Paris is the city of love. It’s known as such all over the world. That’s one of the reasons why it’s one of the world’s busiest cities for tourism. In many cases, people set off for Paris without really knowing what they want to do there. That can lead to disappointment and frustration upon arrival in the French capital. This is such a common problem for Japanese tourists that a special hotline had to be set up for Japanese nationals suffering from “Paris syndrome.” Symptoms include regretting the decision to go to Paris and wanting to get out again as soon as possible. This is quite a devastating indictment of Paris, but things needn’t get that bad. There are plenty of things to do in Paris other than looking at the Eiffel Tower – all you need to do is look for them.
Paris is a city of culture and wonder, with enough activities and attractions to keep you occupied for weeks without going near the tower. Even in the popular casino game “Hello Paris” by Flipluck, it’s the canals of Paris that are used as a theme for the game rather than the tower. If you didn’t even know Paris had canals, that’s very much indicative of the problem. Casino games aren’t often seen as bastions of culture, so if they know something you don’t, it’s time to do some learning! Much as you’d check sistersite.com to find the best casino site to play that casino game before spending money on it, you ought to check a reference guide to find the best things to do in Paris before spending money on going there.
Here are a few suggestions from us.
The Catacombs
Why walk around Paris when you could walk around underneath it – and be surrounded by death at every turn? “Les Catacombes” manage to simultaneously be beautiful but also like something from the darkest of all horror movies. This crisscrossing network of tunnels forms a network said to be over 1800 miles long, containing the bones of over six million of the city’s former residents. Many of them are believed to have met their fate during the French Revolution. There are so many legends about the tunnels that it’s hard to know what’s true and what isn’t, but we can say that the bones of both Robespierre and Marat are down there in the dark. The catacombs are a once-in-a-lifetime sight and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Moulin Rouge
To some people, “Moulin Rouge” is the name of a Baz Luhrmann movie from more than twenty years ago. It starred Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman and has since become a hit musical. Some of the people who’ve seen either the film or the musical don’t realise that the inspiration behind them is real. The Moulin Rouge is one of the world’s most famous nightclubs – and it’s a nightclub in the classic sense of the world, comprising a cabaret venue and a rooftop bar as well as a dancefloor. The can-can dance began at the Moulin Rouge, and champagne is almost insisted on. No visit to Paris is complete without spending at least one night here.
Arc de Triomphe
Far too many people skip out on visiting the Arc de Triomphe because they think it’s just an old war monument, good for nothing other than taking a quick picture of it before moving on. That’s inaccurate. The Arc de Triomphe is a war memorial, but it’s one that you can get inside and climb to the top of. It’s a bit of a workout to make it up the near-three-hundred steps to the top of the Arc, but the views at the top are worth it. Right at the centre of the arch is the grave of the Unknown Soldier. That’s another world-famous spot, but most people don’t tend to know that it’s inside the Arc de Triomphe. Be careful of traffic if you’re visiting the monument, though – the roundabout is so dangerous that hire car companies prohibit customers from using it unless they pay an additional insurance premium because accidents are so common.
Galeries Lafayette
No good holiday is complete without a shopping trip. If you’re going shopping in Paris, the must-see destination is Galeries Lafayette. This is the shopping mall and department store that every other such store in the world should be judged against. Virtually all of them would come up short in that comparison. The building is worth seeing even if you have no intention of doing any shopping at all, as the ceiling domes and glasswork are triumphs of architecture. Once you’re done shopping at stores owned by some of the world’s most exclusive and prestigious brands, you can stop for a meal in one of its pop-up restaurants or even go for a drink in its secret rooftop bar – although we suppose it’s not a secret now we’ve told you about it.
Musee d’Orsay
If people want to go to a gallery in Paris, they go to the Louvre. That’s such an obvious tip that we don’t want to give it to you. Instead, consider visiting the Musee d’Orsay. It’s no less impressive than the Louvre, and the building has a more impressive history. Many years before it became an art gallery, Musee d’Orsay was a train station. In fact, it was the first electrified railway station in the world. As trains got bigger and the station ran out of room to expand, the government decided to replace the trains with works of art. You can find art of all kinds in this museum and gallery, but it specialises in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pieces, of which it has some of the best and most valuable in the world. Stop off at the submarine-themed coffee shop at the back of the museum before you leave.
This should be more than enough entertainment to keep you occupied for a long weekend in Paris, or perhaps even a full week if you space them out and do the obvious things, too. We could have listed more places – Paris is full of hidden gems, and if you’re willing to do the research, you’ll find them. Never go to Paris and say that it’s a boring city – if you think it is, you’re doing it all wrong!
