Paris is a city that fascinates me. Despite being a very popular city with a lot of tourism, you always find places to take refuge from the crowds. Sometimes, wandering the streets we find places that are not so popular and that are incredible at the same time.
In Paris there are many curious and little-known places. Do you dare to know some of the secret places of Paris?
10 SECRET PLACES IN PARIS
1. Discover the Montmartre Vineyards
Surely if you have visited Paris before you have walked through Montmartre through the most popular areas near the Sacre Coeur. The Montmartre neighborhood is one of the most beautiful and romantic neighborhoods in Paris. Also, it's a great place to stay. Its cobbled streets, low colored buildings, flowers in the windows... invite tourists to get lost in its streets.
The Montmartre vineyards go largely unnoticed, despite not being hidden at all. They have been in this same area for about 800 years. And at present, they are the only active vineyard in the city.
The best time to visit them is in October, when the harvest season begins. Even so, any time is good to discover one of the best hidden places in Montmartre.
2. The interior of the Sacré Coeur dome
The Sacré Coeur Basilica is one of the most emblematic places in the city. Not to be missed! Not only is the basilica impressive, but the views of Paris from here are great.
Surely if it is your first time in Paris you will already have this place marked on your itinerary. What few people realize is that once you have gone up to the terraces to admire the views, you can continue climbing to the top of the dome.
You must bear in mind that you have to climb 300 narrow steps and that you have to pay about 8 euros for it. However, the views are worth it.
3. 59 Ravioli
This place is one of my favorites in Paris. And although until recently it was barely known, currently, it is quickly gaining fame thanks to social networks.
Whether you're an art fan or not, 59 Ravioli is one of the most random "museums" I've ever seen. A real madness.
This building was for many years a squatter house for artists dating back to the 1800s. Currently, this house has been rehabilitated, turning it into a space dedicated to more alternative and original art. 59 Rivoli is now a welcoming space to freely view and display art.
4. Witness the French Revolution by finding the cannonball on the wall
It is something very curious to see and that hardly anyone knows about. If you go to the Hotel De Sens, you will see that a cannonball from the period of the French Revolution is still preserved on the wall.
If you approach here you can see that there is a sign that indicates "impact" with an arrow indicating where it is.
5. Enjoy a movie in its original version at Le Louxor Du Cinema
Until relatively recently, Le Louxor Palais Du Cinema was in disrepair. In 2013, this beautiful building was restored welcoming visitors to a part of Parisian history that most visitors miss. Today you can enjoy contemporary French films and, on special occasions, period ones, in their original version.
6. Find the man trapped in the wall
"The Passerby Through the Wall" is a statue that appears to be literally half inside and half outside the wall.
Most people have not heard the story of "Le Passe-Muraille" by Marcel Aymé, it is about a man named M. Dutilleul who discovers that he can walk through walls. It is because of this ignorance of history that the statue often goes unnoticed.
The story goes that he became too arrogant and headstrong, getting trapped between the walls. If you look at his hand, it's kind of worn and polished. This is because today, many people try to remove it from the wall, either for photography or to go against history.
The statue is quite hidden so to speak, as it is not a very busy area for tourists, especially if it is your first time in Paris. It is located in the 18th arrondissement (Montmartre), on Place Marcel Ayme.
Free tours to do in Paris that may interest you:
7. Ride the Dodo Manège
The Dodo Manège is an ancient and curious carousel made up solely of extinct and endangered animals. This attraction is relatively new to Paris, having been built in 1992. And you'll find it very close to the Natural History Museum.
8. Find the flame of Liberty in Paris
The flame of liberty is an iconic piece of New York in Paris. France offered the Statue of Liberty as a gift to the United States, and in return as a token of friendship, Paris has the Flame of Liberty. If you want to find it, you must get off at the "Alma-Marceau" metro stop.
9. Visit ground zero
The zero point is the traditional epicenter of Paris and this point marks the point of distance to any other place in the country. Nowadays, it has become a kind of legendary place to make wishes, make requests for a hand, kiss your loved one... There are all kinds of rituals.
Despite being very popular with Parisians and being centrally located, most visitors either don't see the plate on the ground or don't know what it is. You will find it located right next to Notre Dame.
10. Find one of the elusive Paris medallions
Dotted throughout the city are a total of 135 bronze medallions. They are simple, small and with the word Arago on them. Most visitors don't realize it. Although the placement of the medallions appears completely random and appears to be in no order, they actually denote traditional Parisian Mean Time (just like Greenwich Mean Time in London). The next time you travel to Paris look for them, see how many you manage to find. I have found a total of 54 in my travels. I have to go back to keep looking for them.
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I hope you enjoy your trip to Paris and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!