Did you know that some statues in Paris are believed to hold magical properties? For a long time now, a tenacious superstition has involved a statue of Montaigne ... Read more!
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What makes the public clocks of Paris popular?
Some of the public clocks of Paris date back to the Middle Ages. Many more were placed in the 19th century, installed in church steeples, government buildings or ... Read more!
Horse meat butcher shops in Paris
How selling horse meat was made possible whilst it was considered a taboo food until the 19th century? When discovering the French capital, you may have encountered a ... Read more!
What are guard stones in Paris?
Isn’t it strange that so much art and detail are put into things we do not automatically notice? This is particularly true to a multitude of old protective ... Read more!
Where to find the Statue of Liberty hidden in Paris?
There are a few replicas of the Statue of Liberty across Paris: Île aux Cygnes, Luxembourg Garden, Orsay Museum… These are easy to spot and in plain sight. But there is ... Read more!
Church of Notre-Dame de la Compassion, Paris
Caught between the Périphérique and the Convention Centre at Porte Maillot, the church of Notre-Dame de la Compassion, Paris does not catch the eyes as it should. The ... Read more!
Passage Boudin: a surprising alleyway in Paris
This little lane will surprise you if you are walking in the neighbourhood of Charonne. Passage Boudin in the east of Paris is lined with colourful houses. It ... Read more!
Rue des Cascades: a provincial atmosphere in Paris
The quiet and rural-looking rue des Cascades is a residential street in the 20th arrondissement lined with low and tall houses. This neighbourhood in the Belleville area will ... Read more!
Rue Berton, a remnant of the countryside in Paris
There are a number of rural-looking streets to discover in Paris. One of them is rue Berton in Passy (16th arrondissement). Not far from the Eiffel Tower, the ... Read more!
The Paris Challenge: 100 places to discover in Paris
I’ve been working hard in feeding this website over the past six years. There have been a lot of posts published in various parts of France. Having roamed ... Read more!
In the footsteps of Dalida in Montmartre
Who was Dalida? This is the inevitable question people ask me when walking on a tour of Montmartre. The glamorous queen of French chanson has become a cult ... Read more!
Discover the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil in Paris
Unknown to most Parisians, the elegant Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil is a botanical garden located at the southeastern edge of the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement ... Read more!
Discover the Parc de Boulogne Edmond de Rothschild
The vast Parc de Boulogne Edmond de Rothschild is situated between the Bois de Boulogne and the River Seine in the commune of Boulogne-Billancourt. Not very well known ... Read more!
When the Jardin d’Acclimatation was a human zoo
At the entrance of the Jardin d’Acclimatation is a commemorative plaque which does not draw much attention. It was only because we were waiting for friends before entering ... Read more!
Berlin Wall Section in Paris
Last week during a walk across the 16th arrondissement I stumbled upon a historic piece of concrete which was no less than a Berlin Wall section in Paris! ... Read more!
Statue of Liberty on the Île aux Cygnes, Paris
It is either visible from the top of the Eiffel Tower, from the Front-de-Seine or the Maison de la Radio, the Statue of Liberty on the Île aux ... Read more!
An elephant head near Les Halles, Paris
How many people passing by the busy street of rue de la Cossonnerie actually know there is an elephant head near Les Halles, right here, in central Paris? ... Read more!
Rue de Braque: Discovering a Hidden Gem of Old Paris
One spring morning in 2016, I discovered a hidden gem on the quiet Rue de Braque in the 3rd arrondissement. Until then, I thought there were only three ... Read more!
Rue de Verneuil and the former house of Serge Gainsbourg
Have you heard of Rue de Verneuil in Paris? Probably not, but surely you’ve heard of the name of one of its famous residents: Serge Gainsbourg. Rue ... Read more!
The Fountain of the Croix-du-Trahoir in Paris
Today the intersection of rue Saint-Honoré and rue de l’Arbre-Sec is part of one of the nicest parts of Paris. There, in the heart of the 1st arrondissement is a little fountain known as Croix-du-Trahoir. It ... Read more!
