Anonymous wrote:Sewer tour. Was surprisingly fun and interesting

+1 on the sewer tour/museum. I’ve been like three times.

Not off the beaten path, but I’ll never tire of picking up baguette, cheese, etc and picnicking in the garden at the Rodin Museum.

Graffiti class @ Parc de Bercy! Teens love and their parents too.

Go in the morning, then spend the afternoon in Le Marais.

Anonymous wrote:Make a list of highly regarded bakeries/patisseries, which can be off the beaten path and in non-touristy neighborhoods. Take the metro and find a new neighborhood you've never seen and enjoy a treat from the bakery. David Lebovitz blog and substack is good for recommendations.

Go see Fountainbleau. Requires commuter train + bus but I found it more enjoyable than Versailles.

Would also suggest Vaux-le-Vicomte in the same vein- absolutely beautiful, especially the gardens, predecessor to Versailles, but more enjoyable because the crowds are so manageable. About an hour total transit time from Paris with train+bus.

Make a list of highly regarded bakeries/patisseries, which can be off the beaten path and in non-touristy neighborhoods. Take the metro and find a new neighborhood you've never seen and enjoy a treat from the bakery. David Lebovitz blog and substack is good for recommendations.

Go see Fountainbleau. Requires commuter train + bus but I found it more enjoyable than Versailles.

Anonymous wrote:When is soon? If you are going in May, get tickets to the lesser courts at the French Open. Wander around the Jardin du Luxembourg (watch the kids race boats and take tennis lessons, watch the people play speed chess, etc). Definitely go to the Musée de l'Orangerie as someone mentioned previously. Stop by the Marché des Enfants Rouges for some food. I hope you have a wonderful time!

In the same vein, we were walking through the Tuileries Gardens around 6 PM and saw all these businessmen in their light blue dress shirts (all of them had the same color shirt, it was funny!) playing petanque after work. I hung out to the side and watched them play for probably 10 minutes- for some reason I love watching games like petanque/curling/etc, I find it weirdly mesmerizing. It seemed like such a quintessentially French thing.

When is soon? If you are going in May, get tickets to the lesser courts at the French Open. Wander around the Jardin du Luxembourg (watch the kids race boats and take tennis lessons, watch the people play speed chess, etc). Definitely go to the Musée de l'Orangerie as someone mentioned previously. Stop by the Marché des Enfants Rouges for some food. I hope you have a wonderful time!

I saw this UK comedy/travel show once where a comedian and his friend did a weekend trip to Paris in the episode.

The one thing they did, that I always thought would be fun was a sidecar motorcycle tour through Paris.

https://www.retro-tour.com/en/

The guide/driver was Remi and he still works there.

Anonymous wrote:I've also gone to the catacombs. It is pretty cool! I recommend exploring the neighborhood of Belleville, it's a funky little neighborhood and there are some nice restaurants and parks. It's less touristy. I also really love strolling around Canal St. Martin (it's pretty popular but anyways, I like it).

Agreed on both. Parc de Belleville and nice, and Parc des Buttes Chaumont is beautiful.

Tennis player/fan? Fontainebleau is a short train ride and you can organize a 1:1 training for jeu de paume at the court located in the chateau there. The guy handmakes rackets, balls and does a lovely job explaining the history of the sport and teaching you how to hit.

Paris-walks or is there a Paris greeters website for a free walk, geared to your interests?

We recently took a food tour of Monmatre and it was great.

I've also gone to the catacombs. It is pretty cool! I recommend exploring the neighborhood of Belleville, it's a funky little neighborhood and there are some nice restaurants and parks. It's less touristy. I also really love strolling around Canal St. Martin (it's pretty popular but anyways, I like it).

Catacombs

Catacombs for sure. (Buy tix in advance).