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After ticking off the top museums and main sights, it’s time to fill in the gaps in your itinerary, and this compilation of unique things to do in Paris will do just that!
Paris is an incredible destination for first-time and returning visitors, offering endless entertainment, beautiful architecture, great food, and charming neighborhoods to explore.
But sometimes it can be hard to know what else to do after ticking every item off your Paris bucket list.
After visiting the City of Light, which I think is over five times now, and recently having lived here for almost three months, I’ve curated this extensive guide of unique things to do in Paris.
Most of these are based on many random, unique moments I had in the city, and special activities I did while living here, and not just passing by.
So I hope these serve you as inspiration to complement your dream trip to Paris, and squeeze a little bit of slow travel magic into your packed itinerary.
Whether you are spending 2 days in Paris or following a longer 5-day Paris itinerary, there is plenty you can pack into any visit, and this guide will make sure of it!
Let’s get started!
1) Travel back in time at the incredibly whimsical MusĂ©e des Arts Forains, a fairground museum displaying old fair games, decorations, and even historic carousels that you can rideâit’s so much fun! This is one of my absolute favorite unique things to do in Paris. Just make sure to book your tickets in advance.
2) Sip a hot chocolate inside the historic Galerie Vivienne, one of the most beautiful covered passages in Parisâand one that many people walk through but rarely pause to enjoy. Change that by grabbing a little something sweet at Le Valentin Vivienne and watching the world go by.
3) Explore the quietly posh area of Passy on the Right Bank, across from the Eiffel Tower. This off-the-beaten-path neighborhood is an area regular tourists will probably never cross. I wandered here by accident and loved how quiet it is while still having everything you could need: great shopping, coffee shops, and restaurants.
4) Create your very own lipstick shade at BĂąton Rouge in Le Maraisâtalk about a unique thing to do in Paris.
5) Dress up for a night out, enjoying one of Paris’ most iconic cabaret shows, Crazy Horse, running since 1951. After seeing this and Moulin Rouge, I’d recommend anyone to skip the windmill and visit the intimate, modern Crazy Horse instead.
6) Shop the quirkiest of souvenirs at Messy Nessy’s Cabinet, one of the most unique shops in Paris, selling all types of niche items, from small apothecary bottles with Seine water to old Parisian hotel ashtrays, antique raffia glass flasks, vintage jewelry, and more.
7) Have lunch with a view of the Eiffel Tower, basically for free! Grab lunch to-go at a bakery, then head to the Library of Contemporary Architecture and take a window seat overlooking the Eiffel Tower. This is one of my favorite things to do in Paris when it rainsâI spent many rainy afternoons working away on my computer until the first Eiffel Tower sparkle of the evening.
8) Book a timed slot at Substance CafĂ© for the most incredible coffee of your life. The owner and only barista, Joachim, will take time with each client to tailor the coffee to their preferences and even suggest unique things to try. This coffee shop’s flat white has ruined all flat whites for meâthe milk froth is just incredible!
9) Stock up on Le Petit Marseillais soaps from the closest grocery storeâthe soaps are amazing and so affordable. The most travel-friendly way of doing this is by buying the packs of solid barsâyou can find packs of up to 6 bars. My favorite scents are sweet almond oil and orange blossom.
10) Enjoy incredible Japanese food at Sakuniya. We lived in Japan for 9 months, and their udon truly made me feel like we were back in Osaka. It’s that good! My boyfriend is a big fan of their Katsudon.
11) Catch a traditional circus show with daring acts, live music, and clowns at the legendary Bouglione Circus right in the heart of Paris. The show takes place inside a permanent building, Cirque d’Hiver, built in 1852âstepping inside feels like traveling back in time.
12) Have the fanciest of girl dinnersâwithout the price tagâat Ostra, a no-frills oyster and wine bar in the Latin Quarter. Their âŹ12 deal for 3 oysters and a glass of wine is hard to pass up. And the oysters are actually so good!
13) Shop anything and everything at the Merci shop in Le Marais: from beautifully curated homeware, clothing, toiletries, stationery, coffee table books, and more. They also have a stylish café next door. If you want a small, practical souvenir, go for their cute tote bags.
14) Stock up on French salted caramels at La Grande Ăpicerie, and whatever other French goodies you find, but these caramels are so good!
15) Splurge on a little LadurĂ©e macaroon box to keep the cute box as a souvenir… and then you might have to sacrifice yourself and also eat the macaroons inside. I know, such a hard life. Try the raspberry, salted caramel, and pistachio.
16) One of the most unique things to do in Paris has to be enjoying your morning coffee at %Arabica in the underground Louvre Carousel mall, with a direct view of the inverted crystal pyramid of the Louvre directly in front of you, so close you can almost touch it.
17) Feel like a student at Hogwarts by spending some time inside the intimidatingly beautiful Oval Room at the BibliothĂšque Nationale de France. I’ve never felt fancier than writing these blog posts from one of the desks in that room.
18) Stock up on all your French skincare essentials at the three-story high Citypharma in Saint-Germain-des-PrĂ©s. My favorite brands to stock up on here are La Roche Posayâsunscreens tend to be about half off(!)âCaudalie, Nuxe, SVR.
19) Buy a high-quality, beautiful leather bag from PolĂšne, a beloved French brand that you can see all the Parisian girls wearing. I got the NumĂ©ro Un Nano in black from my Santa Claus last year, and I love it! It’s super cute and great quality.
20) Pamper yourself with a facial at a Caudalie Spa, a beloved French skincare brand. There are a few spas in the city; the one in Le Marais is brand new and beautiful. I had my facial here, and it was amazing! A very welcome treat in the middle of the cold Parisian winter.
21) Sip a glass of champagne and enjoy live jazz at the quintessentially Parisian Hotel du Nord, a charming brasserie by the Canal Saint Martin. Stepping inside will have you feeling like you traveled back in time to Paris in the 1930s.
22) Have lunch in a special setting at the CafĂ© Campana, located on the fifth floor of MusĂ©e d’Orsay, with tables right by one of the building’s giant, iconic clocks. Note that you’ll need to have access to the museum first to reach this spot.
23) Get an unobstructed panoramic view of Paris from the Montparnasse Tower. People say that the best thing about going to the top of the Montparnasse Tower is that you cannot see the tower itself, and you also get a pretty amazing view of Paris from here.
24) Learn about Paris’s ancient history at the free, underrated Carnavalet Museum in Le Marais. The exhibition covers everything from Roman times to the French Revolution and 20th-century Paris.
25) Pick up a new scent at Bon Parfumeur, a French perfume company specializing in simple, elegant, clean scents that are easy to layer to create something special, or simply use on its own for a fresh scent. I’ve been using their 103 for years now, and recently gifted the 004 to my fiancĂ©e, and he loves it!
26) Admire the different architectural styles through le Marais, one of the oldest parts of Paris that was mostly left untouched by the Haussmann renovation. Stroll its tighther alleys with stone facades, Baroque mansions, and even some medieval half-timbered houses, which look so out of place with the rest of Paris.
27) One of my favorite things to do in Parisâwhich I do on every trip backâis to picnic at Jardin du Palais-Royal. You don’t need a blanket, just grab a snack from somewhere nearbyâmy favorite spot is Omosubi Gonbei, one of the top cheap eats in Parisâfind an empty bench, and see the world go by for a while.
28) Stroll the lively street of rue Montorgueil. Lined with wine cellars, cheese shops, butchers, bakeries, florists, and more, this street is a meeting point for locals looking to buy their high-quality produce from small independent local shops.
29) Take your picture at the vintage photobooth in Montmartre. A photo strip costs âŹ6; you can pay by card, and honestly, even if it’s all over Instagram now, it’s such a cute souvenir to have. I love mine!
30) If you also love meals with a view that don’t break the bank, another great thing to do in Paris is to visit La CrĂšme de Paris to grab a crepe or a milkshake with a view of Notre-Dame Cathedral. This is on my list for my next trip to Paris.
31) Get Parisian-themed phone accessories at Casetify at the Carrousel du Louvre shopping center. I had to stop myself from getting the pastry-themed phone case. Now that I’m looking at it again… I might have to order it online. It’s just too cute!
32) Book a guided tour of Montmartre for art-lovers, where you get to learn everything about the history of this neighborhood through the famous artists who have lived here. The most unique thing about this tour is that at one point, you get handed a tiny canvas to draw on, while French cafe music is played on a speaker to set the ambiance. So fun!
33) If you can’t look at another croissant for breakfast, enjoy a delicious, hearty brunch and great coffee at Coutume Babylone. This is the perfect plan for a slow morning in Paris.
34) Buy unique, locally handmade souvenirs at the whimsical Marin Montagut shop. Here you’ll find many adorable ceramic pieces celebrating the French art of living, cute stationery, handmade decorations, and more.
35) Blend in with the locals, enjoying wine with friends at Le Barav wine bar in the evening. We arrived in the late afternoon, and by 7 pm the place was packed. The prices are affordable, the wine is great, and the food menu is simple but tasty. Make sure to order the melted St. Marcellin cheese with honey.
36) Do some art shopping at Slow Galerie, a charming spot selling pieces from local artists at affordable prices, making it actually attainable to buy small, independent art to bring home as a souvenir. If I had somewhere to live, I would love to buy a few works from here.
37) Indulge in the viral “crookie”, the cookie-croissant creation. I tried it to see what all the fuss was about, and I’m surprised to report that I absolutely loved it! It’s flaky, it’s chewy, it’s delicious! Go to Maison Louvard, the bakery known for inventing it.
38) Dress up for a night at the stunning Opera Garnier, and budget enough time to simply admire the building once inside. It’s gorgeous!
39) Browse the unique, curated goods at the Monocle Café and Shop, or buy reading material and pair it with a delicious coffee. This is a great spot to kill some time, as the café is super cozy.
40) Sip a well-prepared cocktail at Cambridge Public House. Don’t be put off by the name; it’s not a pub, but a cozy, casual cocktail bar serving delicious drinks. I tried their “Cigarette after sex” cocktail, with hibiscus and mezcal, and it was good!
41) Hang out at an old Roman amphitheatre in central Paris… as one does. You’ll find the ancient ArĂšnes de LutĂšce tucked away in the Latin Quarterâif you don’t look for them, you would probably never come across them.
42) Try the award-winning croissants of La Maison d’Isabelleâthey are perfection: flaky, massive, and cheap. I also tried the highly acclaimed croissants from Du Pain et des IdĂ©es, but I like Isabelle’s better.
43) Do as Parisians do, and slow down with a book at the lush Luxembourg Gardens. If you don’t always travel with one, you’ll find The Red Wheelbarrow English bookshop, right across the street from the park. Now you have no excuses.
44) Shop great essentials at Monoprixâit’s basically the French Target but better. They have lots of good quality clothing, with many items being made 100% from organic materialsâlike their cotton pajamas, which we love!
45) Enjoy a delicious flat white at one of the tiniest, cutest, best coffee shops in Paris: Boot Café. By tiny, I mean tiny, I think only around four people can fit inside. So if you can find an empty seat, grab it and enjoy your coffee in this cute spot.
46) Take an off-the-beaten-path city escape at Parc Monceau, a charming and serene park tucked away from the typical sightseeing routeâmost tourists never make it to it.
47) Throw your phone in the fountain in Place de la Concorde like Andy in The Devil Wears Prada… jk, don’t do that, but you can go admire the beautiful Fontaine des Fleuves.
48) Again, I love free, unique things to do in Paris, and one of my favorite ones is picnicking on a bench by the River Seine. Grab whatever your heart desires, some falafel, fries, a crepe, and make your way down the stairs to enjoy it by the river.
49) For a sweet treat, try the adorable-looking Popelini little cream puffs. They are as tasty as they look! My favorite one was rose-flavored.
50) Visit the beautiful Galeries Lafayette. Their top floor is my favorite for souvenir and treat shopping, and their rooftop terrace is free and offers a great scenic view of the city with the Eiffel Tower in the back.
51) Create your own wine tasting at La Grande Crémérie by ordering different wines with friends. Why limit yourself to booking a wine tasting? Every day can be a wine tasting if you have enough people. We did this to try a white wine, a rosé, and an orange wine, and at the end, each kept whichever they liked better.
52) Try the best cheese in France from the award-winning fromagerie Laurent Dubois. He won the award Meilleur Ouvrier de France, which translates to Best Craftsman of France, the highest recognition for a cheesemonger. Make sure to try the ComtĂ©, it’s so good!
Final thoughts on 50+ fun things to do in Paris
From sipping coffee at the tiniest coffee shop in Paris, to having a slow day enjoying Jardin du Luxembourg, and finding the quirkiest souvenirs at Messy Nessy’s Cabinet, there are so many unique things to do in Parisâenough to keep you busy for months.
Believe me, living here for almost three months has only made my to-do list even longer. However, if you’re only spending a couple of days in Paris, these ideas should have you covered.
Once you’ve ticked off all the classic Paris bucket list items, this extensive list will help you fill in the gaps in your itinerary with fun and unique things to do in Paris for an unforgettable trip!
Which of these specific activities are you adding to your Paris itinerary? Let us know in the comments.