grassy terraces, modern water features and narrow flower-strewn pathways towards the rue Couronnes.

It’s only a small park but the pretty foliage-covered pathways are lined with benches and little grassy enclaves: all tranquil, quaint and peaceful.

If you fancy a rest after the trek up the hill, head past the rue Piat entrance at the top of the park and you’ll come to the lovely La Mer à Boire cafe 

As in many of Paris’ parks and public spaces there is now free WiFi available.

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Parc de Belleville | Relaxing
Rue des Couronnes | Belleville/Nation | +33143284763
08:00 – 23:00 daily

OK so the sun may have snuck away for a (long) winter snooze but lounging about along the Canal St. Martin is still one of my favourite pastimes. 

Come rain or shine, urban picnickers of all ages and with and variety of produce descend upon these concrete banks to enjoy Paris’ natural charm. Whether in the prettily terraced bars that line the canal (all with outdoor heating) or with your feet dangling over the murky water (baguette in one hand, bottle of wine in the other), the canal really does cater for all tastes. And wallets.

By night the whole area throngs with people and the atmosphere is easy going and great fun. Food can be bought in all the bars and cafés, and for picnickers in need of more cheese and wine, a number of shops remain open late too.

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Canal Saint-Martin | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing
Canal St. Martin | Belleville/Nation
Daily