Discover Paris’s 200 best Offbeat Adventurer spots for your trip

A skip-the-line ticket to the Paris Catacombs, paired with a self-guided audio tour available in 4 languages. Visitors descend into the underground tunnels, originally quarries, to see rooms lined with the bones and skulls of around 6 million Parisians, relocated here when the city's cemeteries became overfilled.

Opened to the public in 1809, the Catacombes de Paris occupy former limestone quarry galleries 20 metres beneath the city. The 1,500-metre route winds past walls of stacked bones and skulls, transferred here as Paris cemeteries closed.

Displays cover the site's geology, architecture and history. Advance booking is recommended, and an audioguide is included with tickets.

Housed in a historic Marais mansion, this museum pairs hunting-themed art and taxidermy with contemporary artworks in eccentrically decorated rooms. Run by the Fondation François Sommer, it hosts temporary exhibitions, talks and events exploring the relationship between humans, animals and nature.

Its blend of antique interiors and modern installations gives it an unusual, atmospheric feel distinct from typical natural history museums.

Orgueil offers two experiences at 6 Rue Popincourt: the Bistro, serving small sharing plates built around five themes—produce, vegetables, seafood, meat and sweets—plus a weekday lunch menu, and the Speakeasy, a confidential space behind the kitchen with a nightly 7-course tasting menu (5 courses at lunch, Thursday to Sunday). Wine pairings are available, and the menu changes every three months.

Housed in a converted 19th-century foundry, this Culturespaces venue opened in 2018 as a digital art centre. Large-scale projections cover the walls, floor and ceiling, immersing visitors in works by artists such as Van Gogh alongside contemporary digital creations.

A rotating programme includes different shows on different days, plus a children's workshop space and a bookshop-boutique.

A 2-hour guided escape game through Père Lachaise Cemetery, where small groups work together to solve the mystery of "Victor's" death using a flawed map and hidden clues. A live guide and game master accompany the group throughout, sharing real historical stories about notable graves such as Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, and Édith Piaf along the way.

Accessed through a barbershop's back door, this Paris 8e speakeasy pays tribute to the 1919 Prohibition era when clandestine bars flourished. Behind the discreet entrance, guests find dim, intimate rooms serving refined cocktails alongside a felted smoking lounge stocked with a curated cigar selection.

The combined barbershop, bar and cigar lounge concept draws on the era's dandy culture for a confidential, old-world atmosphere.

A sightseeing meal aboard the Bustronome, a glass-roofed double-decker bus offering restaurant-style service and a multi-course seasonal menu while passing Paris landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. The panoramic terrace and curated background music add to a "bistronomy on wheels" experience.

Tucked behind a genuine grocery shop stocked with Moroccan products like Ghandour biscuits and Fantasia chips, this speakeasy near République reveals a hidden cocktail bar. The space has a bohemian, Moroccan-inspired atmosphere with a fun, eclectic feel.

Expect creative cocktails and generally friendly service in an intimate, offbeat setting.

A 60-75 minute outdoor tour on the Champ-de-Mars where a guide provides a VR headset for a 360° recreation of the Eiffel Tower's construction in 1887 and its unveiling at the 1889 World's Fair. Small groups (max 10) mix storytelling from a live guide with the immersive visuals, based on historical archives.

La Petite Ceinture was once a railway line encircling Paris, now largely abandoned and reclaimed by nature. Several stretches have been converted into public walkways and green spaces, offering a quiet, overgrown escape from city streets.

Expect wild vegetation, old tracks, and remnants of stations along the route, popular for peaceful strolls off the usual tourist path.

Silencio was conceived by director David Lynch as an underground artistic sanctuary, its striking interior design carrying his distinct visual signature across several themed rooms. Public access is limited and reviews are notably mixed, with several visitors flagging the cover charge as steep relative to the experience, so it's worth checking current terms before planning a visit.

Les Cognées has quickly built an outstanding reputation in a less touristy part of the 18th arrondissement, with reviewers repeatedly highlighting attentive, personalized service from the team, including bartender Cyril. It's become a destination bar worth the trip outside the central tourist areas.

Tucked in the basement of Pink Mamma, past the cold room, this speakeasy resembles a mix of an eccentric herbalist's shop and an all-velvet boudoir. Expect an Italian-style atmosphere and a sophisticated cocktail menu crafted by the bar team.

No reservation is needed; simply ask the hostesses at Pink Mamma to be pointed toward the entrance. Open daily from 7 PM.

An evening walking tour covering the darker chapters of Parisian history, from the plague to the French Revolution. The guide leads the group past sites tied to mischief, murder, and legend — including the Square of the Innocents and areas around the Louvre — sharing eerie tales along the way.

L'Oasis d'Aboukir is a living wall of plants covering the side of a building in the 2nd arrondissement, created by botanist Patrick Blanc, known for pioneering vertical garden designs. The installation features hundreds of plant species arranged to thrive without soil, using a hydroponic support system.

It's a striking, free-to-view green landmark.

Le Refuge des Fondus is a quirky, convivial restaurant in Montmartre specializing in fondue, both cheese and meat. It's best known for its tradition of serving wine in baby bottles, adding to the fun, informal atmosphere.

Expect a lively, close-quarters dining room popular for group meals and casual nights out.

This Starbucks location sits on Boulevard des Capucines close to the Palais Garnier, offering the chain's usual menu of espresso drinks, frappuccinos, teas, and pastries. Seating is available for those wanting a break while sightseeing nearby.

Like other Starbucks branches, it offers free Wi-Fi and to-go options.

Tucked in the basement of the Normandy Le Chantier hotel, Rehab is reached through a mirrored door and a metal spiral staircase, leading to a dimly lit, intimately decorated room. The bar's "Remedy" cocktail menu treats each drink as a tailored remedy for a mood or moment, crafted to balance and awaken the senses.

Open Tuesday to Sunday evenings, it offers a discreet, atmospheric setting near Rue Saint-Honoré.

Solera is a cocktail bar tucked along rue Saint-Jacques in Paris's 5th arrondissement. Doors open at 5pm, with Tuesday and Wednesday service running until 1am and Thursday through Saturday until 2am.

The bar also offers private event bookings. With a 4.7 rating from nearly 1,900 reviews, it draws a steady crowd for evening drinks.

A private 2-hour tour of Paris's main monuments — the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Sacré-Cœur, Les Invalides, and Notre-Dame — aboard a vintage Citroën 2CV convertible. The driver-guide also takes narrow backstreets a bus couldn't reach and offers to take photos of guests in front of the sights.

Le Café des Chats is a unique Paris restaurant where a dozen cats, all adopted from animal welfare associations, live freely alongside guests. Dishes and desserts are homemade, prepared on-site by the kitchen team.

Strict rules protect the cats' wellbeing, including no feeding, no waking sleeping cats, and no flash photography. Open Tuesday to Sunday, with a weekend 'Pass Ronron' fee during peak times.

Moonshiner is a Prohibition-style speakeasy entered through a concealed cold-room door, evoking a clandestine 1920s drinking den. Inside, expect a dim, moody atmosphere with cocktails served in a discreet, intimate setting.

No reservations are taken, so entry is on a walk-in basis. Open nightly from 19:00 to 02:00, it draws those seeking a hidden nightlife experience in Paris.

Billed as the world's largest balloon, this helium-filled captive balloon rises to 150 metres above Parc André Citroën, carrying up to 30 passengers on a roughly ten-minute flight. Besides sightseeing, it doubles as a flying laboratory measuring greenhouse gases and air pollutants with scientific partners.

Flights depend on weather conditions and run daily without reservation; tickets are bought on-site.

Grand Hôtel des Rêves offers an interactive theatrical experience in the Quartier Latin, with a rotating program that has included seasonal shows like a Christmas edition. Reviewers consistently praise the production quality and describe it as engaging for a wide range of ages.

A guided workshop at the Living Cheese Museum where a cheese master teaches guests how to make "tomme fraîche" cheese and artisanal butter from scratch. The session ends with a tasting of the guests' own creations alongside a glass of wine.

A private evening tour through Paris in a classic Citroën 2CV, past illuminated landmarks including the Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre-Dame. A personal driver shares stories about the city's history as "the City of Light" throughout the ride.

Palais de Tokyo hosts temporary contemporary art exhibitions across large, industrial-style galleries at 13 avenue du Président Wilson. The site includes a bookshop, restaurants and Le Yoyo, a bar and club space, along with talks, workshops and artist interviews.

Free late-night openings run on summer Thursday evenings. Programming changes regularly, featuring diverse artists and performance events.

This bar near République and Oberkampf features a jungle-style decor with animal motifs and colorful lighting. It serves cocktails, beers and light dishes like charcuterie and cheese boards, with a daily happy hour from 5pm to 10pm.

Tables are pushed aside later in the evening for dancing, and darts are available. Several private spaces, including La Jungle and La Cave Parisienne, can be booked for group events.

Little Red Door is a cocktail bar in the Marais offering inventive, original drinks accompanied by detailed storytelling behind each menu. Guests can opt for a tasting menu, with staff providing warm, attentive service throughout.

The atmosphere and decor draw praise alongside the craft-focused cocktails, making it a favored stop for those interested in creative mixology.