5 Unusual Things To Try in Paris

The French capital has the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre, but if you are a seasoned traveller or just someone who is looking for something different from the Parisian streets then there are other options. Check out an in depth selection of the lesser known activities, tours and sights that make up our 5 unusual things to do in Paris.

* Ballroom dancing at the waterfront at the Jardin Tino Rossi

On warm summer nights the quai along the left bank of Port St Bernard comes alive with people strolling, picnicking and ballroom dancing. Every evening, starting June 1 through the end of August, dancers gather along the river bank near the Institut du Monde Arabe, in the Jardin Tino Rossi, to perfect their salsa, tango, waltz and swing.

* Unusual museums

Spend time in some of the other Paris museums. The Museum of Comparative Anatomy and Paleontology provides an amazing look into a the world of 19th-century science with rows and rows of animal skeletons marching shoulder to shoulder against walls lined with old wood and glass cabinets. Within the Jardin des Plantes where the museum resides there is also a botanical garden, zoo and an array of other natural history museums. Other favorites include the Musée de Quai Branly, Musée du Moyen Age and Musée des Arts et Métiers. Check out our full guide to museums in Paris.

* Hunting for Roman ruins in Paris

The beautiful capital is still riddled with numerous timeworn traces of its ancient Roman past: a coliseum, baths, and various remains of walls, pillars and carved stones lie strewn about the city, waiting to be discovered by those with an observant eye. While the Roman Baths at Cluny are plausibly the most impressive architectural remnant from the Roman era, the Archaeological Crypt near Notre Dame reveals the center of the old Roman city of Lutetia, right on the Île de la Cité.

* Stroll along the Promenade Plantée and Viaduc des Arts

A long, narrow stretch of trees and flowers flourish on what once was an elevated railway track. The promenade, also referred to by locals as La Coulée Verte, stretches from Bastille through the area around Gare de Lyon and Bercy, all the way to the west entrance of the Bois de Vincennes. When you’ve finished enjoying the gardens, drop down to street level and wander along the Viaduc des Arts where ateliers, workshops, cafes and galleries have taken up residence in the vaulted arches below the garden. The main section of both can be found at Avenue Daumesnil, near Bastille.

* French 19th-century covered passages

Explore the 19th-century covered passages of Paris: remnants of the post-revolution rise of the middle-class in France, these precursors of today’s department stores and malls have mostly disappeared. Less than 30 still exist today. Some of the most impressive lie strung in a line stretching from Passage Vivienne, behind the Palais Royal, continuing northbound, where they end at rue Cadet, a charming, bustling little street. Passage hopping is perfect for a rainy day in Paris.