Looking for non touristy things to do in Paris? Have you been to Paris several times? Do you live in Paris? Do you want to skip the tourist traps and experience Paris like a local? Do you want to get so familiar with Paris that you have your very own favorite Parisian coffee shop? This post is for you!
10 Non Touristy Things to do in Paris
In addition to the traditional Paris experiences like snapping a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, visiting the treasures at the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay and strolling along the Quais de Seine, add these non touristy experiences to your Paris bucket list!
Reserve high tea at an exclusive location, one of the ultimate non touristy things to do in Paris
- Le Meurice is the place to go for the French version of a high tea in a gorgeous location. The set menu costs 65€ or 85€ with a glass of Champagne.
Related : Afternoon Tea at Le Meurice
- Nina’s Paris Website is a treasure of a tea shop that remains practically unknown despite its beauty. Located on the rue Danielle Casanova in the first arrondissement, just down the street from the Palais Royal Gardens, this tea salon is the perfect spot to pop into for a late afternoon tea menu. The tea menu is a set menu offering the tea of your choice and a slice of their apple rose cake made with roses from the gardens of Versailles for 24€.
Book a Behind-the-Scenes Bakery Tour with Breakfast (one of the most delicious non touristy things to do in Paris!)
Start by taking a tour of a beautiful French bakery. Learn the secrets of making a perfectly crunchy-on-the-outside, soft and delicious on-the-inside baguette from a professional French baker, before eating a French breakfast of croissants and pains au chocolat.
Book the Behind-the-Scenes Bakery Tour with Breakfast here!
Visit the smaller Parisian museums like a local (non touristy museums are such a treat!)
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Once you have visited the bigger, well known Paris museums like the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and the Grand Palais, spend some time getting to know the small museums in Paris. These museums are some of our favorites. We go back to them again and again and consider them some of the best places to visit in Paris.
- The Rodin Musée is such a hidden gem in Paris. Explore Rodin’s home and gardens and enjoy his gorgeous sculptures.
- Musée de l’Orangerie houses Monet’s gorgeous waterlilies. Don’t miss seeing them while you are in Paris!
- Musée Jacquemart André is absolutely exquisite. It was once a private mansion in the 8th arrondissement and now features the private collection of the Jacquemart André family. They also offer fabulous temporary exhibits. The interiors are also beyond beautiful.
- Musée Nissim Camondo is dedicated to French decorative art from the second half of the eighteenth century. The collection is also housed in a private mansion that was built between 1911 and 1914.
- Musée de la Vie Romantique is in a beautiful house in the 9th arrondissement. This museum shares the history of personalities who have passed through this house such as Ary Scheffer, Chopin, George Sand and more. Make sure you pop into the rose garden for a latte before or after you visit.
- Musée des Arts Forains is a jewel of a Parisian museum that most people don’t know about. It is an incredible collection of antique French fairgrounds items (rides, carrousels, games, masks, statues, tents and more). It is only open for a couple of weeks per year so make sure you check out their website before planning your trip.
Explore the lesser known gardens (not touristy at all)
Paris has so many beautiful gardens to choose from. Although everyone knows about the Tuileries across from the Louvre and the Luxembourg Gardens, fewer tourists know to visit the gorgeous Parc Monceau and the Jardin des Plantes.
- Parc Monceau is a gorgeous garden in the 8th arrondissement. I lived in the 8th for 2 years and loved walking through the Parc Monceau with my morning coffee each day. It’s worth visiting the garden to see the magnificent real estate surrounding it as well. Wouldn’t it be dreamy to live in one of the surrounding hôtel particuliers? If you happen to visit Paris in the Spring, make sure you check out out favourite spots to see the cherry blossoms in Paris.
- Jardin des Plantes is the botanical garden of Paris, dating all the way back to 1626, and home to a lovely little zoo with over 200 animal species, the Natural History Museum and a botanical school that trains botanists.
Related : The Jardin des Plantes
Visit Sainte Chapelle (a non touristy treasure!)
After 20 years in Paris, Sainte Chapelle still remains one of my absolute favorite places. It is stunning beautiful and a place I return to again and again. It is not as well known as a lot of other sites in Paris, but to make sure you can get in during your trip to Paris, I recommend booking your tickets in advance.
Book your Sainte Chapelle Skip-the-Line tickets here!
If you want to combine a visit to Sainte Chapelle with a Seine River Cruise (so much fun and another one of my absolute favorite activities in Paris!), book your tickets here.
Sip coffee like a local for the ultimate Parisian experience
If you are a coffee lover like we are, then you will not be disappointed by the selection of artisanal coffee shops in Paris. Locals love to sit and sip coffee for hours. There are fabulous coffee shops in every arrondissement. We listed all of our favorites by arrondissement in the complete Parisian Café Guide.
- Honor Café is in the 8th arrondissement on the beautiful rue Faubourg Saint Honoré. Pop in for a takeout coffee or sit in the lovely little courtyard with your favorite book or magazine. (Sadly, Honor is permanently closed!)
- KB Cake Shop is one of my favorite places to sit and write. Order a flat white and a chocolate chip cookie!
- Boot Café is the smallest cafe in Paris and is definitely worth a visit for a cute photo in front of the blue coffee shop alone.
Related : Don’t Miss These Parisian Cafés (The Complete Guide)
Cruise down the Canal Saint Martin (a lot less touristy than cruising down the Seine)
A few years ago, we were invited to experience the Canal Saint Martin cruise. Although we love the better known Seine river cruise (and absolutely recommend you do it during your time in Paris as well!), the Canal Saint Martin cruise is great fun too and will most likely have a lot fewer tourists.
Book your Canal Saint Martin Cruise here!
Shop at a local food market like the Parisians do
One of the best things about living in Paris, or visiting Paris, is shopping at the local markets.
- Marché d’Aligre is a covered market in the 12th arrondissement. It is open every day and is the perfect place to buy meat, fish, fruits and veggies to enjoy in your hotel room or apartment if you are planning to do some cooking during your stay in Paris. Make sure you stop by Le Baron Rouge for oysters and white wine no matter the time of day after the market. We love to meet friends here and enjoy oysters and white wine here for breakfast! Shop the food markets like a true Parisian with your reusable market bag.
- Marché de l’Olive, also known as Marché de La Chapelle, is a great example of a traditional French covered market.
Related : Don’t Miss These 8 Foods in Paris!
Sleep in a Parisian bookshop converted into a luxury suite for 2 (it doesn’t get less touristy than this actually!)
Whether you are coming to Paris for the trip of a lifetime, a weekend away or spending Valentine’s Day in Paris, you will love the Paris Boutik concept.
- Paris Boutik converted a Parisian bookstore into a luxury hotel suite for 2 that you can move into when you visit Paris. Perfectly located in the heart of the Marais just off the rue Charlot, it is the perfect launching pad from which you can experience Paris like a local.
Book your trip with Paris Boutik.
Experience the World in Paris
- Rue Saint Anne in the 2nd arrondissement is the place to go for traditional Japanese food. Think ramen noodles, Japanese grocery stores, onigiri and more.
- The Indian neighborhood in the 10th arrondissement is the perfect spot for authentic Indian curries, samosas, lassi and Indian pastries.
- Experience Chinese culture and food in the 13th arrondissement at Tang Frères. This huge Chinese grocery store sells all kinds of prepared foods as well as ingredients to prepare Asian food at home.
- If you’re craving Mexican food, have a burrito at Bocamexa.
- Try traditional Turkish coffee and dishes at Ibrik Cafe.
- Enjoy the best falafel in Paris at Chez Hanna.
Related : French Kitchen Wall Art
Use the Batobus to get around
Batobus is such a fun concept! It is a hop-on, hop-off water bus system that you can use to visit lots of major sites along the Seine.
I love to use it just to go for a nice boat ride in Paris and take in the sites, but it also takes you to a lot of main Parisian attractions that are along the Seine, such as the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay.
It’s a fun and affordable way to get around when your feet get tired from walking thousands of steps and makes sure you will also see Paris from the water during your trip.
Book your Hop-on Hop-off Batobus tickets here!
See a play at the Comédie Française
Seeing a play at the Comédie Française is definitely a bucket list event. The play will be in French but honestly, even if you don’t speak French, go for the costumes, the salle, the history, the drama and the beauty of it all!
Eat where the locals eat
Paris is full of tourist trap restaurants! Avoid them by eating where Parisians eat.
- La Recyclerie is a great place to enjoy brunch.
- Le Bouillon Chartier is the place to eat if you want to step into the past and enjoy a fabulous lunch or dinner at a traditional French bouillon.
- La Palette is a bistro in the 6th arrondissement, not far from Saint Sulpice and Odéon. If you love meat, try la bavette and end your meal with an incredible tarte tatin.
Explore Paris by bike
If part of your French fantasy involves riding a bike through the beautiful streets of Paris, why not take a bike tour to get to know the city?
The Charming Nooks and Crannies Bike Tour has 1400+ 5-star reviews!
Book the Charming Nooks and Crannies Paris Bike Tour here!
Indulge in a walking cheese, wine and pastries tour in Montmartre
Wine + cheese + pastries = my idea of Heaven.
Explore one of the coolest neighborhoods in Paris while also trying local cheeses, wines and pastries.
Book the Montmartre Walking Cheese, Wine and Pastries tour here!
Have more time? Want more ideas? Here are 2 bonus non touristy things to do in Paris ideas!
Try lesser known French foods
Everyone knows to eat Boeuf Bourguignon, onion soup and croissants in Paris. What about trying some unique foods from other parts of France?
- Praluline is a brioche pastry filled with pink pralines. Originally created in Lyon, you can now try it in Paris at Pralus. There are several locations.
Wake up early and go to the Marché des Puces
When Parisians want to find an antique treasure they head to the Marché des Puces. Get there at 6am to find the best treasures. You can negotiate prices.
Try one of the best hot chocolates in Paris
Paris is home to some of the best coffee shops in the World. It is also a fantastic place to sip some of the best hot chocolate in the World!
Related : Your Guide to the Best Hot Chocolate in Paris
Looking for the non-touristy hotel for your trip to Paris? These are my top choices!
- Hotel du Louvre – this hotel is perfectly located across the street from the Palais Royal and steps away from the Louvre and the Tuileries.
- Maison Souquet – a luxury hotel in the 9th arrondissement housed in a maison particulière from the 1800s. (Their bar is stellar too!)
- Maison Proust – a gorgeous new hotel in Paris that also has an absolutely dreamy La Mer spa!
- Hotel Parister – a more affordable stay in the trendy 9th arrondissement.
- Hotel Delavigne – an affordable option centrally located in the 6th arrondissement near Odéon.
- Hotel La Comtesse – 4-star hotel with Eiffel Tower views from all the rooms!
- Hotel du Jeu de Paume provides a magical stay on the Ile Saint Louis, across from the Marais.
- Hotel Parister is the place for you if you are looking for a romantic hotel, complete with a gorgeous pool.
- Paris Boutik La Libraire provides the perfect place to have a sleepover in a Parisian bookstore converted into a luxury suite for 2.
- Paris Boutik l’Epicerie makes it possible for you to sleep in a traditional Parisian grocery store (or epicerie) converted into a luxury hotel suite for 2.
- Paris Hotels with Eiffel Tower Views
Non Touristy Things to Do in Paris
We hope you’ve enjoyed these ideas!
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First published January 13, 2020. Last updated February 4, 2024 with more information, additional tips, and better readability.
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