Paris is known for two things: being the city of romance and for its tourist-hating Parisians.
Around 50 million tourists flock to France’s capital every year, with crowds heading straight for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Notre-Dame.
After Parisians fled the city last summer during the Olympics, many locals hoped it would quieten down after the games were over.
But TikTok tourists and programmes like Netflix’s Emily in Paris have only made the capital more popular with foreign tourists, which has increased prices in cafés and restaurants and resulted in ridiculously long lines for popular museums and cathedrals.
You can avoid being a clichéd tourist, and the queues, by going to these ten hidden gems scouted by MailOnline and recommended by real Parisians.
1. Canal Saint-Martin
The Canal Saint-Martin is a beautiful waterway dotted with romantic cafés and boats that stretches 4.6km along a scenic route
The Canal Saint-Martin is a beautiful waterway lined with romantic cafés and boats.
You can take a river tour by boat around ‘the Paris of the Parisians’ for just £15, or eat at the reasonably priced ethnic restaurants nearby such as Assanabel Republique or La Cuisine de l’Himalaya.
Stretching 4.6km along a scenic route connecting the Canal de l’Ourcq to the Seine, those wanting to see Paris by water or looking for the perfect running route should head here instead of the River Seine’s crowded bridges.
2. La Promenade Plantée
La Promenade Plantée is the world’s first elevated park walkway, built on top of old railway tracks
La Promenade Plantée is the world’s first elevated park walkway and a must see for those wanting to see Paris without the traffic.
The abandoned mid-19th century viaduct was transformed in 1993 and will take walkers at times as high as ten metres above Paris’ street level.
Built on top of old railway tracks and running three miles from the Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes, the walkway has become a much-loved part of Paris – unbeknown to most tourists.
3. La Gare-Le Gore
After midnight, Le Gore transforms into a techno club open until the early hours of the morning
For a truly underground experience, visit La Gare-Le Gore.
A jazz club which was once a former train station, the La Gare section of the building is open from around 7/8pm for live jazz music and offers cheap cocktails and outdoor seating.
After midnight, however, Le Gore transforms into a techno club open until the early hours of the morning.
A favourite haunt of Parisians because of its cheap drinks and cool atmosphere, the bar is a lesser known but must-see gem of Paris’ nightlife.
4. Parcs des Buttes-Chaumont
The Parc des Buttes-Chaumont opened in 1867 and even includes a suspension bridge – as well as acres of waterfalls, temples and playgrounds
Set in the 19th quarter, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a stunning alternative to the Jardin du Luxembourg or Parc Monceau.
25 acres of waterfalls, temples, playgrounds, and even a suspension bridge make up this hidden gem opened in 1867.
For those looking for an afternoon stroll or just some green space in Paris, des Buttes-Chaumont is a great find.
5. Halle Sainte-Pierre
The Halle Sainte-Pierre cultural centre even includes a museum, gallery, bookshop, auditorium, and a cafe
Halle Sainte-Pierre is a cultural centre tucked below the gardens of Montmartre.
Often overlooked but well worth a visit, the centre includes a museum, gallery, bookshop, auditorium, and a cafe.
It is open from 11-6pm most days, and with a day ticket costing just £13, the Halle Sainte-Pierre is the perfect alternative to the more expensive, and much busier, Louvre.
6. Marché Couvert des Enfants Rouges
The marché enfant rouges is the oldest market in Paris and a food tourist’s heaven that is home to amazing chefs and global cuisine
The marché enfant rouges is the oldest market in Paris and a food tourist’s heaven.
Instead of eating at an overpriced bistro in the centre of the city, head to 39 rue de Bretagne in the 3rd quarter for covered food stalls and delicious fresh produce.
First opened in 1615, the market is also home to amazing chefs and a global cuisine including French classics alongside Japanese creations.
7. Le Café du Commerce
Despite being unheard of to newcomers, the Cafe du Commerce is a fantastic hidden gem offering traditional French cuisine for reasonable prices
Not far from the Eiffel Tower but unheard of to newcomers, the Cafe du Commerce is a fantastic hidden gem offering traditional French cuisine for reasonable prices.
Visitors can enjoy iconic dishes like onion soup, snails, and steak frites while surrounded by the preserved decor from when the restaurant opened in the 1920s and 30s.
Make sure to look up to see the sign for the Cafe du Commerce along the rue du Commerce, and walk through to the end of the corridor to find the beautiful hidden brasserie.
8. Saint-Chappelle
The inspiring Saint-Chappelle is a great Notre-Dame alternative – and tickets to the chapel’s museum are available for just £10
A great Notre-Dame alternative, the inspiring Saint-Chappelle will give you the same incredible Gothic architecture and stained glass windows without the tourist throng.
Despite containing one of the most extensive 13th-century stained glass collections in the world, this royal chapel is often overlooked by those hell bent on seeing Versailles or the Notre-Dame.
Tickets to the chapel’s museum are available for just £10, and, situated ideally in the central Île de la Cité, it makes for the perfect sightseeing stop.
9. Montmartre vineyards
The vineyard is set in picturesque cobbled lanes and trailing vines, producing 500 litres of wine per year in 27 different varieties
Who knew there were vineyards in Paris?
Hidden in plain sight in Montmartre, just a few streets behind Sacré Cœur, are the traditional vineyards of Montmartre.
The vineyard is set in picturesque cobbled lanes and trailing vines, producing 500 litres of wine per year in 27 different varieties.
Walk by the vineyards for free or head on a group wine tasting tour away from the crowds for an enjoyable sunny afternoon.
10. Rue de la Gaité
The bustling Rue de la Gaité is full of small theatres, cheap eats, and live music bars and is just a five minute walk from the Montparnasse Tower
Just a five minute walk from the well-known Montparnasse Tower, this bustling street is full of small theatres, cheap eats, and live music bars.
Highlights include the Gaîté Montparnasse Theatre, which is where Maurice Chevalier and Juliette Gréco started out, as well as comedy clubs and traditional productions.
Situated in the south of Paris a short walk from the Montparnasse train station, this Instagrammable street covered in artwork and graffiti has not yet become a tourist hotspot, so visit now!
