I only say hidden because I didn’t know about some of those places until We had the opportunity to venture out of the touristy sites with the help of my husband’s cousin. On our last night in Paris she met us at the metro by our Hotel and we were off on a little adventure. We only went out for a few hours and I was not able to take many pictures but I still wanted to share these hidden spots in Paris that are not referred to as much. For those of you who may be a bit bored of hearing about the usual Paris stuff and want a “changement d’air” , this is for you. Those 3 places will for sure give you a real Parisian experience, that is a bit more authentic and less curated.
-First stop is MontMartre. I think it is the better known out of the three. Located on a hill, Montmartre offers a bohemian, free spirited , artistic vibe. This was the hub for writers, and other creatives. Ones like Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, and many more famous writers and painters lived and worked in MontMartre. We had a quick look there in the morning with the Hop-on Hop-off bus.
This where the Moulin Rouge is located. I think you can already see where the free spirited part comes from LOL , and along the Pigalle quarter you find quite a bit of sex stores.
But on the other hand this is also where the Sacré-Cœur is located at the top of the hill. Which offers amazing views of Paris. Story tells that they had the basilica built there in hopes to redeem the town of Montmartre!
Nowadays although the Moulin Rouge and the Sacré-Cœur bring about many tourists, this is where the youth gather for dinner and drinks.
We had a delicious raclette and fondue dinner at Le valois in Montmartre, It was amazing.
-Next is Les Halles. This the gathering spot for students and parisian socialites. For good reason as nearby is the Centre Pompidou which houses the vast public information library, The Musee National D’art Modern, the largest museum for modern art in Europe, and IRCAM, a center for Music and acoustic research. So all of my bookworms, lovers of art, this is where you should be heading when in Paris.
Les Halles used to be Paris’ central fresh food market and then it was demolished to be replaced by an underground shopping mall connected with the metro and RER. Now it is officially called Forum des Halles.
-Finally Le Marais. Paris’ historically aristocratic district. There is isn’t much that I have to say nor to show about it simply because We didn’t go LOL. We found out about it with my husband’s cousin only pointing out that on the other side of the Centre Pompidou was Le Marais. From what she said and what I researched, If you are into shopping and wonderful historical architecture and the night life you should take a look. As I plan on doing as well, to go see Hotel De Sully next time I’m in Paris. (take a peek)
A big thank you to Eunice for showing us around, We really appreciated it! I hope you enjoyed these different sides of Paris besides the usual and hopefully you have time to squeeze them in your trip’s itinerary. Let me know which one of those would like to take a look at for yourself ? And what other Paris hidden gems you may know of?
Thank for reading!
