You’ve seen the Eiffel Tower, wandered the Louvre and walked down the Champs-Élysées… now what?
Many Paris travel guides recycle the same tourist spots, leaving you trapped in crowds, craving something different. Maybe you’ve been to Paris before and want fresh experiences. Maybe you’re looking for immersive activities, hidden gems or ways to celebrate a special occasion — without the usual clichés.
We’ve handpicked 20 unforgettable, unique and often overlooked activities, from secret wine cellars and after-hours opera tours to surrealist art hunts and samba dancing by the Seine.
Whether you're a culture lover, an adventurous foodie, a couple seeking romance, or a family wanting creative fun, this list unlocks Paris in ways most tourists never discover.
Who Is This List For?
- First-timers and repeat visitors who want to go beyond the obvious.
- Culture seekers interested in art, history and immersive tours.
- Night owls looking for cool, after-dark experiences.
- Celebratory travelers (birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions).
- Hipsters & creatives who love hidden cafés, indie galleries and vintage vibes.
- Anyone who wants to see Paris like a local and not as a tourist.
Looking for more Hidden Gems in Paris? We’ve got you covered!
Unique Things to Do in Paris, France (General)
Away from the crowds of tourists, there are plenty of hidden things to do in Paris that cater to you and your companions’ individual interests. Whether it be art, history, gardens or ‘vibey’ areas, we’ve got you covered.
Smaller, Lesser-Known Museums
While the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay overflow with masterpieces, these hidden gems offer art without the elbow fights:
- Musée de la Vie Romantique: Tucked behind an ivy-covered gate in Pigalle, this 1830s artist’s mansion feels frozen in time. Writers like George Sand once gathered in its rose garden (now a tearoom) and today it showcases delicate Romantic-era paintings, Chopin’s piano and lockets of hair from famous lovers. The courtyard café here also serves rose-petal-infused hot chocolate.
- Musée Bourdelle: Bourdelle’s monumental sculptures (think: Hercules with biceps for days) loom in a skylit studio frozen in 1929. His tiny private apartment upstairs is preserved with his pajamas still folded on the bed.
- Paris Sewers Museum (Musée des Égouts): Where else can you walk through functioning sewers beneath Parisian streets? The damp air and echoing tunnels reveal how the city tackled waste since the 1300s, plus a few rat artifacts (discreetly behind glass).
Richelieu Library
The Bibliothèque Nationale’s historic wing feels like a palace for words. Under a baroque ceiling painted with muses, you’ll find medieval manuscripts glowing, Napoleon’s personal desk (now a reading table) and a free public museum showcasing ancient globes, royal coins and Da Vinci sketches (one of the unique things to do in Paris for free!). The oval reading room here is stunning with its emerald-green lamps.
Ground Control
As one of the hipster things to do in Paris, this former SNCF train depot near Gare de Lyon is full of food trucks slinging Breton crêpes and Senegalese yassa, vintage flea markets in repurposed shipping containers and silent discos under the glass roof of the old train. The microbrewery here also serves delicious craft beer made with Parisian honey
Hidden Garden Tours
Paris’ secret gardens are where artists, writers and rebels found inspiration. Here are just a few:
- Square des Batignolles: A hidden waterfall, black swans and iron gazebos make this feel like a 19th-century painting come to life.
- Jardin Albert Kahn: Travel the world in one garden: a Japanese red bridge, an English cottage garden and a bamboo forest straight out of Kyoto.
- Montmartre Vineyard (Vigne de Montmartre): This tiny vineyard produces just 1,500 bottles/year. Peek through the gates or visit during the Fête des Vendanges harvest festival.
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Unique Things to Do in Paris at Night
When the sun sets, Paris transforms into a playground of secret soirées, moonlit culture, and spontaneous street celebrations. Forget crowded river cruises — here's how locals and in-the-know visitors experience the City of Light after dark:
Tip: Many nighttime experiences require booking in advance, especially the Palais Garnier tours and mystery dinners. Plan your nocturnal adventures before sunset!
Point Ephémère
A gritty-chic canalside warehouse where emerging DJs, punk bands and experimental theater troupes collide. By day, it's a workspace for artists; by night, it pulses with creative energy.
Catch an indie rock show in the vaulted basement, attend dance parties, from Balkan beats to afro-house DJ sets on the floating terrace, or enjoy street food and drinks.
Seine-Side Dancing Under the Stars
From May to September, the paved banks below Institut du Monde Arabe transform into an open-air dance floor. Bring your enthusiasm and ask regulars to teach you the steps, whether they’re dancing samba with live drummers, tango, or swing dancing.
Underground Jazz Clubs
Forget the tourist traps! Arrive before 10pm to snag seats, then stay for the after-hours jam sessions. Here’s where to check out:
- Le Caveau de la Huchette (5th arr.): Where Miles Davis played in a 16th-century cellar
- 38 Riv' (Marais): Intimate sessions with rising stars
- Sunset-Sunside (Châtelet): Two floors of jazz and electro-swing.
Palais Garnier After Hours
One of the cool things to do in Paris at night is to book a tour to experience private evening access to Paris' opulent opera house. The tour includes private Box of Shadows, where nobles conducted affairs, a visit to the actual underground lake that inspired Phantom of the Opera, the chance to stand center stage where Nureyev danced and ghost stories.
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- Keep an eye out before you head off to Paris to see if there are any Mystery Dinner Theaters running around the city! These combine Paris' legendary cuisine with immersive storytelling, making it a fun thing to do in Paris for birthdays or anniversaries.
For one magical October night, museums throw open their doors until dawn, artists create pop-up installations in metro stations and the entire city becomes an interactive gallery. Watch people line dancing in front of the Louvre at 3am or floating art projections on Hôtel de Ville! If you’re here at this time, make sure to wear comfy shoes and follow the crowds, as the best experiences are often unannounced.
Unique Things to Do in Paris for Couples
Paris is the city of love, but let’s skip the clichés. These unique experiences will create memories far more magical than a standard Seine cruise or Eiffel Tower selfie. From moonlit palace adventures to hidden wine cellars, here’s how to create your perfect romantic escape.
Sleeping at Versailles
This is truly one of the most unique things to do in Paris. Imagine having the Palace of Versailles all to yourselves after the crowds leave. It’s the closest you’ll ever feel to being French royalty. Just make sure to book months ahead at the Chateau de Versailles, as only a handful of rooms exist. This exclusive experience includes:
- Private after-hours tour of the Hall of Mirrors and royal apartments, where your footsteps echo through empty, candlelit galleries.
- Gourmet dinner in the historic Grand Contrôle hotel, with dishes inspired by Marie Antoinette’s favorite recipes.
- Next morning, explore the gardens like nobility — zoom past fountains in your private golf cart (normally forbidden!), picnicking among hidden groves.
Vintage Citroën Tour
Hop into a retro 2CV Citroën (the iconic ‘Tin Snail’) for a romantic and fun ride through Paris. You can do a sunset tour where you zip up Montmartre’s cobbled hills as the city turns gold, stopping for champagne at viewpoints, or you can ask your driver to include literary cafés, Amélie-filming locations, or bridges covered in love locks, depending on your interests. You could even book a night drive with jazz playlists and stops for midnight macarons.
Perfume-Making at Fragonard
At this historic perfume house near the Opéra Garnier, book a private workshop where you can blend scents like roses or vanilla to form your own signature fragrance. You’ll be guided by a master perfumer to identify scents that you like most and then you can mix a concoction that perfectly captures you or your loved one.
Secret Wine Cellar Tasting
Paris hides centuries-old caves where sommeliers pour rare vintages by candlelight. These candlelit cellars, many dating back to the 13th century, offer couples an unforgettable oenological adventure far from typical wine bars. Request ‘vin sur lie,’ which are bottles fermented underground in their lees, a Parisian specialty with creamy depth. Here are a few to look into:
- Le Baron Rouge (12th arr.): Sip unfindable Burgundies from barrels in a former royal warehouse.
- Les Caves du Louvre: An 18th-century cellar offering blind tastings — guess notes of truffle or violet in Grand Cru wines.
- La Dernière Goutte: A Saint-Germain hideaway where the sommelier selects rare vintages from small producers.
Substance Café Tasting
This tiny coffee bar in the 17th arrondissement turns caffeine into ceremony. The barista crafts personalized brews based on your tastes, using rare beans like Yemeni Mocha, which are often paired with other flavours, such as dark chocolate with espresso, or sake with cold brew. The intimate counter seats (just 6 spots) make it feel like your private tasting.
Unique Things to Do in Paris for Young Adults
For young travelers seeking more than museums and monuments, Paris offers a thriving underground scene of creative encounters, social events, and immersive adventures. These experiences reveal the city’s contemporary pulse while connecting you with like-minded explorers.
Ateliers Ouverts
Twice yearly (usually May and October), hundreds of artists across Paris throw open their private studios for this citywide open-house event. Being select periods, this makes it one of the non-touristy things to do in Paris and allows you to walk through industrial lofts in Belleville, Haussmannian apartments in Pigalle, or repurposed factories in the 13th arrondissement to:
- Watch painters, sculptors and digital artists at work.
- Chat about techniques over complimentary wine (many studios host mini vernissages).
- Buy pieces directly from creators at pre-gallery prices.
The 20th arrondissement (especially Rue de l’Ermitage) clusters edgy young artists in shared ateliers — perfect for meeting Paris’ next-gen creatives.
The Live Thriller
Forget locked rooms, this citywide interactive thriller turns Paris into your game board. You will receive cryptic messages via WhatsApp from ‘agents,’ and then it’s your job to solve puzzles at real monuments (like decoding symbols at the Louvre Pyramid). There are also actors planted in cafes and parks to interact with, making an incredibly fun and unique way to explore Paris.
Lost in Frenchlation
This English-friendly film club makes French cinema accessible and fun, beginning with screenings of new releases or classics with English subtitles. There are then post-movie debates at nearby bars (great for meeting travelers and expats). Check out their themed nights like ‘French Horror’ or ‘Parisian Rom-Coms.’ Their open-air summer cinema at Parc de la Villette pairs films with picnics and wine.
Unique Things to Do in Paris for Families
And what about for families? Beyond the typical sightseeing, there’s plenty of interactive, multi-generational fun to be had in Paris, too. These activities are flexible and easily paired with nearby parks or cafes to keep energy levels up.
Château-Rouge
The Château-Rouge market in the 18th arrondissement is a sensory explosion that feels like stepping into another continent. Unlike the polished boulevards of central Paris, this bustling marketplace is one of the cultural things to do in Paris as it immerses families in a vibrant mix of West African, Caribbean and Middle Eastern cultures. Kids will love sampling exotic fruits like mangosteens and plantains, while parents browse stalls piled high with spices, bold-printed fabrics and handmade crafts.
Croissant-Making Class
What better way to bond as a family than by learning to make France’s most iconic pastry? Many Parisian bakeries offer kid-friendly workshops where families can knead, fold and shape their own buttery croissants under the guidance of a real boulanger. Children get a kick out of rolling dough and watching their creations puff up golden-brown in the oven, while parents appreciate the insider tips on achieving that perfect flaky texture.
Private Fabric Dyeing Workshop
For families with a budding designer, a private fabric-dyeing workshop offers a one-of-a-kind artistic experience. Held in a cozy atelier, these sessions let kids (and parents!) experiment with natural dyes like indigo, beetroot and turmeric to create their own wearable art. A local artisan guides the process, teaching techniques like shibori tie-dye or block printing while sharing stories about Paris’ historic textile trade.
Bookbinding Classes
In a city that reveres literature, why not try your hand at making a book the old-fashioned way? While one of the more unusual things to do in Paris, these specialized workshops in the Marais or Saint-Germain teach families the centuries-old craft of hand-stitching and leather-binding. Kids can decorate their own travel journals or fairy-tale notebooks using traditional tools, while parents might choose a more sophisticated photo album or sketchbook. It’s a wonderful way to slow down and create something tangible together, especially on a rainy Paris afternoon.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Paris reveals its true magic not through checklists, but through unplanned exploration. Some of the city’s most unforgettable moments happen when you ditch the map and surrender to the rhythm of its streets. Unlike museums with opening hours or restaurants requiring reservations, Paris’ arrondissements are always open, each with a distinct personality waiting to be uncovered.
After you’ve added the above to your itinerary, simply see where your feet will take you! If you need help building out your itinerary to suit your interests and needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our GoWIthGuide Paris private tour guides. Simply send them a message with what you’re looking for and they’ll get back to you with how they can build a personalised trip to Paris that will bring you everlasting memories.
