Things to do in Paris

The places Parisians actually go: restaurants, museums, walks and nights out, tried and recommended by the people who live here.

  • 3,686recommended places
  • 489locals recommending

Paris is the monuments the whole world knows, but it is also twenty arrondissements each living at its own pace. Behind the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre there are the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin, the slopes of Montmartre, the gardens people picnic in at the first ray of sun, and the neighbourhood tables Parisians keep to themselves.

No sponsored rankings on this page: every place is recommended by Spoooters, locals who genuinely go there. The more a place is recommended, the higher it climbs.

Where to eat in Paris

Grand food halls, pizzerias, old-style bouillons and bars by the water — the tables Parisians recommend most. 2,612 recommended places in Paris

MIAM

in Paris

50 addresses

qui mettent Paris en appétit

Des bistrots d'habitués aux pâtisseries cultes, Paris se déguste.

The locals' albumMIAM in ParisDes bistrots d'habitués aux pâtisseries cultes, Paris se déguste.50 spots · €2.99
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Where to go for a walk in Paris

Gardens, parks, disused railway lines and districts worth covering on foot, picked by the people who know them by heart. 259 recommended places in Paris

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What to see in Paris

Great museums, monuments, immersive shows and small hidden collections: the city’s culture as its own residents see it. 391 recommended places in Paris

CULTE

in Paris

50 addresses

qui font la légende de Paris

Des Buttes-Chaumont au Grand Rex, les incontournables vus par les Parisiens.

The locals' albumCULTE in ParisDes Buttes-Chaumont au Grand Rex, les incontournables vus par les Parisiens.50 spots · €2.99
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Where to go shopping in Paris

Department stores, concept stores, bookshops, vintage shops and flea markets spotted by locals. 241 recommended places in Paris

LOCAL

in Paris

50 addresses

que les Parisiens se transmettent

Petites rues, comptoirs du coin et repaires d'habitués.

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Where to go out and hear music in Paris

From the Opéra Garnier to the alternative venues of the north and east, by way of the bars along the water — a night out in Paris. 136 recommended places in Paris

FIESTA

in Paris

46 addresses

pour faire vibrer les nuits de Paris

Concerts, cocktails, soirées déjantées et verres qui s’éternisent.

The locals' albumFIESTA in ParisConcerts, cocktails, soirées déjantées et verres qui s’éternisent.46 spots · €2.99
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Things to do in Paris

Immersive venues, legendary cinemas, games halls and festive markets: ideas tried by people who live here. 189 recommended places in Paris

KIDS

in Paris

50 addresses

qui font briller les yeux des enfants

Des manèges aux musées, Paris devient un terrain de jeu.

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Local tips

  1. 01

    Walk the old Vincennes railway

    The Coulée Verte René-Dumont follows the route of a disused railway from place de la Bastille to the ring road at porte de Montempoivre. From Bastille it starts high up, on a viaduct: a walk above the streets, away from traffic.

    Source: Wikipedia — Coulée verte René-Dumont
  2. 02

    Follow the Canal Saint-Martin

    The canal links the Bassin de la Villette to the Port de l’Arsenal near Bastille, through locks and footbridges. Walk up it to the Bassin de la Villette, the largest artificial stretch of water in Paris, where people come to picnic and play pétanque in fine weather.

    Source: Wikipedia — Bassin de la Villette
  3. 03

    Have lunch in a bouillon

    Bouillons are working-class restaurants created to serve a proper meal at a fair price. The Bouillon Chartier in the faubourg Montmartre, open since 1896, is a listed monument; the one on boulevard du Montparnasse has kept its Art Nouveau interior.

    Source: Wikipedia — Bouillon Chartier
  4. 04

    Walk the Petite Ceinture

    The old railway that circled Paris has carried no passengers since 1934. Several stretches have become walkways open to the public, as in the 15th arrondissement between place Balard and rue Olivier-de-Serres.

    Source: Wikipedia — Ligne de Petite Ceinture
  5. 05

    Mint tea at the Grande Mosquée

    The Grande Mosquée de Paris, beside the Jardin des Plantes, welcomes visitors to its tea room and restaurant. A quiet pause in a patio few passers-by suspect is there.

    Source: Wikipedia — Grande Mosquée de Paris
  6. 06

    At the Louvre, go down to the basement

    Beneath the galleries you can see the remains of Philippe Auguste’s medieval castle. A detour that beats queueing in front of the Mona Lisa.

    Source: Wikipedia — Palais du Louvre
  7. 07

    Step away from the monuments

    Parisians’ favourite places are often two streets from the famous ones. After the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre, pick a district and take the time to walk it: that is where Paris actually opens up.

Did you know?

Paris had its elevated walkway before New York

The Coulée Verte René-Dumont, laid out from 1988 and opened in 1993 on the old Vincennes line, was the first green space built high up on a viaduct. New York’s High Line, opened in 2009, took its inspiration from it.

Source: Wikipedia — Coulée verte René-Dumont

The Louvre was a fortress

Around 1190, Philippe Auguste had a fortress built to defend Paris, with a great keep 15 metres across. Charles V turned it into a royal residence in the 14th century, and the Revolution opened the museum there in 1793.

Source: Wikipedia — Palais du Louvre

The Musée d’Orsay is a station

The building was put up by Victor Laloux between 1898 and 1900 to receive visitors to the 1900 World’s Fair: it was the terminus of the Paris–Orléans railway company. The museum opened there on 9 December 1986.

Source: Wikipedia — Musée d’Orsay

Buttes-Chaumont has a dark past

Before the park, the site held the Montfaucon gallows, then a vast open rubbish dump and gypsum quarries worked until 1860. Commissioned by Napoleon III and designed by Adolphe Alphand, the park opened on 1 April 1867, during the World’s Fair.

Source: Wikipedia — Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

Neighborhoods to know

Le Marais
Private mansions, narrow lanes and shops: concept stores such as Fleux and Merci, small museums, and the Centre Pompidou a step away.
Montmartre and Pigalle
The hill and its staircases, the “I love you” wall on place des Abbesses, then the tables and bars of Pigalle for the evening.
Canal Saint-Martin and La Villette
The canal banks, the Bassin de la Villette and its waterside terraces, and further north the Parc de la Villette and the science museum.
Belleville and Ménilmontant
The working-class, creative Paris of the east: street art, venues such as La Bellevilloise, and Père-Lachaise close by.
The Latin Quarter
The Panthéon, the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Jardin des Plantes and the Shakespeare and Company bookshop facing Notre-Dame.

Frequently asked questions about Paris

Where do locals like to eat?

According to Spoooters' recommendations, La Felicità, Brique Machine and Peppe Pizzeria come first in Paris.

What to do in Paris in a weekend

Pick one great museum, the Louvre or Orsay, then spend the rest of your time in the districts: the Marais to wander, Montmartre for the view, the Canal Saint-Martin for a drink by the water. Keep a morning for the Coulée Verte or Buttes-Chaumont.

What to do in Paris when it rains

The Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Petit Palais, the immersive shows at the Atelier des Lumières, a screening at the Grand Rex or an afternoon at Le Bon Marché all keep you dry.

Where to go out at night in Paris

Pigalle for bars and restaurants, the Bassin de la Villette for evenings by the water, and the north and east of the city for alternative venues such as La Bellevilloise, Le Hasard Ludique or the Cabaret Sauvage.

How does Spooot pick its places?

Every place is recommended by Spoooters, locals who actually go there. Nothing is sponsored: a place climbs the ranking as more locals recommend it.

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