Beyond the landmark monuments, Paris hides quieter spots that tell a different story about the city: its underground passages, its former villages once annexed into the capital, and working-class neighborhoods that stayed off the tourist map for a long time. Here's a selection for a different perspective on the city.
Before you book Paris Catacombs Tickets: How to Book, from €38
The Catacombs of Paris
Beneath the streets of the 14th arrondissement lies a network of former quarries turned into an ossuary at the end of the eighteenth century, holding the remains of several million Parisians. The visit descends twenty meters underground through an impressive maze of galleries, book your time slot in advance as demand is high.
Canal Saint-Martin
With its locks, iron footbridges and cobbled quays, Canal Saint-Martin was long an industrial area before becoming one of Parisians' favorite spots to stroll or picnic by the water, especially on weekends.
Butte-aux-Cailles
This neighborhood in the 13th arrondissement has kept the feel of a village, with its low houses and winding streets, far from the Haussmann-style architecture found elsewhere in the city. A former working-class stronghold, it's now home to bars and small restaurants with a much more relaxed vibe than the touristy center.
Tips
- These three spots move at very different paces: allow a good hour for the Catacombs once you factor in the wait, and save Canal Saint-Martin and Butte-aux-Cailles for late afternoon, when the atmosphere really comes alive after dark. To go further into this less-visited side of Paris, our Petite Ceinture practical guide covers the stretches of the old rail line now open for walking.
- A few other guides round out this selection for anyone who wants to go further: our article on Underground Paris expands on the Catacombs with the sewers and the Lutetia arena, the Coulée verte offers another unusual walk along a former rail viaduct between Bastille and the Bois de Vincennes, and the street art of the 13th arrondissement or Belleville rounds out the list of the city's lesser-expected spots.
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See these 3 places on the map
