Paris off the beaten track
The Seine with stops
Seeing Paris from the water offers a completely different perspective on the city. A boat shuttle along the Seine allows you to move between major landmarks while enjoying the river at your own pace.
The hop-on, hop-off system makes it easy to leave the boat whenever something catches your attention and continue the journey later. Along the route, you can see some of the capital’s most recognizable landmarks, including the Alexandre III Bridge, Place de la Concorde, Les Invalides, Hôtel de Ville, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
With several stops along the Seine and regular departures throughout the day, this is also a convenient way to get your bearings when visiting Paris for the first time. You can use the boat simply as transportation or stay on board longer and watch the city unfold from the river.
Streets and squares
Montmartre and its surrounding streets may be among the best-known parts of Paris, but there are many quieter neighborhoods worth exploring. To understand the stories behind these streets and the people who shaped them, a Paris tourist guide can provide context that is easy to miss when walking alone.
One of the most enjoyable places to wander is Butte-aux-Cailles, a neighborhood in the 13th arrondissement that still feels remarkably close to a village. Cobbled streets, small houses, cafés and independent restaurants create an atmosphere very different from central Paris. Walk along rue Alphand, Passage Barrault and Passage Sigaud, then simply follow whichever street looks most inviting.
Starting point: Corvisart metro station (line 6, followed by approximately 500 meters on foot).
Street art is another reason to explore the 13th arrondissement. Around Boulevard Vincent Auriol, large murals cover the sides of buildings, with works by internationally known artists such as C215, Seth and Shepard Fairey appearing alongside smaller pieces.
Starting point: Nationale metro station (line 6)
- Walk along Boulevard Vincent Auriol between numbers 141 and 171.
- Continue toward Place Pinel and explore the surrounding streets.
Keep looking above street level as well as around doorways and side streets. Some of the most interesting works are much easier to miss than the giant murals.
Parisian squares also offer a quieter way to experience the city. A few are particularly worth seeking out:
- Place des Victoires, one of Paris’s elegant royal squares, surrounded by distinctive classical façades. Metro: Bourse or Sentier (line 3).
- Place Marcel Aymé in the 18th arrondissement, named after the writer and known for the sculpture inspired by his character from Le Passe-Muraille. Metro: Abbesses (line 12).
- Place de Furstenberg, a small and romantic square in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, just a few steps from the Musée Eugène Delacroix and the painter’s former studio. Access via rue de Furstenberg, Paris 6th arrondissement. Metro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés (line 4) or Mabillon (line 10).
The covered passages
Passage des Princes, Passage des Panoramas, Galerie Vivienne, Galerie Colbert and Galerie du Grand-Cerf are among the names that evoke another era of Parisian life. These covered passages began appearing mainly in the late 18th and 19th centuries, creating sheltered pedestrian galleries lined with shops, cafés, restaurants and workshops.
Glass roofs bring daylight into narrow corridors decorated with mosaics, ironwork and old shopfronts. Some passages remain busy commercial spaces, while others feel almost suspended in time. Walking through them is an easy way to discover a more intimate side of central Paris, especially on a rainy day.
Among the most interesting passages to explore:
Around the Grands Boulevards
Metro: Richelieu-Drouot (lines 8 and 9)
- Passage des Panoramas, one of the oldest covered passages in Paris, at 11 boulevard Montmartre in the 2nd arrondissement.
- Passage Verdeau, known for antique dealers, old books and collectors’ shops, accessible from rue de la Grange-Batelière in the 9th arrondissement.
Around Strasbourg-Saint-Denis
Metro: Strasbourg-Saint-Denis (lines 4, 8 and 9)
- Passage Brady, often associated with Paris’s Indian and South Asian community, at 46 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis in the 10th arrondissement.
Around Sentier
Metro: Sentier (line 3)
- Passage du Caire, the longest covered passage in Paris, accessible from Place du Caire in the 2nd arrondissement.
Around Palais-Royal
Metro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7)
- Galerie Vivienne, known for its elegant mosaics, glass roof and refined architecture, at 4 rue des Petits-Champs in the 2nd arrondissement.
- Galerie Véro-Dodat, a shorter but particularly elegant passage lined with boutiques, at 19 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the 1st arrondissement.
These passages are easy to combine into a walking itinerary and offer a very different experience from Paris’s major avenues. Take your time, look up at the glass roofs and details above the shopfronts, and allow yourself to wander without following the most direct route.
