Discover Paris’s 43 best Shows spots for your trip

Just beside the basilica, this square fills with painters and sketch artists who set up easels and offer to draw or paint your portrait. Most display samples of their work so you can choose a style before sitting.

Prices typically range from 30 to 70 euros. The atmosphere is animated and touristy, so keep an eye on belongings, as pickpockets have been reported.

An evening ticket to the Moulin Rouge's famous "Féerie" cabaret show, featuring a troupe of 100 artists including the Doris Girls, in around 1,000 feather and rhinestone costumes. Guests are seated for the performance and served half a bottle of Champagne during the show.

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.

Crazy Horse has been a fixture of Avenue George V since 1951, famous for its precisely choreographed, artfully lit nude revue that treats the dancers' bodies as a canvas for light and shadow. It's considered the most artistically daring of Paris's grand cabarets, distinct from the more traditional feather-and-sequin style of its rivals, and remains a favorite for couples marking a special occasion.

Le Duc des Lombards is a jazz venue on rue des Lombards near Châtelet, with a regular programme of concerts and jam sessions featuring vocalists and instrumentalists. Shows typically run from 19h30 to 22h00, drawing both established and emerging performers.

The space includes a bar, and the club also offers memberships and private hire for events.

AURA Invalides uses projection mapping and sound design across the historic courtyard of the Invalides to tell the story of the monument and Napoleon's tomb after dark. Reviewers consistently praise the quality of the lighting and storytelling as a fresh way to experience a site many have already seen by day.

La Machine du Moulin Rouge occupies part of the historic Moulin Rouge building on Boulevard de Clichy, repurposed as a multi-room nightclub and concert space geared toward electronic music and live acts. It's open only late on weekend nights, and reviewers describe it as a genuinely touristy but still interesting experience worth trying at least once.

La Felicità is a large Italian food market housed in a 4,500m² space in Paris's 13th arrondissement. It combines a pizzeria, trattoria, beer garden and cocktail bar, all serving homemade recipes made with fresh, directly-sourced ingredients.

The venue also hosts live concerts, DJ sets, karaoke and kid-friendly activities, creating a lively atmosphere for groups, families or solo visitors. Open daily with continuous weekend service.

Paradis Latin traces its roots to the 19th century and occupies a theater whose ironwork structure was designed by Gustave Eiffel. It offers the full traditional Paris cabaret experience — dinner, wine, and a feather-and-sequin revue — and is popular with visitors looking for an all-in-one evening in the Quartier Latin.

Located in the heart of the Quartier Latin near Saint-Michel, this bar, restaurant and live music venue serves a changing lineup of craft beers, including brews from Brasserie Grand Paris. Expect regular concerts, such as Sunday jazz sessions, alongside sports broadcasts on screen.

The atmosphere is casual, drawing both diners and evening crowds for food, drinks and entertainment.

This science and industry museum in the Parc de la Villette offers permanent and temporary exhibitions covering space, health, environment and critical thinking, alongside a planetarium and the Géode cinema. Dedicated Cité des enfants areas let younger visitors explore science through play, while events, VR experiences and conferences round out the programme.

Open Tuesday to Sunday.

Le Duc des Lombards is a longstanding jazz venue near Les Halles, presenting live concerts with two sets most evenings. The program mixes vocal jazz, quintets and visiting international musicians, drawing a mix of regulars and newcomers.

A bar service accompanies performances in the compact, atmospheric room. Membership options and gift cards are also available for frequent visitors.

Paradox Museum Paris, near the Grands Boulevards, fills its rooms with hands-on exhibits designed to challenge how visitors perceive reality, blending science demonstrations with playful, photo-friendly installations. Reviewers describe it as a solid activity for both kids and adults looking for something interactive and a bit different from a traditional museum.

Museum of Illusions Paris fills several floors near Les Halles with hands-on optical illusions, tilted rooms, and perspective tricks designed for photos as much as genuine puzzlement. It's popular with families and groups, though some reviewers note it can feel crowded and warm during busy periods, and pricing has drawn mixed opinions relative to the size of the museum.

Supersonic is an intimate concert venue near Place de la Bastille, prized by reviewers for its friendly, low-key atmosphere and genuinely good sound in a small room. It's a favorite stop for touring indie and rock acts playing to a more intimate Paris crowd than the city's larger venues.

Petit Bain is a boat-turned-concert-venue docked on the Seine near the national library, hosting a wide range of live music and club nights alongside a restaurant with river views. Reviewers consistently praise it as a great, well-priced venue with an easy layout to navigate even when busy.

The Palais Garnier hosts the Opéra national de Paris's opera, ballet and concert performances, alongside exhibitions and guided tours of its lavish interiors. Built as part of the Opéra national de Paris's network of venues, it marks 150 years of history in 2025.

Visitors can attend performances, public rehearsals, or explore the building independently or with a group tour.

La Bellevilloise occupies a converted 19th-century cooperative building in the 20th arrondissement, now a sprawling cultural venue known for concerts, brunches, and club nights across several distinct spaces. Reviewers consistently highlight the relaxed, high-quality atmosphere, whatever the event on the calendar.

La Nouvelle Ève sits just off Place Blanche in the shadow of the Moulin Rouge, offering an intimate, classic cabaret experience with feathers, sequins, and a three-course dinner built into most packages. It's often considered a more affordable and personal alternative to its more famous neighbor.

Le Grand Rex is a landmark Paris cinema known for its grand hall, where film screenings run alongside concerts, shows and special events. Visitors can catch new releases, VIP screenings, and themed programs, or join a Sunday guided tour to see the auditorium, halls and rooftop.

The venue also hosts an escape game and Rex Studios experience.

La Géode is a striking mirrored sphere housing an IMAX cinema with a 180° dome screen, part of the Pathé network. It shows documentary-style films with immersive visuals and powerful sound, covering topics like nature and science.

The distinctive geodesic structure is notable on its own, making it a landmark within the Cité des Sciences complex. Ticket prices and picture quality draw mixed reactions from visitors.

Set in a vaulted 5th-arrondissement cellar with a history stretching back to Templar and Freemason gatherings, Caveau de la Huchette has hosted live jazz nightly since 1946. Bands play three sets an evening for a crowd that mixes local regulars with visitors, many dancing swing on the small floor.

The club, run by vibraphonist Dany Doriz since 1970, opens daily without reservation and featured in the film La La Land.

Galeries Lafayette Haussmann hosts a runway show beneath its Belle Époque glass cupola, a striking, unexpected way to experience the flagship store beyond its usual shopping floors. It's held on a fixed weekly schedule and draws both fashion-curious visitors and shoppers looking for a free bit of spectacle.

This photo shoot experience starts near the Cité de l'Architecture at Trocadéro, offering a professional photographer and a series of session times throughout the morning and afternoon to capture Eiffel Tower views. Reviewers consistently rate it highly for the quality of the photos and the flexibility of solo, couple, and group formats.

A 1.5-hour private boat cruise on the Seine for small groups (up to 6), with complimentary rosé wine, Evian water, and macarons served on board. The route passes landmarks including the Grand Palais, Pont Alexandre III, and the Musée d'Orsay, with a captain/guide tailoring commentary to the group.

Located close to the Eiffel Tower, this aquarium displays a varied collection of fish and a notably large array of jellyfish. Visitors can watch shows and view videos detailing the history of the site and its species.

The atmosphere is family-friendly, with exhibits presented in a way reviewers describe as both engaging and respectful to marine life.

A Seine River cruise combining sightseeing past major Paris landmarks with a Champagne and macaron tasting on board. Runs in small groups with a maximum capacity, offering a lighter and more relaxed alternative to a full dinner cruise.

This paint-and-sip workshop pairs a guided painting session with a glass of wine, set in a space near the Trocadéro with Eiffel Tower views as inspiration. Reviewers praise the warm welcome and attentive instruction, making it approachable even for complete beginners.

Science Experiences offers hands-on exhibits and virtual reality activities aimed at both kids and adults, set within the Bercy Village shopping and leisure complex. Reviewers frequently mention it as a hit with children, with the VR experience singled out as a highlight.

Batman Escape Paris offers an immersive, superhero-themed escape room near the Cité des Sciences, with reviewers praising both the game design and the friendly staff. It's a fun option for groups or families looking for an interactive activity beyond the usual sightseeing.