5 Hidden Gems in Paris

Or perhaps not so well-hidden

Paris needs no introduction. As one of the most visited cities in the world, the French capital contains countless attractions that are known the world over. But while everyone knows the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame, there are plenty of interesting spots that receive far less attention.

When I first moved to Paris in 2020, I had the privilege of discovering many places for myself — spaces which no tourists seem to know about, but which give you a picture of Paris that goes far beyond the common clichés of the city.

So without further ado, here are five hidden gems that I highly recommend visiting:

La coulée verte

Nested in the 12th arrondissement of Paris is a rooftop garden known as La coulée verte (“The Green Track”). It looks like a typical Parisian public park, but with one major difference: it’s on the rooftops of a collection of connected buildings.

As you walk along the path, you pass miles of trees, flowers and artworks organised in the classic ‘geometrically orderly’ French style, giving off the impression of being in an almost Old…