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2 full weeks in Paris - what is your favorite “not in any books” thing to do?

Hubby and I will be visiting Paris for the first time and will be there from July 17 - 30. I’ve scoured several books and have downloaded apps, maps, and have a list of the big “must see”. We have an apartment in the Marais district and have tours to Versailles and Fountainbleau booked.

Since we have so much time what is your very favorite “not to miss” that is not easily found in a guide book? We have wide ranging interests so anything is fair game. We are flying in and out of Paris so will not have a car.

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879 posts

I don’t know if there’s much off the radar these days. However, I think a visit to Musee Jacqmart-André kind of qualifies. It’s a cool little place a bit off the beaten path, combine it with a stroll through nearby Parc Monteau. Opera Garnier is pretty mind-blowing too, and maybe not on people’s list.

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8049 posts

Basilica St. Denis is the best undervisited site in Paris (just over the border).

https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/confronting-mortality-at-st-denis/

The guignettes along the Seine and Marne are also pretty fabulous. We particularly enjoyed this one on a Sunday afternoon:
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/guinguette-traveling-back-in-time/

The Musee Albert Kahn Gardens if they are open again are pretty neat. Near the St. Cloud Bolougne exit of the 10 metro.

We really enjoyed a night at the tourist Vieux Belleville for a sing a long with a singer of traditional French folk songs -- yeah touristy but the tourists were mostly French often with local hosts. We had Bretons to the left of us with Parisian hosts and Belgians to the right of us. We didn't spot any other Americans.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/le-vieux-belleville-non-je-ne-regrette-rien/

We also really enjoyed Lafayette's Tomb at Picpus Cemetery (the 16 young nuns murdered in the terror are also buried here and only descendants of those killed in the terror may be. buried here -- Lafayette's inlaws were among those butchered.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/lafayette-we-are-here/

And the Promenade Plantee
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/promenade-plantee-turning-discarded-public-space-into-a-pleasant-place-for-parisians/

And there is the ruins of the human zoo on the far side of Park Vincennes.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/jardin-dagronomie-tropicale-ruins-in-paris
And the little lakes with rental rowboats in both Park Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne are a lovely way to spend an afternoon

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6290 posts

We enjoyed the Museum of Arts and Crafts. It's basically a history of technology, and trés cool. Musée des Arts et Métiers, 60 Rue Réaumur. There's a metro stop of the same name just by the museum.

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4140 posts

Here are two excellent places to consider - Les Gobelins , famous for the production of furniture and tapestries since the age of Louis XIV - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gobelins_Manufactory and Le Musee des Arts et Metiers - https://www.arts-et-metiers.net/ Among the items in the collection is the famous automaton of Marie Antoinette playing a hammered dulcimer built by the German cabinet maker , David Roentgen . Here is a sample of it from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC , when it was on loan to them several years ago - https://www.metmuseum.org/metmedia/video/collections/esda/automaton-of-queen-marie-antoinette

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432 posts

Take a couple walking tours in various neighbourhoods, or themes. Paris Walks is a great company with many selections to choose from.

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13934 posts

I'll second Susan's suggestion of Paris Walks. They ARE in guidebooks but they will take you into neighborhoods and some back streets you might not find on your own. It looks like the July brochure is up so you can see if anything strikes your fancy!

www.paris-walks.com

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2128 posts

I didn't see the Musée des Arts Forains mentioned. It's a private collection of carnival arts (rides, games) in the 12th arrondissement. One of the scenes from Midnight in Paris was filmed here. We visited on a trip a few years ago, something different.

If you're a fan of Monet (who isn't?), visit the Marmottan Museum. A wonderful museum with a private collection of Monet's paintings. I assume the waterlilies are also on your list at Orangerie Museum.

The catacombs are interesting and very well done. Get there a hour before opening to avoid waiting in a long line.

You might want to consider a day trip to Giverny and/or Chartres.

Love Paris! Hope you have a great trip!

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3207 posts

Sit in the beautiful parks and watch people. Seriously check out every window belonging to a fromagerie, boulangerie, and most important, every patisserie! Try a different pastry every day. Sit by the Seine. Each day learn a new sentence or phrase in French and use it that day. If you are into photography, each day have a different theme (in addition to all the other photos you will take).

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13934 posts

Urk...sorry to post again but I thought of something else. Have you watched any of Corey Frye's video walks in Paris?

Last time I used several of his walks to make my own sightseeing tour.

I loved this one on Lesser known areas near Trocadero altho I did it coming from the Eiffel Tower and walked some of it in reverse of how he presents it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMp7BtwjajA

So, take a look at some of his presentations and you might find something interesting in your neighborhood!

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2299 posts

hey hey carterlisa
you'll have a great time in paris, we will be there end of september.
check: cite florale on rue brillat-savarin in the 13th
rue cremieux beautiful street in the 12th (pastel colored houses and plants)
bus-burger.com 2 rue jacquard in the 11th (guided tour of paris by bus eating delicious burgers)
parc floral de paris in the 12th
discoverwalks.com (some free and fun walks in paris)
paris-by-tuktuk.com
canauxrama.com (different types of cruise up the canals)
fly over paris in virtual reality (15 minute flyover paris)
frenchie-ftg.com (street food with a french twist "hot dogs and lobster rolls" on the 2nd)
angelina's best hot chocolate and fabulous pastries. we had lunch there, yummy
o-chateau.com (champagne cruise and different wine and food tasting.)
59 Rivoli (abandoned building renovated into legal studios for artists and their artwork) in 2nd
sit in a cafe or park/garden, have a glass of vino and champagne, eat and people watch. last time i was on a "mission" who had the best french onion soup. (my favorite was La Maison Rose in montemarte). in september i am going to be tasting eclairs, eating souffles at le souffle in the 1st and la cuisine de philippe in the 6th. have some escargot with butter garlic and baguette. enjoy and have a great vacation.
aloha

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8293 posts

Institut du Monde Arabe, if only for the architecture

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873 posts

Been to Paris 3 times.....and I found David Lebovitz’s blog about Paris a treasure to read. He is a pastry chef that has settled in Paris and has some great info on things to do and places to eat.....he has a post on his blog called THE TEN THINGS YOU MUST EAT IN PARIS.....we mapped these stores/shops out, walked from one to the other for a couple of days and had a blast discovering chocolate-covered marshmallows, Eric Kayser’s Cereal loaf of fresh bread and falafels you will want to take home. Paris has such wonderful treats like this, some hidden away in places you would not know about without info like David’s. There is also a street in the Marais called St. Paul with small shops filled with fun things to see.....and the shop-owners are so kind and thrilled for you to see their things.....they always thank me for coming in. SO JEALOUS! Have fun!

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595 posts

Find a boulangerie/patisserie near your apartment and order coffee and a pastry every morning. By the second or third day they will know how you like your coffee and you will feel like an instant local.

Do laundry at a nearby launderette if you don't have machines in your apartment. You can people-watch and clean your clothes at the same time. I won't say this is my favorite rainy day activity but it's definitely enjoyable.

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35 posts

I stayed in the Marais this past spring. Before my trip, I enjoyed watching Corey Frye's walking tour video of part of the Marais. A French Frye in Paris, Ep 19 - Le Marais: Rue St Antoine to Place des Vosges - Video Tour of Paris. Corey Frye also leads great walking tours in Paris. They are usually small group tours and he is very passionate about Paris history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XxI9tNs2Io

One of the highlights of my trip was an evening concert at the Saint Paul Saint Louis church in the neighborhood. If there are no dates available for your trip, I would look at attending a concert at La Sainte Chapelle.

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7295 posts

You have some good answers. I'd comment that if it's not in any book, it may not be a must-do, just something that's nice. The first paragraph below is a paste from another, past, post of mine:

We like gardens, so on our eighth trip to Paris, we went to the Parc Floral, when it's appropriate to include Chateau de Vincennes (which is otherwise, not a must-see.) Walking to the Parc from the Chateau, we passed over an empty traffic triangle with a long inscription in French on the stone. It seems there was a German invaders war monument put up there during World War I-they got really close to Paris. The French tore it down and put up a French monument after the war, so when Paris was occupied by the Germans again, the occupiers tore down the French monument and rebuilt theirs. When Parisians tore down the second German monument, they decided to leave the pedestal empty, as a remembrance of what happened!

You have good museum list. I'll mention that the Louvre Arts Decoratifs collection, separate admission, and fashion collection, up Rivoli from the big museum is just excellent, especially if you are tired of canvases on the wall.

This is a crowded time of year, but are you taking the train to Giverny? Chateau Chantilly is still on my list.

You are not going to finish all the "book" visits in your two weeks! And it is likely to be very hot, slowing you down.

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120 posts

Arènes de Lutèce - very easy to get to and very interesting history.

Also, check out tomsguidetoparis.com for his “strange and interesting walks” that guide you to places you might otherwise miss. He has all kinds of helpful information on his site.

Eat at L’ami Jean in the 7th (27 Rue Malar).

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2030 posts

I also recommend L'Ami Jean restaurant, and the Basilica St. Denis, as mentioned above.
You may like to visit the Nissim-Camondo museum, which is a lovely furnished home near the Parc Monseau,
which you should definitely visit also.

Someone above mentioned Corey Frye's Paris walks, he goes to a lot of interesting non-touristy places, you might want to go to his website French Frye in Paris, and see what walks he has going. Check out his You Tube videos.
I recommend an evening concert in any church -- The Madeline and Ste Chapelle are favorites...
Lastly, find a wonderful cafe, or two, and spend time doing nothing but enjoying the Parisian atmosphere - this is perhaps the best thing to do in Paris.

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782 posts

As mentioned above,The boat ride on Canal St Martin and a Small Roman Coliseum at Arenes de Lutece which our guide from Paris Greeters Took us to,he was Great.
Mike

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6 posts

We took a BigBus night tour of Paris. While it sounds touristy, it gave a great layout of the city and a better appreciation of how close all the sites are to each other.

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3391 posts

I think just about everything is covered in books but some not as much as others.
We spend summer in Paris often and are constantly looking for new things.
We love the Arts et Metiers science museum - it's divided into disciplines and is a lot of fun to wander. They have some amazing things including Foucault's pendulum and some of the "firsts" of many things made. You can even see the official "meter".
Some other more offbeat things we like are...
Dayrolle
Lavomatic - push the correct button on one of the dryers and there's a speakeasy upstairs.
Buttes Chaumonte
Marche d'Aligre in the 12th
Galeries Lafayette food halls (and their wine room upstairs!)
The Marche de Puces out in Clingancourt - hundreds of antique stalls
The pretty outdoor bars along the end of the Canal St Martin / Bassin de L'Arsenal to the south of the Bastille monument - we like Le Grand Bleu
Petite Palais
Galeries Lafayette rooftop. Even though it's against my religion, there is a Starbucks in Galeries Lafayette where you can sit at the counter in the central atrium and stare up at their amazing stained glass ceiling while enjoying a coffee.
Grande Arche La Defense - go to the top...fun rooftop bar and a breathtaking ride up!
Saint Sulpice - after mass on Sunday morning the organist (traditionally the best organist in France) plays a 20 minute concert. AMAZING!
Tour Victor Hugo's house on the Place de Vosges
The cathedral at St. Denis is one of my favorite...all the kings and queens of France have been buried there for over 1000 years. Spectacular.
If you want a nice day trip head out to the village of Provins - really nice fortified town with lots of history.

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375 posts

Go to the BHV. Check out the hardware department and look at all the electrical stuff and cool home improvement things. Or the department where they keep all the different knobs you can buy for your doors and drawers (makes a great keepsake). The houseware department is so wonderful! Talk to the sales person who handles the Gien line of china. And the arts and crafts department...they have artists demonstrating. Or the linen department. I just love that store! It's so beautiful, inside and out! It's not a department store as we know it....it's a heaven/haven for French design and sensibility!

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Two suggestions. One fairly conventional. The other...not so much.

Conventional: The Luxembourg Garden is rightly celebrated for its statuary, its botanical specimens, and its serene ambience. I find it endlessly fascinating for people-watching. Little kids tending their sailboats on the pond. Chess players with I-got-next tracking the games in progress. Men and women of all ages and stations playing pétanque or “boules” — basically bocce ball but played on a groomed court and with considerably greater intensity. You don’t have to watch very long to understand the game, and then to realize you are watching some ferociously skilled players. On our last night in Paris we watched a striking 50-ish man wearing a fashionable suit complete with boutonniere, and a very stylish ‘do, absolutely rock the joint.

Not-so-much: Le Théâtre de la Huchette is a tiny, funky playhouse on what has to be the cheesiest block in the Latin Quarter. It has presented two plays by Eugene Ionesco—La Cantatrice Chauve (“The Bald Soprano”) and La Lecon (“The Lesson”)—every Tuesday through Saturday night for more than 70 years without a single miss. The acting and direction are superb and the sardine-packed audience gives new meaning to the word “eclectic.” Worth it even if you don’t understand a word of French.

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796 posts

I love open air food markets that are twice weekly at many locations. My favorites are Grenelle by the Motte Piquet metro, President Wilson near the Iena metro and Monge by metro of the same name. Google will give the dates and times. A few market/food streets like Mouffetard is a treat to roam through. The arenes Lutece is near this street as is the Monge marche.

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11294 posts

The Museum of Counterfeits has exhibits not only on expected things, like fake purses, but also more sinister items that have caused fatalities, like fake medicines and fake car parts. As a bonus, it's near the metro station Porte Dauphine, which has one of the few fully intact glass canopies.

Their website is only in French (you can use Google Translate), and I see that they are now open Monday to Saturday, but for individuals only in the afternoons (14:00 to 17:30). Admission €6. https://musee-contrefacon.com

I second Steve's recommendation for the Gobelins. When I went, they had an exhibit on 100 years of tapestries, including many by famous painters. That exhibit is over - see what's on when you're there. Again, use Google Translate for the French-only website: http://www.mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr/

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1175 posts

You don't have to go to Normandy to pay your respects to Americans who died liberating Europe. You might visit the Suresnes American Cemetery which has 1,550 Americans who died in World War I, names of the 974 missing, and 23 unknown soldiers from World War II. You'll likely have it to yourselves and it's easy to reach, west of the Eiffel Tower in the town of Suresnes. You can check out buses or better yet take a taxi. Check out American Battle Monuments Commission, ambc.gov for more details and photos.

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752 posts

My new favorite thing to suggest is self-piloting a small electric boat on the La Villette canal: Marin d’eau Douce So much fun and very easy, no license needed. Take a picnic.

An earlier post mentioned music at Saint Chapelle...a great idea. There are several other churches known for their summer concerts, too, and all have concerts scheduled during your visit: Eglise Saint Ephrem, Eglise Saint Julien le Pauvre, and Eglise de la Madeleine.

Did you know the final stage of the Tour de France will arrive on the Champs Elysées the afternoon of July 28? It’s an exciting stage...there are many vantage points if you just want to get a glimpse of the peloton, without wading into the heavy crowds on the circuit route.

The Memorial of the Shoah focuses on France, and is a very powerful experience. The building is currently featuring an exhibition about art collections during the occupation.

Norma already mentioned the Institut du Monde Arabe, and I would second it—not only for its exhibitions, but it also has a great bookstore and gift shop.

carterlisa, hope you’ll share your discoveries when you return — have a wonderful holiday!