Visit the museum late at night
The Louvre Museum is open late on Wednesday and Friday evenings.
Taking advantage of the late museum nights is a great way to avoid the tourist crowds in Paris. The Louvre is open until 9:45 on Wednesday and Friday nights, and the Musée d'Orsay is open until 9:45 on Thursday nights. The Centre Pompidou is usually open until 10:00 p.m., with the sixth floor closing an hour later on Thursday nights.
Watch a late night movie at an arthouse cinema
Le Champo Cinema often organizes monthly late night movie screenings.
Paris is famous as one of the world's cinema capitals, with countless arthouse cinemas. Le Champo in the Latin Quarter is one of the most famous, popular for its monthly late-night screenings, which start at midnight and end with breakfast, allowing you to see some great independent films in one sitting for just €15.
Stroll along the Seine River
Walking along the banks of the Seine in the afternoon is an enjoyable experience.
For 15 years, Paris authorities have been trying to turn the highway that cuts through the city center into a car-free zone. In 2017, they finally succeeded, opening a new park called the Rives de Seine. Now, the gardens along the banks of the Seine are home to popular restaurants, sports centers, children's play areas and bars, and are a great place to exercise or simply relax in the sun.
Visit the Palais Garnier Opera House
On the ceiling of Palais Garnier's Grand Foyer are brilliant gilded paintings.
The Palais Garnier's architectural style has inspired many buildings in Paris and around the world over the past 140 years. There are several guided tours of the public areas of the opera house every day, including information about the history, architecture and current activities of the Palais Garnier, lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Visit Versailles or Fontainebleau
Garden view of the Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is not far from the city center, and a 20€ ticket will cover the palace, gardens, exhibition halls and galleries inside, while a 27€ ticket will also include opera performances, which take place on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the summer. You can also visit the Palace of Fontainebleau in the southeast of the city, which was home to 34 monarchs.
Watching people passing by on Saint-Germain Boulevard
Boulevard Saint-Germain is one of the most famous streets in Paris.
People-watching is something of a “national sport” for anyone in Paris. You can do it anywhere, but the best place to do it is on Boulevard Saint-Germain. Just pick any bar, cafe or restaurant and watch the world go by.
Play chess with the locals in Luxembourg Gardens
Chessboard row in Luxembourg Gardens
The Jardin du Luxembourg is one of France’s oldest and most famous parks and one of Paris’s best destinations. It offers a wide range of recreational opportunities, from boating to beekeeping, but for the past 30 years it has also been a gathering place for Parisian chess enthusiasts. In the northwest corner of the Jardin du Luxembourg are 12 chess tables and dozens of players, many of whom will play for free, but most of the chess players here place bets.
Explore used bookstores in the Latin Quarter
Outside Shakespeare & Company bookstore
Paris is a book lover's paradise, from free short stories in train stations to the world's oldest and most beautiful libraries, but one of the most enjoyable experiences is the abundance of second-hand bookshops. Although bookshops can be found all over Paris, they are most numerous in the Latin Quarter, especially in the streets adjacent to the Sorbonne.
Lost in the Marais district
At the end of rue de Sevigne in the Marais district is the St Louis Cathedral.
Not only is the Marais part of old Paris with its maze of narrow, winding streets, it is also one of the city’s most culturally diverse neighborhoods. Today, the Marais’ three main communities are Jewish, Chinese and LGBTQ, which is reflected in its restaurants, bars and even museums.
Drink like a local
Les Chimères cafe is located in a corner of the bustling Saint-Paul Square
For a long time, Paris was "famous" for its terrible coffee, so much so that it was said that all the delicious flavors and the chef's ingenuity were put into the first three courses of the meal, leaving nothing for the coffee. However, that did not stop the Parisian culture of drinking coffee on the sidewalk. It is certainly an interesting experience that visitors should not miss.
Rowing on the canals of Paris
People sit and sunbathe in the spring along the Canal Saint-Martin
Paris has a well-developed network of canals. However, the Canal Saint-Martin, which connects the Seine to the wider waterways of the 19th arrondissement, is one of the liveliest areas of the city. Boats are available for hire at reasonable prices, and there are also large cruise ships available.
Climb the dome of the Sacré-Cœur basilica
The Sacré-Cœur Basilica stands out against the blue sky and is even more enchanting at night.
There are plenty of places to get a panoramic view of Paris – the Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse Tower, the rooftops of Galeries Lafayette and Printemps – but one of the best is the dome of Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart). It can get very crowded, so it’s best to arrive early in the morning. However, you’ll have to climb more than 300 steep and narrow steps to reach the top of the tallest building on the city’s tallest hill.
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