{"id":16263,"date":"2016-01-18T15:15:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-18T19:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/?p=16263"},"modified":"2019-03-14T17:28:44","modified_gmt":"2019-03-14T21:28:44","slug":"20-things-you-absolutely-have-do-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/18\/20-things-you-absolutely-have-do-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Things You Absolutely Have to Do in Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Notre Dame is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things to do in Paris.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s no wonder that Paris<\/strong> is one of the most visited cities on the planet. Between its legendary museums, mouth-watering cuisine, and ambient charm, the city has plenty to enjoy for visitors and residents alike. In fact, that the choice of things to do can be overwhelming! Even with a long stay, it can be difficult to see everything, so we\u2019ve put together a list of the 20 things you simply have to see and do in Paris. See if you can do them all before the end of your stay!<\/p>\n

1. Buy a book from a bouquiniste<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Paris\u2019s bouquinistes have been a fixture of the Seine\u2019s quays for centuries.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Bouquinistes<\/em><\/strong>, or antique book dealers, are a rain-or-shine fixture on Paris’s riverside quays and add an intellectual air to Paris\u2019s flagstones. With their old-fashioned wooden stalls and carefully hand-stacked assortments of books, pamphlets, postcards, and more, the booksellers are a bibliophile\u2019s delight! They can also be a useful source for last-minute souvenirs.<\/p>\n

2. Observe the view from the roof of the Centre Pompidou<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Centre Georges Pompidou<\/strong> was once controversial, but is now the beloved home of France’s National Museum of Modern Art. The Centre is named for the Fifth French Republic\u2019s second president, but is known to locals as Beaubourg<\/em>. The large building hosts a movie theater, a public library, and a caf\u00e9 in addition to the museum (all of them are great rainy day options<\/a>!). However, the real gem is the view from the roof: an unparalleled vista of the Left Bank and River Seine (and a great place to watch the sunset<\/a>).<\/p>\n

3. Go to a Sunday morning market<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one realm that the French still dominate, it\u2019s haute cuisine<\/strong><\/em>. No place is this more true than at the bustling street markets that enliven the city\u2019s squares and boulevards on lazy Sunday mornings, as they have for centuries. Be sure to wake up early to get the prime selection of the city\u2019s produce, meats, cheeses, and more from one of the traditional markets in Paris<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. Sip mint tea at the Grande Mosqu\u00e9e de Paris<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Step inside the Grand Mosque of Paris and get a taste of delicious mint tea.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Like any global city, Paris is a cosmopolitan hub for all things international. One thing that visitors may not know about France is that it’s home to Europe\u2019s largest minority population of Muslims. A long history of communication and exchange with the Arab World has left a significant cultural impact on France. Taste for yourself at the Grande Mosqu\u00e9e<\/strong> de Paris, France\u2019s oldest mosque, where the Moroccan mint tea is legendary!<\/p>\n

5. Stay out for a nuit blanche<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

While Paris is not exactly the \u201ccity that never sleeps\u201d\u2013the French are generally more morning people\u2013there is a certain charm to pulling an all-nighter (or nuit blanche <\/em>[white night] in French) in the City of Lights<\/strong>. Plan your trip around one of Paris\u2019s top yearly events<\/a> and you can have a night to remember! Bars might close early, but clubs can stay open until the m\u00e9tro<\/a> starts back up at 5:00 a.m. after its nightly rest. Finish the evening with a morning train home, and you can consider yourself a true Parisien<\/em>!<\/p>\n

6. Share a bottle of wine on the quays of the Seine<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Make your own Paris memories down by the quays of the Seine!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

No place epitomizes the romance and mystery of Paris quite like the cobbled quays that line the Seine River<\/a>. Offset from street level by imposing stone steps, the water’s edge feels a world away from the rest of the city. Enjoy a bottle of wine by the Seine and you can make a quintessential Paris memory that will last a lifetime!<\/p>\n

7. Take a bateau mouche<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes it pays to experience the tourist essentials in Paris instead of just living like a local. If you feel like indulging in a paid tour, make it an educational one with a ride on one of Paris\u2019s famed Seine tour boats, the bateaux mouches<\/strong><\/em>. Even a seasoned Francophile might learn a few things about the city! The boats are also a great option for a romantic Paris activity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

8. Spend an afternoon reading in the Jardin du Luxembourg<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Enjoy some French literature, alone or with a friend, in Paris\u2019s Jardin du Luxembourg.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

While most of Paris is inarguably picturesque, the tree-lined paths, geometrical gardens, and reflecting pools of the Jardin du Luxembourg<\/strong> in the Latin Quarter are straight out of a postcard! Unlike the royal gardens of centuries past, you can enjoy this top Paris park<\/a> on a personal level. Curl up with a good book\u2014or a good friend\u2014by the pond in front of the Palais de Luxembourg and watch the afternoon fly by. There\u2019s no better way to relax in Paris!<\/p>\n

9. Stand in line for the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Orsay<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paris\u2019s museums are a feat of endurance during most of the year, with kilometer-long lines, large tour groups, and any number of inconveniences to make the passage inside even more rewarding. Surviving the ordeal and making your way into the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Orsay<\/strong>, one of our must-see Paris sites<\/a>, is a rite of passage for a visitor to Paris. We promise the world-class art inside is well worth the wait!<\/p>\n

10. Skip the line at the Louvre<\/strong><\/p>\n

Perhaps the single most vital bullet point on any tourist\u2019s list is the Mus\u00e9e du Louvre,<\/strong> which has to be experienced to be understood. A favorite trick for Paris visitors<\/a> to avoid the crush of art-lovers at the door is to enter the museum not through the main pyramidal entrance in the Cour Napol\u00e9on, but through the underground mall, Carousel du Louvre, where visitors tend to be more interested in the Apple store than museum passes.<\/p>\n

11. Find the perfect fresh baguette from a boulangerie<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Each baguette is a work of art, even more so if it\u2019s fresh from the oven!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Unlike most French wines, a good baguette does not get better with age. On the contrary, a true baguette will already be getting stale within an hour of leaving the oven. This is why it\u2019s of the utmost importance to stake out your preferred boulangerie<\/em> (consider one from our list of the best bakeries in Paris<\/a>), learn the baguette-baking schedule, and get in line for a still-warm, crusty-yet-soft-on-the-inside taste of heaven when the time is right.<\/p>\n

12. Get dim sum in Belleville<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like any self-respecting globalized city, Paris has a Chinatown\u2013in fact, it has two! The more trendy of the pair is found in the working-class 20th Arrondissement\u2019s vibrant Belleville<\/strong> neighborhood, where many recent arrivals to France have made their homes for centuries. Get your Sunday morning brunch fix at a dim sum house instead of a boulangerie, <\/em>and you\u2019ll be pleasantly surprised by the variety of dishes available!<\/p>\n

13. Buy a v\u00e9lib\u2019 membership<\/strong><\/p>\n

While an ambitious tourist might consider Paris a walkable city (it’s only five miles across), the best way to get to know the city is on a V\u00e9lib\u2019<\/strong>, the public bike share system that revolutionized Paris transport from 2007 onwards. Considering that an annual membership is a mere \u20ac37.20 (as of March 2019), the purchase pays for itself in no time! Stations are located an average of 100 meters apart, so the convenience of V\u00e9lib\u2019 even beats the metro.<\/p>\n

14. Take the funicular up Montmartre and take the stairs down<\/strong><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll have the choice of taking the stairs or hopping in the funicular when you arrive in Montmartre.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Paris and the surrounding region are famously flat, as one trip up the Eiffel Tower<\/a> or Tour Montparnasse can show you. One of just a few hills in this simple topography is Montmartre<\/a>, home to Salvador Dal\u00ed, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, and the Moulin Rouge. Crowning the neighborhood\u2019s geography is the Sacr\u00e9 Coeur Basilica, a marble masterpiece from the 19th century that merits a visit if you can handle the steep stone steps up the hill. Here’s a shortcut to save energy for more Paris exploring: the funicular<\/strong> railway is a free transfer from the metro, easy on the way up, but slower than walking on the way down!<\/p>\n

15. Sit in for Mass at Notre Dame<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most visitors to Notre Dame Cathedral at the heart of Paris admire the statuary on the church’s porticos without ever going inside. Don\u2019t make that mistake\u2013 the rose window is even more beautiful from the inside! There\u2019s no better time to experience the church\u2019s interior than during a mass, particularly during the holiday season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

16. Have a picnic on the Champ de Mars<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Stake your claim to a spot by the Eiffel Tower for an unforgettable picnic.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Once used as a military parade ground (hence the Field of Mars moniker), the Champ de Mars<\/strong> is now one of Paris\u2019s most peaceful parks. Make use of the green expanse on a sunny afternoon by setting up a spot with good friends and good wine and having yourself a picnic!<\/p>\n

17. Explore the Bois de Boulogne<\/strong><\/p>\n

Though technically outside its borders, Paris’s second-largest park is in many ways a microcosm of the city itself. Once known as a lascivious cruising ground and then a bourgeois playground, the park is now lovingly nicknamed the Central Park<\/a> of Paris. It\u2019s easy to lose yourself in the 845 acres of paths, fields, lakes, and more that fill the space. Take a full day to explore and enjoy the fresh air!<\/p>\n

18. Drink an espresso on an outdoor terrasse<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Enjoy your coffee where the sidewalk meets the store on a caf\u00e9 terrace!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A quintessential part of any Paris stay, caf\u00e9 terraces<\/strong> are as convenient as they are iconic. Take the time to sit and enjoy your espresso or cappuccino at one of Paris\u2019s top caf\u00e9s<\/a> and you\u2019ll see that there\u2019s a reason why they\u2019re so popular beyond their photogenic appeal. According to Paris custom, you shouldn\u2019t feel rushed while enjoying your beverage (no matter how the waiter makes you feel).<\/p>\n

19. Visit all 20 arrondissements<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paris\u2019s administrative divisions, or arrondissements<\/strong><\/em>, have a different sort of charm than the boroughs of London or New York. At least part of this cachet comes from their delightful snail-like orientation that swirls out from the 1st Arrondissement at the Louvre in central Paris to the 20th at the city\u2019s eastern periphery in Belleville. This spiral shape might make it hard to check off the numbers in chronological order, but make sure you take at least a few steps in each of the 20 arrondissements to have a complete Paris experience!<\/p>\n

20. Get the perfect souvenir<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Palatial in scale and d\u00e9cor, Galeries Lafayette is just one option for your souvenir shopping.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Paris isn\u2019t known as a global capital of fashion for nothing! From haute couture to centuries-old antique shops, there is no shortage of options for gift-shopping<\/a>. Avoid the last-minute airport gift stores and take a trip to Galeries Lafayette, Paris\u2019s most famous department store, or any number of other retail destinations to find the perfect souvenir for your trip.<\/p>\n

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Experience the real Paris on your trip with a vacation rental like this chambre de bonne.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Now that you\u2019ve got your itinerary for a stay in Paris, all you need is a unique vacation rental<\/a>. Whether you\u2019re looking for a courtyard studette<\/em>, a chambre de bonne<\/em> with slanted roof<\/a>, or a palatial apartment in a b\u00e2timent haussmannien<\/em>, we\u2019ve got you covered with our fully-furnished apartment<\/a> listings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s no wonder that Paris is one of the most visited cities on the planet. Between its legendary museums, mouth-watering cuisine, and ambient charm, the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16263"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16263"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19708,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16263\/revisions\/19708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}