10 Fun and Unusual Activities to Discover Paris

I have concocted an original program for you. Whether you are young, a dynamic executive, or a senior, I promise you will have a great time through 10 unforgettable experiences!

A house-workshop and its garden strewn with sculptures. There you go, I had heard about Ossip Zadkine, this contemporary Russian sculptor of Modigliani. Personally, I have always appreciated monumental sculptures, namely outdoor ones, and the house-workshop of an artist. As I entered the dead-end at 100 bis rue Assas, I came face to face with a lovely white building that reminds you of the countryside. The airlock entrance leads to a first room and the sculptures impress me with their dimensions, they look like humans standing upright. They are made of wood and stone, the lines are clean and the treatment is raw, it's primitivism. You discover a second room in a row, the contents of which I will not reveal. Then you emerge onto a green setting, do not miss the Water Bearer, slightly hidden...

Just steps away from the Place de la République is nestled the Lavomatic with its icy blue facade which gives no hint of what awaits you. Inside, a revolving door will open and you will be propelled into the machine whose back opens, oh surprise, onto a staircase! After climbing a few steps, you find yourself immersed in a zesty decor and it’s around wooden surfboards that you take a seat. As for drinks, I fell for a Sakura made with Baccae gin but wouldn’t you prefer a Paloma? Know that you can also compose your custom cocktail, just amazing! As for the shareable dishes, the teammates renew them each season and they are creatively inspired! 

A play where you are the hero. While writing the script for his play "Last Scissor Cut," director Sébastien Azzopardi must have had Agatha Christie in mind. He takes you, in the style of Only Murders in the Building, to the scene of a crime. However, it's you, the beloved audience, who must solve the murder! Specifically, you find yourself inside a hair salon, faced with suspects, and you interact. To whet your appetite, I will tell you that the play won a Molière award. With "The Embarrassment of Choice," by the same director, this time you will come to the rescue of Max. At 35, he believes he has missed out on his life, and you must help him make the decision that will change the course of his existence! 

From floor to ceiling you are flooded with colors and you move through this space to the sounds of The Magic Flute or American crooners. Thus, you effortlessly enter into the imagination of these two naive painters. On one hand, Klee, a leading figure of the Bauhaus, a music aficionado who discovered the Mediterranean and its light. Art historians struggle to define his work as it is so protean. On the other hand, Chagall, the surrealistic Russian Jewish painter who introduced symbolism into his canvases. You know the Bride who seems to float in the air surrounded by musicians with animal heads... The decision to immerse the viewer is wise since Chagall also worked on stained glass!

With an evocative name like Madame Rêve, the tone is set. The brand-new Belle Epoque café-restaurant located within the freshly renovated Poste du Louvre offers a well-deserved break. With its 8 meters of ceiling height supported by a majestic colonnade, its gigantic chandeliers, and its mahogany furniture. What amazed me is the cozy atmosphere that emanates from this unique place. The illusion is perfect: you'll feel like you're sitting at the café of the Hotel Sacher in Vienna. For my part, I adored the hot chocolate. On Sundays, you will have brunch. Within a buffet, you will taste the breads made by Frédéric Lalos, best craftsman baker of France. Don't forget the pastries from Benoît Castel, a real treat...

The Hôtel de la Marine without the boats. Equipped with a state-of-the-art audioguide, you walk through this monument on the Place de la Concorde, which was successively a royal furniture repository under Louis XV and then the headquarters of the Ministry of the Navy. During the Revolution, the displayed weapons were requisitioned and the royal jewels looted. Three routes take you wandering through the private apartments and ceremonial salons. In each room, you understand what daily life was like in the 18th century. You take the grand staircase and, most importantly, you go to the loggia where you enjoy a breathtaking view of the square.

For history enthusiasts, you can learn more about the monument by looking at the urban planning table, the dancing mirrors, or even the sailors' table.

A library and its palm trees, the Richelieu site, the historical cradle of the BNF. What a surprise it was when the restoration works were completed, and the courtyard was revealed with its palm trees. Originals are made available for art historians: prints, manuscripts, photographic collections… The Oval Room, freely accessible, still constitutes the highlight of the visit with its 30,000 volumes including 9,000 comics, a collection that draws from the early days of the 9th art around 1830 and borrows from African cultures and American comics. Finally, the reading room has been equipped with a media fund containing 22 million documents! If you are exhausted, we have thought of you; a small café has been installed with an outside area where you can refresh yourself in the sun.

You have always wondered why dancers are called "little rats"? Because they rehearse in the attic and the noise of the slippers on the wooden floor strongly resembles that of mice! How about visiting this legendary place during a detective investigation? Arsène Lupin had not managed to uncover the secret of the opera, so we are counting on you, or rather your team. To succeed, you will need to discover the clues that Charles Garnier hid on-site. This will allow you to enter places that are not usually open to the public such as the basement... During your investigation, you will be assisted by actors dressed in period costumes… but shh! The visit ends with a mini concert by a chamber orchestra which will start a well-known piece, but which one?

It was the Japanese architect Tadao Ando who was in charge of renovating this place. The construction was completed in 2020 and what strikes the viewer upon entering the museum is that he has erected a concrete enclosure inside the stock exchange. However, he took care to leave the frescoes visible. François Pinault expressed his intention as follows: "With the opening of a new venue for the presentation of my collection at the Bourse de Commerce, in the heart of Paris, a new milestone is reached in the implementation of my cultural project: to share my passion for contemporary art with the widest audience.” The current exhibition is titled Before the Storm. Against the backdrop of climate change, you walk among the works, installations, and projections, a disconcerting immersion!  

You will recognize this place by its red Fiat 500 standing in the courtyard of a workshop on Boulevard Beaumarchais. When the owners of Bonpoint stores decide to turn the Pierre Frey premises into a trendy boutique, they want to highlight designers. Across 1500 m2 under a zenith skylight, you will find everything from linen home textiles, Japanese stationery, Scandinavian brand clothing, vintage furniture to green plants! The focus is on originality and handmade goods. If you wish to take a break, a cafe-library lined with shelves awaits you. You can enjoy white tea or homemade granola there… Definitely combine this with a visit to the nearby Marais!

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