Living in Paris means not needing to find a room for the night, but I do like to keep up to date with new openings for when I need to make recommendations. It's been interesting to see how popular hostels have become, but most are huge spaces and parts of international chains, with locations that look the same in every city.
Les Piaules is not like that. It feels more like a boutique hotel, even if it can still cheaply squeeze you into a dorm for eight people. What sets it apart is not the rooms or the beds, but the atmosphere. It's housed in a converted 1930s art deco style office block to start with, but it also has a cosy bar that is open to everybody. Perhaps best of all though is the rooftop terrace, reserved only for those staying at the hostel.
The neighbourhood is a cool one, with perhaps the city's best nightlife nearby. It's also just a 5-minute walk from my home, so I sometimes pop along to the bar. With its international globe-trotting atmosphere, it feels like I'm travelling in my home city!
Find your way with 168 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
"Espace Niemeyer" in Paris is home to the French Communist Party, but also a space dedicated to artistic expression and creative architecture...
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"Clos Montmartre" is one of five remaining vineyards in central Paris! Their presence dates back to the 10th century...
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"Cimetière du Montparnasse" is not only a cemetery but also one of Paris' biggest green spaces. Many world-famous people are buried here, too...
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The "Beaupassage" in Paris is just as much a space dedicated to food as it is to nature and art. It's a 10,000 m² courtyard completed in 2018...
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"Le Réservoir de Montsouris" is the biggest water reservoir in Paris. It's a truly impressive structure that's more than 150 years old...
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"Librairie Galignani" in Paris is a bookshop with a long history and is without a doubt one of the city's most beautiful!
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"La Ferme d’Alexandre" is a cheeseshop like no other in Paris. With their over 350 types of cheeses, they've made it all the way to the Elysée Palace...
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"Théâtre de La Huchette" in Paris is known for its Spectacle Ionesco, which has hosted performances of the famous Romanian playwright since 1957...
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The "Promenade Plantée" in Paris is a 4.5-km corridor that's 10m above ground that will take you from the Place de la Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes...
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The Marais in Paris is best known for its second-hand clothing shops, but "Chercheminippes" and its six shops have been innovating for half a century...
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"L’Atelier Geneviève" is a 'ceramicafé' - here you can decorate your own ceramics w/ a coffee or breakfast. They even have kintsugi workshops!
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168 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
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