All France Paris

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Paris

209 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Paris, France

Updated October 22, 2025

There is a secret apartment at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and that encapsulates Atlas Obscura—the hidden world within the one that we know. Paris is a city of history and beauty and light, and one of the best ways to experience it is by leaving the beaten path.

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Unusual Attractions in Paris

See All 209 Things To Do in Paris

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Paris

See all 19 Places to Eat in Paris
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Explore Paris, France

Architecture 29
Art 22
Museums 21
Collections 20
Architectural Oddities 17
Restaurants 13
Sacred Spaces 13
History 13

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Stories About Paris

The Room of the Martys at the Jeu de Paume museum in Paris (circa 1940)

How Rose Valland Saved Stolen Art From the Nazis

History often overlooks this brave woman’s efforts in World War II.
by The Podcast Team
Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower 2024

Life-Changing Trips: Olympics, Cicadas, and Once-in-a-Lifetime Concerts

Listeners to the Atlas Obscura podcsat share their stories of life-changing trips.
by The Podcast Team
No thanks.

AO Mailbag: Which Places Just Aren’t Worth Visiting?

We look for wonder everywhere we go. But today, let’s talk about the trips that aren’t worth it.
by The Podcast Team
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.

Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?

Go beyond the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre in the City of Lights.
by Atlas Obscura
Preserved specimens of depressed river mussels (Pseudanodonta complanata), a species that has nearly disappeared from French waters.

Found in the Seine: DNA From a Nearly Extinct Mussel

Scientists taking samples from the Parisian river didn't expect to find traces of shellfish that had all but disappeared from France.
by Atlas Obscura
La Bague de Kenza specializes in jewel-like Algerian sweets.

Gastro Obscura's 13 Essential Places to Visit While in Paris

From Algerian sweets to Tunisian snacks to a mind-altering ham sandwich, go beyond the tropes and the tourist traps on this itinerary.
by Austin Bush
Bill G.B. Pallot, pictured here in his Paris home in 2017, has been at the center of a storm over counterfeit antique furniture.

The Furniture Fraud That Threw the French Antiques World Into a Furor

Was it an elaborate scam or a highbrow battle of wits?
by Nina Strochlic
The City of Light has a city of darkness underground.

The Fight Between Cataphiles and Underground Police in the Paris Catacombs

Will the tunnels, host to many illegal parties, get filled with concrete?
by Frank Jacobs

Lists Featuring Paris

Gustave Eiffel’s Secret Apartment
Exterior of the museum.
Diving suit by the Carmagnolle brothers from 1882

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near the Eiffel Tower for Curious Travelers

11

Including Gustave Eiffel's Secret Apartment , Musée du quai Branly (Quai Branly Museum), and Jules Lavirotte's 29 Avenue Rapp

The House of the Temple.
Statue of George Washington

Novus Ordo Seclorum: 14 Places to Unearth Masonic Secrets

Your best bets for gaining insight into the real history of Freemasonry.

14

Including Zedekiah's Cave, Masonic Lodge of the Andaz Hotel, and House of the Temple

Rats of Karni Mata Temple
Paxton Gate Exterior
Albino Squirrels of Olney, Illinois

A Rat Lover's Tour of the World

15 places where rodents are celebrated, feared, preserved, and studied.

15

Including Karni Mata Temple, Nutty Narrows Bridge, and Paxton Gate

Le Cimetière du Calvaire is Paris’ oldest and smallest cemetery.

Old Cemeteries in Paris

Historic graveyards to visit in the City of Lights.

8

Including Père Lachaise Cemetery, Montparnasse Cemetery, and Montmartre Cemetery

Le Bachelor takes a break while arranging new merchandise at Sape & Co
Jacques Noël
LaBeL RéCuP’ store front.

8 Cool Shops in Paris

Wonderfully unique stores to visit in the City of Lights.

8

Including Tombées du Camion, Sape & Co, and Un Regard Moderne Bookstore

Original letter of Abraham, the son of Maimonides found in the Cairo genizah.
A sculpture of the Tower of Babel, by Alan Baughman, from the Introductory Room of the Museum of the Alphabet
Boontling word of the week in the tap room of the Anderson Valley Brewing Company.

A Linguistics Lover's Tour of the World

12 places to marvel at the history of human language.

12

Including The Cairo Genizah , The Museum of the Alphabet , and Boontling Language of Boonville

Bolivia’s Witch Market
Dubrovnik Maskeron
The Statue of St. Anthony’s Pig
The Guardhouse Monkey

15 Unlikely Places to Re-Up Your Luck

Luck be a... llama fetus?

15

Including Bolivia's Witch Market, Dubrovnik Maskeron, and Statue of St. Anthony's Pig

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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