Many blogs and TikToks purport to uncover hidden gems in Paris but are not really hidden, or gems. On my most recent trip to Paris, France I found some true hidden gems that will let you see another side of Paris. Read along to see my favorite discoveries from my latest trip.
Hidden Gems of Paris, France
Musée Carnavalet, History of Paris Museum
This museum showcases the history of the City of Lights itself. This museum is one of my hidden gems for two reasons. First, it’s free! We love a free activity in Paris. Second, it has a lovely garden cafe in its courtyard that is perfect for a chilled glass of white wine.
I do not see this museum on a lot of lists for top places to see in Paris, which is surprising because it has an interesting collection of artifacts, paintings, and signs from the city. Carnavalet is also not incredibly crowded, unlike any other museum in Paris.
My favorite part of the museum is the hallway of antique shop signs. When I visited an antiques market, I was inspired to pick up some old signs for a similar vibe on my gallery wall.
To my knowledge, there is not an audio tour. (disappointing!) The Museum does offer a guided tour or lecture for 5€. It’s a bit hard to find what’s on offer, though it does seem a tour is offered at least once a day.
Getting There
You can easily reach the Musée Carnavalet in the Marais neighborhood of Paris via Métro :
- Line 1 – Saint-Paul
- Line 5 – Bréguet Sabin
- Line 7 – Pont-Marie
- Line 8 – Chemin Vert
Or via the bus :
Lines 96 (Place des Vosges), 91 (Saint-Gilles – Chemin Vert), 29 (Place des Vosges), 69 (Saint-Paul), 76 (Saint-Paul)
Other activities to help you discover your own Hidden Gem in Paris
- Spend some time shopping in the Marais – i found a perfect antique ring at a small jewelry shop, and regret not purchasing a locally made leather purse.
- Several vintage and luxury resale shops are in the area, including Le Lautrec Paris and The ROOM Vintage Shop (two locations)
- Walk to Notre Dame, Saint-Chappelle and La Conciergerie, twenty minutes away
- Walk to Place de la Bastille, 10 minutes away
Musée Montmartre, Montmartre Museum
While Sacré Coeur might get all of the attention in Montmartre, this museum highlights the art and creativity from the artists in the area, like Renoir, Luce, Valdon and Lautrec. The true hidden gem of this museum is the extensive garden surrounding the building, including the darling Renoir Café. The gardens overlook the northern side of Montmartre, providing a view of urban vineyards.
We spent about 45 minutes going through the museum, and we could have spent hours in the gardens enjoying a book, sketching, and sipping a café.
Tickets start at 15€ for admission. Guided tour tickets start at 39€.
Nearby activities to help enjoy the Musée de Montmartre
- Of course the Sacré Coeur is the highlight of the area. At the very least, sit on the steps to enjoy the hustle and bustle of Paris. Beware of pickpockets!
- Butte Bergeyre – a small neighborhood in the 19th arrondissement features charming streets and picturesque houses. Walk up rue Georges Lardennois, rue Philippe-Hecht or rue Barrelet-de-Ricou. You can see Sacré Coeur from this neighboring hill.
Getting there
Take the Métro Line 12 to Lamarck-Caulaincourt or Ligne 2 to Anvers, and then the funiculaire de Montmartre. Bus 40 to stops Saules-Cortot or Montcenis-Cortot
Musée de la Contrefaçon
The Museum of Counterfeiting looked so interesting, but the opening times did not align with my schedule. I’m intrigued by dupe culture, and also the way trends trickle down from runways to regular people. (Cerulean belts, anyone?)
Other Hidden Gems to E
- See a show at the Bridge Theater. I saw Guys and Dolls!
Find a niche, uniquely Parisian shop
I was browsing Instatok yesterday and saw a store in Paris dedicated solely to mustard. Mustard! Imagine a store that can subsist in a major metropolitan that only sells mustard.
To me, the lure of Paris is wandering streets to find those small, niche shops that you would not find anywhere else. I visited two such shops highly relevant to my interests – embroidery and cross-stitch.
A pinterest rabbit hole served up a Catherine de Medici cross-stitch pattern, that of course I had to have. I took a bus to Les Brodeuses Parisiennes, a small cross-stitch store on the eastern side of the city. They have a lovely store full of their own patterns, fabric and floss. I picked up several typography alphabet patterns featuring breton stripe shirts, Catherine de Medici, and toile de jouy.
The second embroidery shop I visited was Sajou in Versailles. Sajou the embroidery store has been around for hundreds of years, and in its current iteration for a few years. To find Sajou, you have to knock on a window, walk down an alley, and enter in a secret door.
I could have spent all day in this whimsical store full of their own fabric, patterns, threads, flosses, and more. My favorite part was having the owner walking through her stitched models, talking about toile de jouy and Versailles.
Fiber arts stores might not be your cup of tea, but I encourage you to seek out a niche local shop. What would you look for – perfume? Salt? Mustard? Wine?
