Paris: your favourite off the beaten path places

One of my favorites I think is all but hidden in plain sight is the Museum of Decorative Arts. Beautiful displays in chronological order. It’s next to the Louvre and also has a great shop. https://madparis.fr/en

Here is a random selection!
In terms of markets, the Marche St Quentin in the 10th is a very good covered market. So is the Marche Beauvau (indoor) next to the Marché d'Aligre outdoor, but that one is better known. It is closer to the 6th.
Boulevard Raspail has a big organic market on Sunday mornings.

Regarding parks, not too far from the 6th arrondissement...
Jardin Catherine Labouré is a beautiful little park right behind the Bon Marché. Very peaceful, great for a sandwich lunch (you can buy good sandwiches at the Bon Marché grocery store, "la Grande Épicerie").
A bit better known, the Arènes de Lutèce in the 5th are worth passing through.
And have you been to the Jardin Alpin section of the Jardin des Plantes? It is well hidden, and really well-tended.

As for cute neighborhoods, shopping streets, etc, I think La Butte aux Cailles is interesting, a neighborhood of low buildings right off Place d'Italie with many bars and restaurants along Rue de la Butte aux Cailles and adjacent streets.
Rue Daguerre is a nice shopping street too, which combines well with Montparnasse cemetery, Catacombs or Cartier Foundation visits.

In terms of museums, again staying in/close to the 6th, if you've been to the Rodin museum, try the Bourdelle museum. Great museum for a great sculptor. The small Zadkine museum, free, next to Luxembourg garden, is also worthwhile if you pass by. And Cartier Foundation, Luxembourg museum and Maillol museum can have great exhibitions; check what's on!

Last but not least, viewpoints. Western tip of ile de la cité (Vert-Galant) is a classic, but it's easy to overlook. Further away, Parc de Belleville has great views over a good chunk of Paris. And there's a hot air balloon you can ride in Parc André Citroën in the 15th, with good views of the Eiffel Tower!

Take a look at the Marche Notre Dame in Versailles. There is a large covered market, and on Tuesday and Fridays there is on open air market too. Take the Ligne L train from La Defense to the Versailles Rive Droite station that is about a block away.

Have you visited the Potage de Roi? Depending on when you are there in November there may still be some plants to see.

My favorite market is St Germaine-en-laye. It’s on Sundays and I think Wednesdays. It’s around the Square and kind of spills out on Sundays on the other roads and you can sit up at a café on the steps of a building and look down on it which is just great. It’s near the archaeological museum, and a great park with a great view of Paris.

It’s a little town that’s basically a suburb of Paris. It’s on the RER easy to get to and the town itself is adorable too. There’s some museums / it’s just a lot of fun.

I grew up going to the marché in St Germain-en-Laye, where we lived, twice a week with my mom… : )… It is wonderful, as Carol said. But St Germain-en-Laye is an actual town in and of itself, not a suburb. It, and the chateau there, figures quite a lot in French history.

St Germain-en-Laye is very easy to get to on the RER.

Also, situated on the edge of St Germain-en-Laye and a town called Marly-le-Roi, is the chateau and gardens of Alexandre Dumas where he lived and wrote The Three Musketeers. It’s lovely to visit and tour. You’d have to take a bus or taxi there.

https://www.chateau-monte-cristo.com/main/en/

I also love visiting Malmaison, the home of Josephine and Napoleon, just outside Paris. Easy to get to by bus from La Défense.

Thanks so much for the great ideas.

A favourite Marche is Popincourt in the 11th. A favourite street is Rue des Martyrs for which there is a book written about it.

Random places which I have enjoyed—not exactly off the beaten path, but not usually visited by first-time Paris tourists:

Covered Passages. Any of them.

Arènes de Lutèce. Very old Roman amphitheater in the 5th arr.

Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. Or any of the other historic cemeteries, including the Passy Cemetery!

Grave of Marquis De Lafayette. at the Cimetière de Picpus.

Musée Marmottan Monet. Not the first or even second museum that most visitors go to, but a wonderful collection of Monets and other impressionists.

Passy Covered Market.

Pont de Bir-Hakeim. And its wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower. Walk to the end of the All. des Cygnes island to see the mini Statue of Liberty.

La Promenade Plantée. Wonderful gardened walkway along an old elevated railway.

The Vanves flea market is very enjoyable, i like it better than the huge St Ouen market. Vanves is not overwhelming and always has good stuff.

https://www.parisperfect.com/blog/2015/03/vanves-flea-market-paris/

I celebrate my birthday month of November in Europe for the month. Again it will be Paris. One of the best books I have is Markets of Paris by Long and Williams. Lists markets by arr, day of the week and especially those that are open on Sunday

You haven't mentioned the passages? Fabulous.

Venturing outside of Paris--I loved Chateau Chantilly, and I venture to all the small towns within 1 hour of the city.

Concerts: lots of free ones.

I love going in November as I catch the beginning of the Christmas season, decorations, markets, store windows and lights.

Musee des Arts Forains museum in Bercy Village of carnival arts.

Alfred Kahn Museum and Gardens. The gardens jam a half dozen different styles of garden: Japanes, English ramble, French formal etc into a small space. The museum has many of the photos and such that Alfred Kahn made around the turn of the 20th century to try to preserve a record of what he realized would soon be lost cultures as distant parts of the world modernized.

The church created by the Jewish Bishop of Paris combining imagery from Judaism and Christianity. Notre Dame de-l’Arche de Alliance. (Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant) It is an interesting modern design located in the 15th not far from Gare Montparnasse.

The Picpus Cemetery and the graves of those murdered in the terror and also Lafayette whose inlaws were murdered in the terror. (you have to be a descendent or relative of those condemned to death during the revolution to be buried there). Lafayette's tomb is tended by a local ex-pat group and an American flag is always present.

Musée des Arts Forains - their own website literally says "A museum off the beat track in Paris". It is a fascinating and beautiful museum dedicated to carnival and fairgrounds arts. Vintage games and rides -- some interactive. The venue is gorgeous.

https://arts-forains.com/en/visitors

I stumbled over this in a magazine years ago and tried several trips to visit, but "back then" you had to actually call on the phone to reserve and you could only get in if tagging along with an-already-reserved group. And they only spoke French (and I do not), so I didn't have much luck. But I tried every time I visited Paris and eventually, through email, was able to tag along with a group.

It was so much fun and so interesting. Highly recommend. It is MUCH easier to book now.

Following up on PharmerPhil's list, I recommend the Basilique de Saint-Denis ( Metro line 13, Mo: Basilique de Saint-Denis). Not usually on anyone's must see list, the basilica contains the tombs of many of the kings & queens of France including Henri II & Catherine de' Medici, Louis XIV, & Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette. Fascinating history & walk-through of the burial sites.

I concur with PharmerPhil's rec of La Promenade Plantée which my husband and I began from the Coulée Verte René-Dumont entrance. It is a most beautiful, lightly visited garden which is reminiscent of an English garden.

Montmartre Cemetery and Pere Lachaise Cemetery.
Marmottan Museum (many Monet paintings--many fewer visitors than Orsay, etc.)
Musée Nissim de Camondo--a beautiful mansion with lovely furnishings, again, sparsely frequented in the lovely Parc Monceau, a nice respite from crowds.

Thanks so much for the great tips. I have not yet been to the Picpus cemetery or the Popincourt market.

Nissim de Camondo, yes! Love it.

Susan, I was just going to suggest Nissim de Camondo. It is my favorite museum in Paris -- small, antique furniture, artwork, history. And a walk through the adjoining park.

We visited Picpus Cemetery based on a recommendation from someone on this forum. You might also be interested in these “off the beaten path” military cemeteries we visited on a recent trip -
- Sureness American Cemetery
- Mémorial de L'Escadrille La Fayette

Pere LaChaise was fascinating and definitely worth exploring.

You’ve probably already seen the Catacombs and Cluny Museum but if not, add them to your list!

I think the St. Denis Basilica is the best often overlooked site in Paris, so agree with that rec.
In this list of Paris places with snapshots, you will see pictures of several of the things I and others recommended -- including Basilica St. Denis, Picpus cemetery, various churches, the Promenade Plantee, Albert Kahn Gardens, Musee Arts Forains etc.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/category/paris/
It might help you narrow things down.

If you decide to go to the Picpus Cemetery, be aware that the entrance is hard to find, and it is a private cemetery only open from 2–6pm, Monday through Saturday.

We really enjoyed the Musee Curie, 1 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005. It's a small, well-curated museum about the lives and achievements of Marie and Pierre Curie. Very interesting! Free, but hours are limited.

https://musee.curie.fr/

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions and the details. The Marie Curie museum is on the list and I have added the Picpus cemetery. So many markets to visit.

"...off the beaten tourist track." In Paris,,,some of the favourites, the 13th Arrond, 14th Arrond. and the 20th, which I find culturally interesting and sociologically intriguing as I was exploring these areas, a lot of walking.

I saw Lafayette's tomb some 20 years ago, a local showed it thinking I would be interested.

Picpus Cemetery is at 35, rue de Picpus, Paris 75012. Big green door, across the street from a car dealer.

horsewoofie, i agree, it’s definitely one of my top favorites. But Lindy mentioned it first, i was just agreeing with her… : )

There is also a lot of street art - -unfortunately the quite wonderful murals in the Tuilleries Tunnel a year ago have been ruined by talentless tagger vandals who printed huge block letters across all the art -- but there are lot so professional murals in the 13th along line 6 of the metro -- the area between cheverolet and nationale metro stops contains about 25 of these amazing murals -- some are visible from the metro and others you have to wander around behind corners. There are also lots of murals deeper into Chinatown in the 13th.

We've been to Paris three weeks ago and we went to some off-the-beaten path, in case you haven't been there in your 10x of travels.

1. Grand Mosque of Paris - my unexpected favorite place that we have visited. It's so serene, green, and just beautiful. https://happinessontheway.com/the-grand-mosque-of-paris/
2. Rue Cler - you might have visited this tho
3. Le Crémieux, an organic restaurant near Rue Cremieux (https://happinessontheway.com/rue-cremieux/)

Just be careful, the Picpus cemetery has very limited opening days / hours. Be sure to find out before going.

Yes, the Picpus cemetery is typically open from 2-5 or 6 PM only, and closed Sundays. It is very interesting and peaceful. If you go, there is delicious ice cream and sorbets 5-10 min walk away at Raimo on Boulevard de Picpus. Not much else of note in the immediate vicinity.

Thanks for the details. I will Check out some of the street art in the 13th.

Thanks for asking the question. I love the suggestions.