10 things you didn’t know about Paris

Paris, the city of lovers, the home of the Eiffel Tower,  the Louvre and many other wonders. We hear so much about Paris in travel guides, advertisements and movies that sometimes it feels like we know everything about it, even if we haven’t even seen it before. No matter whether you are a seasoned Paris-roamer or if you’re planning on visiting it in the future, here’s a list that of things that few people (except for Parisians, maybe) know about Paris.

1. If you want to see some amazing bird’s eye views of Paris, the Eiffel Tower is not the only place to go. The Basilica Sacré Cœur of Montmartre is located on a hill, and you can see all of the neighborhood from there. Besides, Montmartre used to be the home of artists such as Dali, Monet or Picasso, and several scenes from the hit French movie Amelie were filmed there.

2. Don’t use cabs to get around the city, it will cost you a lot of money. Even if you’re not a fan of public transport, you should use the RER to get to more remote neighborhoods. Buying a carnet, or book of tickets will be cheaper than buying individual tickets.

3. Want to relax for a while? There are plenty of parks in Paris, and the smaller, lesser known ones are just as enjoyable as the large, popular parks like Jardin de Tuileries. Buy a map of the city and check out all the smaller ‘green’ spots.

4. You’d like to visit more museums and exhibitions but your budget won’t allow it? Plan your visit to include the first Sunday of the month – you will be able to get into the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay or Centre Pompidou for free!

5. Paris is a city that should essentially be discovered on foot. So take a walk along the Seine, ignore your guidebook for a while and explore the nooks and corners of the the streets off the beaten path.

6. While the shopping districts and the more modern parts of the city are quite fascinating, take some time to visit the Latin Quarter, an area on the left bank of the Seine – it’s Paris’s student district, with lots of famous universities and countless reasonably priced cafes and bistros.

7. If you’d like to bring home some souvenirs, or if you want to buy something unique, check out the flea market at Porte de Clignancourt, which is held every Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the week.

8. Place the Bastille is the perfect place to spend the evening, for but if you want to mingle with the Paris youth better, take a picnic of cheese and wine to the banks of the Seine in the evening and get to know the locals.

9. Did you know that the Eiffel tower was the tallest structure in the world when it was built in 1889? Today it is tiny compared to many sky-scrapers, but what’s special about it is that it is lit up every night, and it sparkles every 5 minutes.

10. Parks are supposed to be tangles of alleys and green spaces, right? Well, not in the case of the Promenade plantée, the world’s only linear park. It runs along a railway from the Bastille to the Bois the Vincennes park.

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