Hi, I'm Pierre and I want to thank you for taking part in this practical guide, the hidden gems of little-known Paris.
If you are planning a trip to Paris and want to discover sites off the beaten track and outside the Eiffel Tower, then you have made the right choice.
Together, we will make Paris our own and feel the pulsation of the City of Lights.
Besides its famous monuments, the little-known Paris has many secrets to reveal, in the heart of the city or on the outskirts, behind the scenes of a townhouse or under the trees of its parks.
The hurried passer-by is rarely a stroller, because I believe that strolling requires time, which is in itself a paradox!
You have to learn to look up, to stop unexpectedly, and sometimes not to hesitate to get lost.
Walking that way becomes a sort of profession, with its tricks and skills. But the reward is often there.
Surprises, rarities and small treasures are within the reach of anyone who is interested.
The curious walker, at his or her own discretion and according to his or her own temperament, can take advantage of everything that presents itself.
Even the most familiar paths have something to surprise you.
There is only one rule: escape the uniform, the expected, the predictable of the contemporary city.
I invite you to unearth these gems, to give them a name and a story.
In this practical guide, I will give you 50 of my best sites to discover the little-known Paris.
The places I am going to describe are generally little known, but accessible without too much difficulty.
As a result, I have refrained from mentioning places that are charming, but carefully locked up and invisible to the passer-by.
To escape the beaten track, to visit the other side of the city as one inspects the back of a garment.
So, I might as well warn you, I couldn't include all the unusual and off-the-beaten-track sites in Paris.
Because if I had, this guide would never have been published. Indeed, there are hundreds of interesting sites to discover and I had to make a selection.
So, there will be places in this selection that you will like, and others that may not satisfy your curiosity in the same way.
But the good news is that this guide also offers you a method to discover your own gems of Paris.
These will be things that interest you because you have chosen them.
For example, this would be the case if you didn't want to leave the centre of Paris and stay close to the Seine and the main monuments. Or if you are more adventurous and want to explore the villages of Paris at the edge of the French capital and its suburbs.
So, before I start giving you my selection,
Let’s take a look at an overview of everything that will be covered in this course.
I have divided the course into eight parts.
- The PSC method to find your gems of Paris. I want to help you find the gems of Paris for yourself by giving you my method. It is by following it that I found all the sites that I will present to you later.
- 9 places in central Paris (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements)
- 7 places in the Left Bank (5th, 6th and 7th arrondissements)
- 7 places in the Right Bank PART 1 (8th, 9th, 10th and 12th arrondissements)
- 8 places in the Right Bank PART 2 (16th and 17th arrondissements)
- 8 places in the Villages of Paris PART 1 (12th, 13th, 14th and 15th arrondissements)
- 6 places in the Villages of Paris PART 2 (16th ,17th and 18th arrondissements)
- 6 places in the Villages of Paris PART 3 (19th and 20th arrondissements)
Each section is in the form of a photo presentation in which I contribute with my voice. My French accent may prevent the listener from understanding some words (English or French!). That is why you will find the transcript of each location presentation under the video.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Ps. I'm here to help you if you have any questions. Feel free to contact me at pierre@frenchmoments.com