Home > Paris Sightseeing > Hidden Paris

Paris Sights: Hidden Paris

Much of Paris is obscured; in warrens of medieval streets, at the end of moody looking alleys, below ground, within anonymous buildings. Many galleries, clubs and restaurants are hidden away, content to keep a low profile. Discovering these treasures for oneself is half the fun but we do have some tips.

A good place to start is to get off the main thoroughfares and explore. One option is to take the Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise which provides an interesting perspective of the city. Get down low on the water and only then will you see how much of a port city Paris once was. You’ll notice curious sightlines, hidden places and unexpected open areas where you expected none.

The Musée des Égouts de Paris will introduce you to the vast subterranean world of the sewers, the scene of a thousand stories. Home of gothic arches and secret tunnels, this museum is a fantastic journey into history, engineering and adventure.

Notre Dame may not be a hidden aspect of Paris, being perhaps the most well known sight following the Eiffel Tower, however it does boast some hidden gems which those who do not hold the Paris Pass could well miss out on.

Climb the Notre Dame Towers with your pass for a revealing glimpse of the city below, or head underground iinto the Crypte Archéologique, an atmospheric time capsule which explores the lives and artifacts of the tribes and civilizations that dwelt in Paris up to 2000 years ago.

Almost all of the grand châteaux hold secrets and all are amazing. Versailles hides within it's walls much of the history and heritage of today's France, while lesser known beauties include the Château de La Motte Tilly, Château de Rambouillet and Château de Maisons-Laffitte.

The Chapelle Expiatoire is a lingering reminder of the French revolution, bang in the middle of Paris. This beautiful and seldom visited chapel is where Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were laid to rest after they were guillotined and in which the bodies of 3,000 victims of the revolution are buried. It remains today a magical, haunted place in the bustling heart of Paris.

These are just the merest of hints, no doubt you will discover your own hidden Paris and want to keep it for yourself.