Cool things to do in Paris, France

Paris. In my opinion - the worlds greatest city break.

Read on...

Disclaimer...
You will not struggle to find cool/unique things to do in Paris. I've visited 4 times in as many years, and the below is a collection of its "greatest hits".


Also, take decent footwear (i.e. trainers) because you're going to end up doing a lot of walking in Paris whether you intend to or not.

Who to go with?

The wife/hubby - Absolutely. Apparently, some people even get engaged there!

The lads/ladies - Not the place for a hen/stag do. But if you're a group of culture-vultures, you'll love it.

Where to stay in Paris?

We've stayed in a variety of places in Paris, all in different districts and all geared towards different budgets. Below is a run down of where we stayed which should offer an option for various travellers.


Les Argonautes is a small, cheap but clean hotel. It's situated very close to Saint-Michel/Notre Dame area, so is in an excellent location. There's plenty of bars and restaurants on your doorstep which can be a good thing, or a bad thing. If you're planning on being amongst the noise and tearing through the restaurants and bars then you'll love this place. However, if you're expecting a quiet nights sleep - then forget this place. There's a Greek restaurant directly opposite the hotel where the staff stand outside smashing hundreds of plates throughout the night/early morning. If you take earplugs (or drink plenty of beer/wine) then I'm sure you'll sleep through it.


Perfect Hotel & Hostel was our mega budget accommodation. As the name suggests, it's a hostel, but it's perfect for travelling on a budget. The rooms were basic, but clean and tidy - with no horror stories to speak of. Check-in and staff are great, and I always find you get a real friendly experience from using hostels. It's located close to the red light district of Paris, which wasn't a problem at all and everywhere felt completely safe - why wouldn't it? We were close to Moulin Rough (although didn't actually go inside) and great for getting to Sacre Coeur and Montmatre (more on these later). For one of the cheapest nights sleep in Paris - I'd highly recommend checking this place out.


Hotel de Latour Maubourg was one of our more expensive stays in Paris, hence we only stayed here for one night. It's proximity to the Eiffel Tower and fancy décor justify the cost though. We got up early one morning and walked from Latour Maubourg in the direction of Eiffel Tower, which takes you through various small streets lined with market stalls. We were able to buy some fresh fruit and ended up having strawberries on the grass in front of the tower well before the hoards of tourists arrived.


Apostrophe Hotel is a stylish boutique hotel situated in a fairly large, but quiet street. It's priced in the mid-range, but we chose it as the rooms were decorated in a quirky way (we stayed in the music room, which was uniquely decorated with sheet music). Situated close to Luxembourg Gardens (more on this later). Excellent mid range accommodation for the average traveller.

Pompidou Centre

Cool things to do in Paris?

The first thing we did when we arrived in Paris was to head to the world famous Deyrolle. My wife had no idea why I was dragging her across Paris as quickly as I could, and I wasn't exactly sure what to expect here either. I've always had a mild curiosity of taxidermy and this place is apparently a leader in its field. It's essentially a huge collection of curiosities with the feel of a museum, and art displays (we were lucky enough to see some Damien Hirst exhibitions during our visit). There's a strict no photography policy, but if you're sneaky enough you can always grab a few snaps. Ignore the bottom floor - unless you need to stock up on top end gardening supplies - then head upstairs for the beautifully odd main event!

Where else could you see this, other than at Deyrolle?

For a uniquely charming evening, grab yourself a screw-top bottle of red wine, steal some glasses from your hotel room, buy a baguette and grab the metro to Pont Neuf. When you reach street level, cross the bridge heading south, and descend the slightly hidden staircase to find yourself on Square du Vert-Galant. Get here before sunset to guarantee some good floor space where you can sit on the edge of the island with your feet dangling over the river Seine whilst you enjoy your wine and snacks. This is a hot-spot for students to hang out and drink, dance and smoke stuff whilst the sun goes down. It's likely that there'll be plenty of young Parisians playing acoustic guitars and you'll probably be approached by some questionable characters who wander around groups trying to sell beer by the individual can, but overall it's a bohemian atmosphere (but maybe that's because I had a belly full of wine by this stage?) Great views all round and a very memorable experience.

Wine at Square du Vert-Galant

If you have an interest in literature then a visit to Shakespeare and Company is a must. This book store is rich in history and was a regular haunt for Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald. It's well worth having a mooch around and treating yourself to a book. I appropriately bought Hemingways A Moveable Feast which was his memoir written when he lived in Paris. Be sure to ask for the book to be stamped when you're buying. Again, this is another no photography establishment.

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.

Great views of the entire city can be found at Sacre-Coeur. Take the funicular up the hill (otherwise there's a lot of steps to climb). Take some time to relax on the grass outside the church. Stroll around Montmatre. Apparently this area is a pick-pocket hot-spot, but we never had cause for concern.

I'm not normally one for aimlessly wondering around public gardens, but I must admit - I did enjoy Luxembourg Gardens. Take a bottle of wine, find a bench and spend some time people-watching and enjoying the colourful scenery in the sunshine. Everywhere you look here there's groups of people engaging in all sorts of different activities; from old Parisians playing bowls, large picnics, even young couples walking their cats! I actually got engaged to my wife here too - the perfect place.

Also, French law states that tourists must also visit:

• Eiffel Tower (I've never managed to reach the top unfortunately. Vertigo),
• Musee du Louvre,
• Notre Dame Cathedral,
• Arc de Triomphe.

Breakfast in Paris. Note; no other tourists.

How long to stay in Paris?

I'd say that the length of your stay in Paris is totally flexible. The longer you stay, the more you will see and experience. Whether two days, or two weeks - you'll enjoy it.