I'm going to Paris at the end of June, is there anything of the beaten track worth looking at?

Question

Yes there's the Louvre and the Eifell Tower but I'm looking for something different, less tourist'ish!

Answer 1

Many people miss the Cluny Museum. Its rather small and housed in the former home of an Abbot.

It contains the famous Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries and a small collection of various objects from the very early history of Paris thru the medieval era.

Beneath the museum they discoverd an old Roman bath which has been excavated and may be visited.

The museum is at 6 place Paul Painlevé in the 5th arr.just a minutes walk from the Seine south on the Blvd. St. Michel.

After you've been there walk south on St. Michel. A part of the foundation of the wall that enclosed the Roman forum may be seen in the stairway of the underground parking lot at number 61 Boulevard Saint-Michel.

Then walk east along the rue Souflott to the rue St. Jacques. Its just an ordinary Parisian street these days but its interesting to note that when Paris was the Roman city of Lutetia this was the cardo maximus (the main north-south road).

At the Place de la Sorbonne excavations revealed several Roman occupation layers. A Gallo-Roman well that is thought to be a vestige of one or more early Roman houses has been preserved in the centre of the square.

Answer 2

Take comfortable walking shoes as it is a Paris to "get lost in", areas that are fun are the Latin quarter (but many many tourist) , hang out in the g*y are le Marais (Metro St Paul) it also is the jewish area so a very wide range of people and shops will be open on sunday (clothing and food or 2nd hand books), enjoy a Falafell at Mariannes it is on the corner of the rue des rosiers and a little square, rude waiters but tasty food, the Picasso Museum is in that area and fun to visit even if only to look at the inside architecture of a hotel particulier. PLace des Vosges is fun, try and find the entrance to the south west of the square into a garden then through an old building which has quite a nice plaster staircase and you end up in teh front courtyard of a former hotel particulier

St Germain des pres is a big fave just avoid tourist cafes and check prices (rememeber no free refills of sodas etc and you could find yourself paying 6euros for a coke, but fun to spend time checking out people walking on the street. one of my fave cafes is cafe de la mairie on place st sulpice, just check all streets around there and around rue de seine etc. have a meal or cup of cafe @ cafe marly on cours carre du Louvres opposite the glass pyramid

also ice cream on Ile St Louis

walking in the Luxembourg garden, nice food at Cafe Rostand but pricy compared to a regular cafe

Montmartre is more diversified and has a lot to offer also

visit - the catacombes, sainte chapelle, Vaux le vicomte (quite a way outside of paris but it inspired Versailles and less crowded) musee rodin (nice gardens)

remember pickpockets in all tourists places and metro especially as you get on or off metro or trains, cafes etc, always have your handbag on you and not out of sight,

Answer 3

It should not be a surprise that Paris has a Musée de l'Erotisme ("Museum of the Erotic"). If this genre of art appeals to you, you will find this museum fascinating. The collection is extensive, multicultural, and spans all ages of humanity. Open daily, from 10 AM till 2 AM. There are four floors of exhibits, plus a museum shop. 72, boulevard Clichy 75018 Paris