Off the beaten track in Paris

[TywysogesGymraeg]

Does anyone have any recommendations for things to see/do and places to eat in Paris please?

We've done all the usual tourist stuff like the Eiffel Tower etc. We'd love to explore the less well known parts of the city.

And we'd love some recommendations for reasonably priced, non touristy places to eat in the evenings.

Thank you

This is the list I give friends who are going to Paris It probably won't be all that original to people who actually live in Paris but I love everything on here:

Central Paris, 4th/5th/6th arrondissements

1. Institut du monde Arabe: a fantastic museum in St Germain dedicated to Arab culture and art, with a café selling Middle Eastern delights, which isn’t too expensive. 1 rue des Fossés Saint Bernard, 5th arrondissement, Métro Jussieu or Cardinal Lemoine www.imarabe.org/

1. In this area, you’ll also find lots of wee, old cinemas, often showing English language films from the 50s/60s/70s with French subs. Be warned – look out for showings which say VO (version originale) unless you want French over-dubbing!

Le Grand Action: www.legrandaction.com La Filmothèque du Quartier Latin: www.lafilmotheque.fr/ Le Champo: www.lechampo.com/ Le Reflet Médicis: www.lesecransdeparis.fr/nos-salles~reflet-medicis Métro Jussieu or Cardinal Lemoine for all.

1. In Le Marais district, you can get great Middle Eastern food quite cheap at lots of cafés along the rue des Rosiers. L’As du Fallafel is very popular (32-34 rue des Rosiers) plus.google.com/115347975969490413823/about?gl=uk&hl=en

1. Also in Le Marais is Le Musée Carnavalet, a museum dedicated to the history of Paris. It’s in a beautiful building and it’s quite unusual as entry is FREE! (16 rue des Francs-Bourgeois) www.carnavalet.paris.fr/en/homepage

1. Also in le Marais is a great vintage clothing shop called Free’p Star (8 rue Sainte-croixe de la Bretonnerie) www.freepstar.com/

Mtro St Paul for Le Marais

1. The big contemporary art museum, Le Centre Pompidou, is on the edge of Le Marais and is worth a visit. The shop is very good and you can sneak in and use the toilet for free without buying a ticket (v important). Place Georges Pompidou (near Rambuteau Metro) www.centrepompidou.fr/en

1. L’Ile St Louis in the 4th arrondissement is a very pretty place to visit – it’s an island in the middle of the Seine, just across from Notre Dame. If you like ice cream, the best stuff ever is sold at Glaces Berthillon (29-31 rue St Louis en l’Ile). They do flavours like pink grapefruit, gooseberry, salted butter caramel… Métro Pont-Marie

Northern Paris, 18th/19th arrondissements

1. Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a beautiful, kind of spooky (but not scary) park built out of a quarry in the 19th century. It has manmade grottos and caves with stalactites, and waterfalls. Entry is free and it’s a great place to sit with a picnic. Métro Buttes-Chaumont or Botzaris en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parc_des_Buttes_Chaumont

1. Before you go into the park, you can stop at Véronique Mauclerc on rue du Crimée, my favourite bakery in Paris. You can pick up some lovely bread, brownies or hot pizza to take away. Métro Laumière or Ourcq parisbreakfasts.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/veronique-mauclerc.html

1. A very brief Métro ride away is the Musée de Montmartre (rue Cortot), in an old mansion with beautiful gardens. It has amazing exhibits, old metal shadow puppet theatres, paintings, cartoons. Métro Lamarck-Caulaincourt www.museedemontmartre.fr/

1. Near the Musée de Montmartre, on rue Lepic, is a lovely restaurant called Le Coq Rico. It’s not cheap, but if you want a treat you can get the plat du jour for 15 euros www.lecoqrico.com/

1. In this area, there’s a great chain of second hand clothes shops called Guerrisol. They are kind of mad and disorganised but good fun, and very cheap. guerrisol.com/magasins.html

17 Boulevard de Rochechouart, Métro Barbes 45 Boulevard de la Chappelle, Métro Barbes 10 Boulevard de Barbes, Métro Barbes

Canal St Martin
This is a lovely canal running through the 10th, 11th and 19th arrondissements and is handily located if you are staying at Villette. There are some great wee bakeries along the way and interesting shops for books and clothes. It’s great for a leisurely wander and this Time Out guide is pretty good: www.timeout.com/paris/feature/area/canal-saint-martin-ourcq-villette

For a cheap, up to date guide to things to do/films/exhibitions/parties, buy a Pariscope guide from a street news stand.

I also like the restaurants L'AOC (5th arr, near Institut du Monde arabe) and Mon vieil ami (4th arr, Ile St Louis)

Have fun!

Sorry, reference to staying at Villette was specific to my friend

Ooh, what a fabulous list…we are planning a trip in the Spring so I am taking note.

(I love the Arab Institute)

If you fancy a bit of contemporary art I would also add
Palais de Tokyo.

Bloody hell Cooper!! I wasn't expecting quite such a comprehensive response. Thank you very much, I will print and digest your suggestions over the next few days and get out a map of Paris.
Merci, mille fois merci!

am going to Paris myself now, just for that list!

De rien, Tywysoges, hope you have a lovely time!

The magic museum. Been twice, entertained all from ages 4-44!