I’ve written a series of three blog posts about 41 Unusual Things to do in Paris, which you can find here. Due to popular demand, I will continue to write about quirky things to do in Paris.
[1] Find Paris’s tallest waterfall and a cool cave
63 Rue Manin, 75019 Paris, France [NE]
In Paris’s 5th biggest park, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, in the Northeast of the capital, you can find the city’s tallest waterfall (20m/65ft) and a ginormous cave of roughly equal height. Both are man-made. The most famous feature of the park is the Temple de la Sibylle, a miniature version of the ancient Roman Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, Italy. It stands on the rocky Belvedere Island in the middle of a lake.
[2] Check out the half-timbered houses of Paris
A.o.: 11 Rue François Miron, 75004 Paris [Centre]
Despite Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s best efforts to bulldoze all of Paris down to the ground and to rebuild it in what became known as Haussmann Style, there are still a few lovely half-timbered medieval houses to be found in town, mostly in the Marais district. Amongst the most famous ones are the House of the Reaper (À l’enseigne du Faucheur) at house number 11, and House of the Sheep (À l’enseigne du Mouton) at number 13 in Rue Francois Miron. A stone’s throw away there is number 12 rue des Barres. Other houses can be found in Rue de Braque and 3 rue Volta. The next section is about another famous medieval building, even though not half-timbered.
[3] Have a look at the house of Nicolas Flamel, the famous alchemist
51 rue de Montmorency, Paris 75003 [Centre]
In the North of the Marais District you can find what is said to be the oldest remaining residential stone house in town, the former home of the famous alchemist Nicolas Flamel, whom some contemporaries thought to be immortal. Until he died.
[4] Wander among wondrous stuffed animals
Design et Nature, 4 Rue d’Aboukir, 75002 Paris [Centre]
Not only for fans of taxidermy, Design & Nature can be a wonderful place to explore. There are all types of stuffed animals, including rather exotic ones like lions and tigers. The fact that everything is crammed into a tiny space makes the experience all the more exciting. According to the website and several reviews I read, the shop is very strict on upholding high ethical standards (and, of course, on complying with applicable laws and regulations).
[5] Climb the stairs up to “Paris’s last village”
78 Rue Georges Lardennois, 75019 Paris, France [NE]
Paris’s “last village”, Butte Bergeyre, is located on a steep hill and can only be reached via either one of three sets of stairs or a narrow, winding street. It has one of Paris’s last remaining vineyards and is located next to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, both of which other blog posts in this series about Unusual and Quirky Things to do in Paris have covered.
[6] Take a selfie next to the Statue of Liberty
All. des Cygnes, 75015 Paris (Pont de Grenelle) [W]
At Pont de Grenelle in the West of Paris you can find a 12m (38ft) tall replica of the Statue of Liberty on an island in the Seine. The statue was a gift from the U.S. to France to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. You guessed it: there are better angles than the one I chose for my selfie. We had been on a tight schedule that day.
[7] Relax in the main reading hall and the court of the National Library
58 Rue de Richelieu, 75002 Paris [Centre]
Surprisingly few visitors know about the beautiful main reading hall and court of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Hard to think of a better place to relax and enjoy some quiet.
Here are the links to the other three articles:
41 Unusual Things to do in Paris – Part I
41 Unusual Things to do in Paris – Part II
41 Unusual Things to do in Paris – Part III
Ellie & I tend to visit Paris at least twice a year, and I will update the blog posts regularly and add new quirky things to do.
