Unexpected Paris Sights To Add To Your Travel List

There's a lot to see in Paris. You already know about the major sights like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum. But in a city with over 2,000 years of history, there are many less-well-known sights that may be a bit hidden, unusual, or overlooked by visitors. It's these out-of-the-ordinary Paris sights that we want to turn our attention to right now. Let's start in the center of things Parisian, in the Marais.

5 Marvelous Mansions of the Marais

One of the most popular neighborhoods in Paris, and also the one containing the largest jumble of pre-modern buildings, the Marais started out as swampland, became the 17th-century playground of the rich and famous, sank into obscurity, and then was reborn in the later 20th century as the hippest quartier in the city. With all those changes it's amazing that there are still magnificent examples of the royal mansions built 400 years ago. Let's visit five of the best.

The Paris Catacombs

This unexpected Paris landmark is well hidden — underground! The Paris Catacombs may be a bit creepy to some, but we find it fascinating; another part of the city's history. In the 17th century, when the Paris cemeteries overflowed with centuries of the dead, where were they going to put the overflow of remains? Just outside the city limits were underground, abandoned limestone quarries, dating back as far as the Roman era; a perfect place to store bones. And a perfect place to visit today on a skip-the-line guided tour.

Visit Père Lachaise Cemetery

Can a cemetery be a tourist attraction? You'll answer with a resounding "yes" if you pay a visit to Visit Père Lachaise in the 20th Arrondissement. Walking here is like exploring an outdoor museum of the history of Paris. Since the beginning of the 19th century thousands of famous Parisians, along with celebrity francophiles, have been laid to rest here. Even the body of French playwright Molière was transferred here, even though he died in 1673.

We discovered that the best way to visit the graves of Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Gertrude Stein, Chopin and hundred of others is on a guided walking tour. We'll tell you about our experience.

Promenade Plantée Paris – A Garden Above the Streets

Greenery lines the paths along Promenade Plantée, photo Ville de Paris by Jean-Baptiste Gurliat

High above Avenue Daumesnil, the Promenade Plantée Paris turns an old rail line into one of the city's most peaceful strolls. Wanderers picnic at Jardin de Reuilly, lovers linger among the climbing roses, and curious visitors peek into artisan studios below. Free, leafy, and beautifully Parisian, it's the perfect self-guided wander from Bastille to Porte Dorée — part garden walk, part Paris flyover.

36 Views Of The Eiffel Tower

Famed Japanese printmaker Hokusai (1760-1849) was already in his seventies when he produce his most iconic work, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. The series depicts the Japanese mountain from three dozen different vantage points, and in all types of weather. Hokusai not only inspired the French Impressionist painters (Monet collected his work), but caused us at Paris Insiders Guide to create our own photo series, 36 Views Of The Eiffel Tower. (Be sure to look at Part 2 and Part 3 of the series to see all thirty-six photos.)

Montmartre Cemetery

Another quartier, another cemetery with famous Parisians buried there. The Montmartre Cemetery is tucked under a bridge in the 18th Arrondissement. Built on the site of a former limestone quarry, this below-ground-level burial ground hosts painter Edgar Degas, filmmaker François Truffaut, writer Alexandre Dumas, and even the executioner who chopped off the head of Louis XVI.

Gobelins Paris – Tapestry Works

The Gobelins Paris tapestry workshop was established by Louis XIV and, amazingly, still produces tapestries today. It's part of a complex of workshops and restoration facilities that supply the French government with furniture and works of art. We'll tell you about the Gobelins and its history, the facilities, the tapestries, the furniture, and how you can visit on a guided tour.

Hidden Landmarks of Paris

Everyone can reel off names of the famous landmarks of Paris, but what about theses little-known, the out-of-the-way, the hidden sites & sights? Here's what we reveal in this article — ancient city walls, waterfalls, an archaeological crypt, underground burial sites, and, yes, even the Statue(s) of Liberty.

The Best Views of the Paris Skyline

Unlike virtually every other major city, there is almost nothing in Paris over five stories high to block the view of the city skyline. We'll share our favorite places to view the Paris skyline, and tell you what you'll see when you're looking at it.