Paris; the City of Love, and the City of Lights, home to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and DisneyLand Paris. All of these are things that immediately pop into your head when you think of Paris. However, if you're like me and want to get away from the crowds for awhile, there are so many things you can do and still experience the wonder and culture of the city. I'm not saying ignore the famous landmarks all together, but if you have an extra day or so, all of these things provide a really neat perspective of the city that tourists don't usually get.
1. Victor Hugo's House
The name doesn't ring a bell? This author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame lived in Paris for many years. Tourists can view his apartments and see the rooms where he wrote, which are covered in artwork of him and his family and relating to his famous works. Although most of the names of the pieces are in French, there are descriptions of each room available in English as well. The best part? It's free to go in, and only 5 Euro for an audio guide (but it's not necessary). The house is easy to find and is near some art galleries as well as a park.
2. Rue Cremieux
This street (pictured above) is the most colorful street in Paris. If you care about your Instagram photos, then stopping at this world-famous street is a must. What's it famous for? Being colorful! Although there isn't much history behind it, the street really is beautiful and quaint. On the plus side, it's very close to some authentic Parisian cafes which serve excellent escargot and frog legs (I'm speaking from experience here). Since it's close to the Lyon station, this gorgeous street is worth a stop, even if it's just for the photo ops.
3. See Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Frederic Chopin's Graves
You read that right. All three of these famous figures are buried in Paris' Pere Lachaise Cemetery, which is also Paris' largest cemetery. No one knows exactly how many people are buried there: estimates range from 300,000 to 1,000,000. Once you go into the cemetery, it is surprisingly pretty (if in a slightly creepy way). At the entrance, there is a helpful guide to help the average visitor find which graves are where, although some are surprisingly tricky to find (especially Chopin's).
4. See the Eiffel Tower from the River
Want to see the Eiffel Tower, but not a fan of the massive crowds and people blocking your photos? Instead of getting off at the regular metro stop, take the M9 to Iena, walk down the sidewalk outside of exit 3, make a left when you can, cross the street, and keep walking along the river until you get to a break in the trees. This will give you a really nice spot to take pictures and see the entirety of the Eiffel Tower with the Seine in the foreground without all the people. If you want to actually get to the Eiffel Tower, this spot also provides convenient access to the bridge that leads you to the North Entrance. *Paris Pro Tip* Revisit this same spot at night, and every hour on the hour, the Eiffel Tower will "twinkle" its lights for 5 minutes, providing you with either some great pictures, a really cool video, or just a gorgeous sight.
Profitez de votre voyage a Paris!
