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Getting Oriented | Top Attractions | Worth Noting
Updated by Linda Hervieux
The Bastille used to be the star of this area, and a stop here—at the epicenter of the French Revolution—was a must. The small streets forking off the Place de la Bastille still buzz at night, thanks to bars, music clubs, and the top-flight Opéra Bastille. But today the neighborhoods farther afield are the real draw, having evolved into some of Paris’s top destinations. The Canal St-Martin, once the down-and-out cousin on the northeastern border, is now trend-spotting central, brimming with funky bars, cafés, art galleries, and boutiques. The scene is similar to the south, on rues Oberkampf, St-Maur, and Jean-Pierre-Timbaud, where artists and small designers have set up shop, and where a substantial slice of the city’s bobo (bourgeois-bohemian) contingent is buying up the (momentarily) still-affordable apartments.
The areas to the north and east of the canal are also flourishing, around the rougher streets near Ménilmontant and Belleville, home to a small Chinatown (watch your purse and avoid wearing attention-getting jewelry). The city’s largest cemetery, Père Lachaise, is here, with a roster of famous tenants. Not far away is the impressively wild Parc Buttes-Chaumont, with grassy fields, a small Greek-style temple, and sweeping hilltop views of Paris. It’s a perfect place for a picnic lunch and to let museum-weary kids work off some steam. There are two other notable parks to the east: Parc de la Villette, where you’ll find the city’s science museum, and the Bois de Vincennes.
Not far from the Bastille opera house, the Viaduc des Arts is a much-admired urban-renewal project that transformed an old elevated rail line into arcaded design-focused studios and shops. Along the top, the Promenade Plantée makes for a lovely stroll through the 12e arrondissement, a nice middle-class neighborhood with stately apartment buildings and the pretty Square Trousseau, gateway to the Marché d’Aligre (one of the city’s best covered markets). Come on Sunday morning with a shopping basket—or just your camera—when the vendors spill over into neighboring streets.
To the south of Bastille, the old wine warehouses at Bercy have become a veritable village of shops and restaurants bordering Park de Bercy. Directly across the Seine is the Bibliothéque National François Mitterand, the National Library of France, a sprawling complex of modern glass towers opened in 1998.
Getting Oriented
Top Reasons to Go
Canal St-Martin. This scenic canal is now one of the city’s hottest, hippest hangouts—it’s great for strolling, with plenty of galleries, shops, and cafés en route.
Place de la Bastille. The flashpoint of the French Revolution still draws agitators and their frequent noisy demonstrations today. It’s also a nightlife hub and home to the Opéra Bastille.
Cimetière du Père Lachaise. Fans of celebrities, from Frédéric Chopin to Oscar Wilde to Jim Morrison, come to pay tribute at their final resting place.
Parc de la Villette. As the site of the city’s well-regarded science museum and planetarium, this is a good place to take the kids or grown-up science buffs.
Viaduc des Arts/Promenade Plantée. An abandoned rail line has been turned into a tree-fringed walkway perched atop a brick viaduct that’s bursting with design-oriented boutiques.
Best Cafés
Café A.
The Maison de l’architecture—a center for architectural advancement and an international artists’ residence, just a short walk from the Canal St-Martin—occupies a one-time monastery. Inside the elegant Renaissance building’s courtyard, Café A offers a seasonal menu at prices that are reasonable for this ever-gentrifying neighborhood. In spring and summer, you can join trendy locals as they soak up some sun with a glass of wine or a cold beer in the enclosed garden. | 148 rue du Faubourg St-Martin, République | 75010 | 09–81–29–83–38 | Tues.–Sat. 10 am–midnight | Station: Gare de l’Est.
Café Charbon.
This ultracool café, with a restored zinc bar, mirrored walls, and mismatched chandeliers, is a neighborhood institution. | 109 rue Oberkampf, Oberkampf | 75011 | 01–43–57–55–13 | Station: Parmentier.
Chez Prune.
Grab an outdoor table at this hot spot on the Canal St-Martin and watch the world go by. Chez Prune serves lunch from noon to 3 pm, then cold charcuterie plates after 7 pm. It also offers a Sunday brunch. | 36 rue Beaurepaire | 75010 | 01–42–41–30–47 | Station: Jacques Bonsergent, République.
cinéma café merci.
This sweet little café works wonders with a small menu of mostly organic, high-quality ingredients. Come for lunch, tea, or a freshly squeezed juice. | 111,bd. Beaumarchais, Bastille | 01–42–77–00–33 | Station: St-Sébastien Froissart.
Getting Here
Canal St-Martin, Bastille, and Oberkampf include the 10e, 11e, 12e, 19e, and 20e arrondissements. The Bastille métro stop, on Lines 1, 5, and 8, is a good place to start. For Canal St-Martin, use the Place de la République stop (Lines 3, 5, 8, 9, 11) and walk along Rue Faubourg du Temple, or go to Gare de l’Est stop (Lines 4, 5, 7) and walk along Rue des Récollets to the canal. For Oberkampf, go to the Parmentier stop on Line 3 or the Oberkampf stop on Line 9. For the Cimetière du Père Lachaise, take Line 2 or 3 to the eponymous stop.
Making the Most of Your Time
The Canal St-Martin is one of the city’s most popular destinations, particularly on Sunday afternoon, when the streets are closed to cars. Have lunch in a café, grab a Vélib’ rental bike, and head to Parc de la Villette or take a canal boat tour. A Sunday-morning stop at the picturesque Marché Aligre is also recommended, even if you’re not buying. The heaps of fresh produce and colorful flowers hawked by excited vendors are worth seeing. On any day the Place de la Bastille is a lively place to stop for drinks or lunch; if time is limited, reserve this neighborhood for after dark, when the streets around Place de la Bastille and Oberkampf really come to life.
Top Attractions
FAMILY | Bercy.
Tucked away south of the Gare de Lyon in the 12e arrondissement, blocks of stone warehouses that once stored wine are now home to Bercy Village, a collection of shops and restaurants that stay open unusually late for Paris (until 9 pm, even on Sunday). You can still see the old train tracks used to transport the wine barrels from the provinces. Adjacent to the shops is the tranquil Parc de Bercy, with lawns, ponds, and flower beds crisscrossed by gravel paths, and the Jardin Yitzhak Rabin, a garden named for the late Nobel Peace Prize winner. On the western edge of the park, near the Bercy métro stop, is the Palais Omnisports, a venue for concerts and sports. Nearby, at 51 rue de Bercy, a cubist building by Frank Gehry houses the Cinémathèque Française, a film buff’s paradise showing classic films, many in English. There are frequent homages to directors and actors, plus a cinema library and museum. | Bercy Village,28 rue François Truffaut, Bercy/Tolbiac | 75012 | 08–25–16–60–75 | www.bercyvillage.com | Daily 11–9 | Station: Cour St-Emilion, Bercy.
Quick Bites: Pink Flamingo. Pink Flamingo is an American-owned pizzeria that will deliver your pie directly to the banks of the canal—they spot you thanks to the pink balloon you’re holding. | 67 rue Bichat, Canal St-Martin | 75010 | 01–42–02–31–70 | www.pinkflamingopizza.com | Station: Jacques Bonsergent, Colonel Fabien.
Fodor’s Choice | Canal St-Martin.
The once-forgotten canal has morphed into one of the city’s trendiest places to wander. A good time to come is Sunday afternoon, when the Quai de Valmy is closed to cars and some of the shops are open. Rent a bike at any of the many Vélib’ stations, stroll along the banks, or go native and cuddle quai-side in the sunshine with someone special.
In 1802 Napoléon ordered the 4.3-km (2.7-mile) canal dug as a source of clean drinking water after cholera and other epidemics swept the city. When it finally opened 23 years later, it stretched north from the Seine at Place de la Bastille to the Canal de l’Ourcq, near La Villette. Baron Haussmann later covered a 1.6-km (1-mile) stretch of it, along today’s Boulevard Richard Lenoir. It nearly became a highway in the 1970s, before the city’s urban planners regained their senses. These days you can take a boat tour from end to end through the canal’s nine locks: along the way, the bridges swing or lift open. The drawbridge with four giant pulleys at Rue de Crimée, near La Villette, was a technological marvel when it opened in 1885.
In recent years gentrification has swept the once-dodgy canal, with artists taking over former industrial spaces and creating studios and galleries. The bar and restaurant scene is hipster central, and small designers have arrived, fleeing expensive rents in Le Marais. To explore this evolving quartier, set out on foot: Start on the Quai de Valmy at Rue Faubourg du Temple (use the République métro stop). Here, at Square Frédéric Lemaître facing north, there is a good view of one of the locks (behind you the canal disappears underground). As you head north, detour onto side streets like Rue Beaurepaire, a fashionista destination with several “stock” (or surplus) shops for popular brands like Maje, some open on Sunday. The rues Lancry and Vinaigriers are lined with bars, restaurants, and small shops.
A swing bridge across the canal connects Lancry to the Rue de la Grange aux Belles, where you’ll find the entrance to massive Hôpital Saint-Louis, built in 1607 to accommodate plague victims and still a working hospital today. In front of you is the entrance to the chapel, which held its first Mass in July 1610, two months after the assassination of the hospital’s patron, Henry IV. Stroll the grounds, flanked by the original brick-and-stone buildings with steeply sloping roofs. The peaceful courtyard garden is a neighborhood secret.
Back on Quai Valmy, browse more shops near the Rue des Récollets. Nearby is the Jardin Villemin, the 10e arrondissement’s largest park (4.5 acres) on the former site of another hospital. The nighttime scene, especially in summer, is hopping with twentysomethings spilling out of cafés and bars and onto the canal banks. If you’ve made it this far, reward yourself with a fresh taco or burrito at the tiny and authentically Mexican El Nopal taqueria at 3 rue Eugène Varlin. Farther up, just past Place Stalingrad, is the Rotonde de la Villette, a lively square with restaurants and twin MK2 cinemas on either side of the canal, with a boat to ferry ticket holders across. On the approach to Parc de la Villette there are antiques shops along the quai and a few floating restaurants and theaters. Canauxrama offers 2½-hour boat cruises through the locks (€16 adults). Check the website for times (www.canauxrama.com). Embarkation is at each end of canal: at Bassin de la Villette (13 quai de la Loire, La Villette) or Marina Arsenal (50 bd. de la Bastille, Bastille). | Canal St-Martin | Station: Jaurès (northern end), Bastille (southern end).
Fodor’s Choice | Cimitère du Père-Lachaise.
Bring a red rose for “the Little Sparrow” Edith Piaf when you visit the cobblestone avenues and towering trees that make this 118-acre oasis of green perhaps the world’s most famous cemetery. Named for Père François de la Chaise, Louis XIV’s confessor, Père-Lachaise is more than just a who’s who of celebrities. The Paris Commune’s final battle took place here on May 28, 1871, when 147 rebels were lined up and shot against the Mur des Fédérés (Federalists’ Wall) in the southeast corner.
Highlights
Aside from the sheer aesthetic beauty of the cemetery, the main attraction is what (or who, more accurately) is belowground.
Two of the biggest draws are Jim Morrison’s grave (with its own guard to keep Doors fans under control) and the life-size bronze figure of French journalist Victor Noir, whose alleged fertility-enhancing power accounts for the patches rubbed smooth by hopeful hands. Other significant grave sites include those of 12th-century French philosopher Pierre Abélard and his lover Héloïse; French writers Colette, Honoré de Balzac, and Marcel Proust; American writers Richard Wright, Gertrude Stein, and Alice B. Toklas; Irish writer Oscar Wilde; French actress Sarah Bernhardt; French composer Georges Bizet; the Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas; Franco-Polish composer Frédéric Chopin; painters of various nationalities including Georges-Pierre Seurat, Camille Pissaro, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Jacques-Louis David, Eugène Delacroix, Théodore Géricault, Amedeo Clemente Modigliani, and Max Ernst; French jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli; French civic planer Baron Haussmann; the French playwright and actor Molière; and French singer Edith Piaf.
Tips
- Pinpoint grave sites on the website before you come, but buy a map anyway outside the entrances—you’ll still get lost, but that’s part of the fun.
- One of the best days to visit is on All Saints’ Day (November 1), when Parisians bring flowers to adorn the graves of loved ones or favorite celebrities.
Entrances on Rue des Rondeaux, Bd. de Ménilmontant, and Rue de la Réunion, Père-Lachaise | 75020 | 01–55–25–82–10 | www.pere-lachaise.com | Daily 8–6, 5:30 in winter (opens 8:30 Sat. and 9 Sun.) | Station: Gambetta, Philippe-Auguste, Père-Lachaise.
Quick Bites: Hôtel du Nord. With a retro white facade, the Hôtel du Nord looks like a movie set—in fact, it was famously used by Marcel Carné in his 1938 namesake movie. The film’s star, actress-icon Arletty, claimed to be unmoved by the romantic canal-side setting, uttering the memorable line “Atmosphere, atmosphere, I’ve had it with atmosphere!” Today the restaurant, beautifully restored, is a hipster favorite, though the food is not as fabulous as the ambience. | 102 quai de Jemmappes, République | 75010 | 01–40–40–78–78 | Station: Jacques Bonsergent.
La Maison Rouge. One of the city’s premier spaces for contemporary art, La Maison Rouge art foundation was established by former gallery owner Antoine de Galbert to fill a hole in the Parisian art world. Always edgy, often provocative, the foundation stages several temporary exhibitions each year in a cleverly renovated industrial space anchored by a central courtyard building that’s painted bright red on the outside (hence the name). Past shows have included “Tous Cannibales,” themed around cannibalism, and “Memories of the Future,” a death-obsessed display featuring artists from Hieronymus Bosch to Damien Hirst. Check the website to see what’s on. TIP Stop by the Rose Bakery near the entrance: it’s the latest Parisian outpost of the popular English café. | 10 bd. de la Bastille, Bastille | 75012 | 01–40–01–08–81 | www.lamaisonrouge.org | €7 | Wed.–Sun. 11–7, Thurs. 11–9 | Station: Quai de la Rapée, Bastille.
Marché Aligre.
Place d’Aligre boasts two of Paris’s best markets: the lively outdoor Marché Aligre and the covered Marché Beauvau. Open at 8 am every day but Monday, both are great places to pick up picnic essentials, which you can enjoy nearby in the small park at Square Trousseau or on the Promenade Plantée. The picturesque outdoor market has dozens of excitable vendors, their stands laden with fresh fruits and vegetables, flower bouquets, and regional products such as jam, honey, and dried sausage. The best bargains are had just before closing time at 1 pm, and many vendors are happy to give you a taste of whatever they’re selling. The covered market, which closes in the afternoon and reopens from 4 to 7:30 pm, stocks everything from meats and cheeses to Belgian beer. Sunday morning is the liveliest time to visit. Don’t forget your camera.TIP Stop for a plate of saucisse and a glass of rouge (even Sunday morning) at one of the city’s quirkiest wine bars, Le Baron Rouge, 1 rue Théophile Roussel. | Pl. d’Aligre, Bastille | 75012 | Station: Ledru-Rollin, Bastille.
Opéra de la Bastille.
Paris’s main opera house opened its doors on July 14, 1989, to mark the bicentennial of the French Revolution. The fabulous acoustics of the steeply sloping, stylish auditorium have earned more plaudits than the modern facade designed by Uruguay-born architect Carlos Ott. If you want to see a show, reserve your seat well in advance, or take your chances on the same day, when any unclaimed seats (at all price levels) are released 45 minutes before showtime. There are also 32 standing-room-only tickets available 90 minutes before each show for €5. Same-day seats are much in demand, so be sure to line up two hours or more before the curtain. | Pl. de la Bastille, Bastille/Nation | 75012 | 08–92–89–90–90 tickets (€.34 per min), 01–71–25–24–23 from outside of France | www.operadeparis.fr | Station: Bastille.
FAMILY | Parc de la Villette.
This former abattoir is now a 130-acre ultramodern park. With lawns and play areas, an excellent science museum, a music complex, and a cinema, it’s also the perfect place to entertain sightseeing-weary kids. You could easily spend a whole day here.
The park itself was designed in the 1980s by postmodern architecture star Bernard Tschumi, who melded industrial elements, children’s games (don’t miss the dragon slide), ample green spaces, and funky sculptures along the canal into one vast yet unified playground. A great place for a picnic, the lawns attract rehearsing samba bands and pickup soccer players. In summer there are outdoor festivals and a free open-air cinema, where people gather at dusk to watch movies on a huge inflatable screen.
In cold weather you can visit an authentic submarine and the Espace Chapiteaux (a circus tent featuring contemporary acrobatic theater performances) before hitting the museums. The hands-on one at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie is a favorite stop for families and a must for science fans. Its Omnimax cinema—La Géode—is housed in a giant silver ball. The postmodern Cité de la Musique is a music academy designed by noted urban architect Christian de Portzamparc. It has a state-of-the-art concert hall and houses the excellent Musée de la Musique. The park will have even more in store for music lovers in 2015, when the curtain rises on a striking 2,400-seat philharmonic concert hall designed by Jean Nouvel.
As for the abattoir that once stood here, all that’s left of the slaughterhouse is La Grande Halle, a magnificent iron-and-glass building now used for exhibitions, performances, and trade shows. | 30 av. Corentin-Cariou, La Villette | 75019 | 01–44–84–44–84 | www.cite-sciences.fr.
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie. This ambitious science museum, in a colorful three-story industrial space that recalls the Pompidou Center, is packed with things to do—all of them accessible to English speakers. There are scores of exhibits, from space and the universe to transportation and technology. Hands-on workshops keep the kids entertained and the planetarium is invariably a hit. Temporary shows, like 2012’s display of de Vinci’s inventions, are always multilingual and usually interactive. | 30 av. Corentin-Cariou, La Villette | 75019 | 01–40–05–70–00 | www.cite-sciences.fr | €8; €11 with planetarium or temporary exhibits | Tues.–Sat. 10–6, Sun. 10–7 | Station: Porte de la Villette.
Musée de la Musique. The music museum inside the Cité de la Musique contains four centuries-worth of instruments from around the world—about 1,000 in total, many of them exquisite works of art. Their sounds and story are evoked on numerous video screens and via commentary you can follow on headphones (ask for a free audio guide in English). Temporary exhibitions such as 2012’s exposition on Django Reinhardt and Parisian swing or 2013’s show about the marriage between cinema and music are usually excellent and bilingual. | 221 av. Jean-Jaurès, La Villette | 01–44–84–44–84 | www.cite-musique.fr | €8 | Tues.–Sat. noon–6, Sun. 10–6 | Station: Porte de Pantin.
Café de la Musique. Across the plaza, the outdoor terrace at Café de la Musique is an inviting place to have a drink on a sunny day. | 213 av. Jean-Jaurès, La Villette | 01–48–03–15–91 | Station: Porte de Pantin.
FAMILY | Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.
If you’re tired of perfectly manicured Parisian parks with lawns that are off-limits to your weary feet, this is the place for you. This lovely 61-acre hilltop expanse in the untouristy 19e arrondissement has grassy fields, shady walkways, waterfalls, and a picturesque lake dotted with swans. Rising from the lake is a rocky cliff you can climb to find a mini Greek-style temple and a commanding view of Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Built in 1863 on abandoned gypsum quarries and a former gallows, this was northern Paris’s first park, part of Napoléon III’s planned greening of Paris (the emperor had spent years in exile in London, where he fell in love with the public parks). Major renovations through 2016 will mean some unsightly construction, but the park will remain open and is a good place to take the kids, with pony rides and an open-air puppet theater, Guignol de Paris (€3.50; shows at 4 pm Wednesday and weekends year-round), not far from the entrance at Buttes-Chaumont métro stop. TIP Grab a snack at café Rosa Bonheur or reserve a table for weekend lunch at Le Pavillon du Lac restaurant (01–42–00–07–21). | Entrances on Rue Botzaris or Rue Manin, Buttes-Chaumont | 75019 | Station: Laumière, Buttes-Chaumont, Botzaris.
Place de la Bastille.
Nothing remains of the infamous Bastille prison, destroyed more than 200 years ago, though tourists still ask bemused Parisians where to find it. Until the late 1980s, there was little more to see here than a busy traffic circle ringing the Colonne de Juillet (July Column), a memorial to the victims of later uprisings in 1830 and 1848. The opening of the Opéra Bastille in 1989 rejuvenated the area, however, drawing art galleries, bars, and restaurants to the narrow streets, notably along Rue de Lappe—once a haunt of Edith Piaf—and Rue de la Roquette.
Before it became a prison, the Bastille St-Antoine was a defensive fortress with eight immense towers and a wide moat. It was built by Charles V in the late 14th century and transformed into a prison during the reign of Louis XIII (1610–43). Famous occupants included Voltaire, the Marquis de Sade, and the Man in the Iron Mask. On July 14, 1789, it was stormed by an angry mob that dramatically freed all of the remaining prisoners (there were only seven, including one lunatic), thereby launching the French Revolution. The roots of the revolt ran deep. Resentment toward Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette had been building amid a severe financial crisis. There was a crippling bread shortage, and the free-spending monarch was blamed. When the king dismissed the popular finance minister, Jacques Necker, enraged Parisians took to the streets. They marched to Les Invalides, helping themselves to stocks of arms, then continued on to the Bastille. A few months later, what was left of the prison was razed—and 83 of its stones were carved into miniature Bastilles and sent to the provinces as a memento (you can see one of them in the Musée Carnavalet). The key to the prison was given to George Washington by Lafayette and has remained at Mount Vernon ever since. Today, nearly every major street demonstration in Paris—and there are many—passes through this square. | Bastille | Station: Bastille.
Viaduc des Arts/Promenade Plantée.
Once a train line from the Paris suburbs to Bastille, this redbrick viaduct is now the green heart of the unpretentious 12e arrondissement. The rails have been transformed into a 4.5-km (2.8-mile) walkway lined with trees, bamboo, and flowers, offering a bird’s-eye view of the stately Haussmannian buildings along Avenue Daumesnil. Below, the voûtes (arcades) have been transformed by the city into artisan boutiques, many focused on decor and design. All tenants are hand-picked. There are also temporary galleries showcasing art and photography. The Promenade, which gained fame as a setting in the 2004 film Before Sunset, was the inspiration for New York’s High Line. It ends at the Jardin de Reuilly. From here you can continue your walk to the Bois de Vincennes. TIP If you’re hungry, grab a bite at L’Arrosoir, a cozy café under the viaduct at 75 Avenue Daumesnil. | Av. Daumesnil, Bastille | 75012 | Station: Bastille, Gare de Lyon.
Worth Noting
Bibliothéque National François Mitterand.
The National Library of France, across the sleek Simone de Beauvoir footbridge from Bercy Park, is a stark complex comprised of four 22-story L-shape buildings representing open books. Commissioned by President Mitterrand before his death, the $1.5-billion library was said to be the world’s most modern when it opened in 1998—a reputation quickly sullied when it was discovered that miles of books and rare documents were baking in the glass towers, unprotected from the sun (movable shutters were eventually installed). Some of the most important printed treasures of France are stored here, though most are available only to researchers. Visitors can see the impressive 17th-century Globes of Coronelli, a pair of 2-ton orbs made for Louis XIV. There’s a sunken center garden with tall trees (open to the public the first weekend in June) ringed by low-ceilinged reading rooms, which are nothing special. A first-floor gallery hosts popular temporary exhibitions on subjects such as the life of Casanova. Enter through the easternmost tower. | Quai François Mauriac, Bibliothèque | 75013 | 01–53–79–59–59 | www.bnf.fr | Globes gallery free; reading rooms €3.50; exhibitions €7 | Tues.–Sat. 10–8, Sun. 1–7 | Station: Bibliothèque, Quai de la Gare.
FAMILY | Bois de Vincennes.
Like the Bois de Boulogne to the west, this much-loved retreat on the city’s eastern border was landscaped by Napoléon III. Its roots, however, reach back to the 13th century, when Philippe Auguste created a hunting preserve in the shadow of the royal Château de Vincennes. In 1731 Louis XV created a public park here, and the bois (or wood) now features lush lawns, a flower garden, and summertime jazz concerts. Rowboats are for hire at a pair of lakes: Lac Daumesnil, which has two islands, and Lac des Minimes, which has three. There’s also a Parc Zoologique, racetrack (the Hippodrome de Vincennes), two cafés, and, in spring, an amusement park. You can rent a bike at the Château de Vincennes métro stop. To reach the park, use the Château de Vincennes stop (Line 1) or Porte Dorée (Line 8).
The imposing high-walled Château de Vincennes was France’s medieval answer to Versailles. Today it is surrounded by a dry moat and dominated by a 170-foot keep, the last of nine original towers. The royal residence eventually became a prison holding convicts, notably of both sexes—and “the doors did not always remain closed between them,” as one tour guide coyly put it. Inmates included the philosopher Diderot and the Marquis de Sade. Both the château and its cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle (designed in the style of the Paris church of the same name) have undergone a spectacular restoration, returning them to their previous glory. If you speak French, the free 90-minute tour is worthwhile (call before you go to check when the tours are offered that day). | Bois de Vincennes.
Château de Vincennes. The impressive Château de Vincennes was once the largest château in Europe. On the northern edge of the Bois, it was built and expanded by various kings between the 12th and 14th century. | Av. de Paris, Bois de Vincennes | 94300 | 01–48–08–31–20 | www.chateau-vincennes.fr | €8.50 | May–Sept., daily 10–6; Sept.–Apr., daily 10–5 | Station: Château de Vincennes.
Parc Floral de Paris. A lake, a butterfly garden, and seasonal displays of blooms make the Bois de Vincennes’s 70-acre floral park a lovely place to spend a summer afternoon. Kids will also enjoy the miniature train, paddleboats, ponies, pool, and game area, among other attractions (most of which cost extra). The park hosts jazz concerts most weekends from April to October, but other months many attractions are closed. | Rte. de la Pyramide, Bois de Vincennes | €5.50 Wed. and weekends, June–Sept.; free other days in season and every day off-season | Daily 9:30–5 in winter, 9:30–8 in summer | Station: Château de Vincennes.
Parc Zoologique. The 35-acre Parc Zoologique (France’s largest zoo) is set to reopen in April 2014 after a major renovation that promises a more hands-on experience. Its 1,000 animals will be housed in new environments (aka “biozones”) that mix species as Mother Nature intended—including a free-range aviary you can walk through and a greenhouse that re-creates a slice of the rain forest. | 53 av. de St-Maurice, Bois de Vincennes | 01–44–75–20–00 | Station: Porte Dorée.
Palais de la Porte Dorée & Tropical Aquarium. One of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in Paris, this stunning building is home to an immigration museum and a tropical aquarium. It’s worth a visit just to see the Palais, built for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition (entry to the ground floor is free.) The ornate facade features bas-relief sculptures representing France’s erstwhile empire. Inside, the elaborate marble, ornate metal work, and original lighting are all beautifully maintained. On either end of the ground floor are furnished salons, one representing Asia, the other Africa (a Gucci commercial was filmed in the latter). Peek into the central room, called the Forum, where restored Africa-inspired mosaics line the walls. The upper floors are occupied by the Cité Nationale de l’Historie de l’Immigration, a well-executed modern museum tracing the history of immigration in France. There are usually similarly themed temporary exhibitions. The basement contains L’Aquarium Tropical, an aquarium with a pair of alligators from Mississippi. There is little information available in English. | 293 av. Daumesnil, Bois de Vincennes | 01–53–59–58–60 | www.histoire-immigration.fr; www.aquarium-portedoree.fr | €3 musuem; €4.50 aquarium; prices vary during special exhibitions | Tues.–Sun. 10–5:30, palace until 7 on weekends | Station: Porte Dorée.
Off the Beaten Path: Le 104. Le Cent Quatre takes its name from its address in a rough-around-the-edges corner of the 19e arrondissement, not far from the top of the Canal St-Martin. The former site of the city morgue, this cavernous art hub is home to an offbeat collection of performance venues, shops, and studios (artists of all genres compete for free studio space, and sometimes you can get a sneak peak of them at work). Contemporary art exhibits, some of which charge admission fees, are staged here, as are concerts. On-site you’ll also find a restaurant, a café, a bookstore, a natural-clothing boutique, a secondhand shop, and a play area for children. Check the website’s schedule before going to see what’s on. | 104 rue d’Aubervilliers, or 5 rue Curial, Stalingrad | 75019 | 01–53–35–50–01 | www.104.fr | Free; prices for exhibits and concerts vary | Tues.–Fri. noon–7, weekends 11–7 | Station: Stalingrad.
Off the Beaten Path: Musée Edith Piaf. Devotees will appreciate the tiny two-room apartment where the “Little Sparrow” lived for a year, when she was 28 years old and sang in the working-class cafés on Rue Oberkampf. The flat was obtained by Les Amis d’Edith Piaf in 1978 and is now a shrine to the pint-size crooner, whose life-size photo (she was 4 feet, 9 inches) greets visitors at the door. The red walls are covered with portraits of Piaf done by her many artist friends, and her personal letters are framed. Her books and handbags are displayed, as well as a few dresses and her size 4 shoes. | 5 rue Crespin du Gast, Oberkampf | 75011 | 01–43–55–52–72 | Free, donations encouraged | Mon.–Wed. 1–6 pm, by reservation only (no English spoken) | Station: Ménilmontant.
FAMILY | Pavillon de l’Arsenal.
If your knowledge of Paris history is nul (nil), stop here for an entertaining free explainer. Built in 1879 as a private museum, the Pavillion today is a restored structure of glass-and-iron that showcases the city’s urban development through the ages. A giant model of Paris traces its evolution (with information in English). There are photos, maps, and videos, plus a giant digital interactive model detailing what Paris is predicted to look like in 2020. The standout, created in partnership with Google, is a floor mosaic made up of 48 LED screens that allows visitors at stationary consoles to explore the city via Google Maps. There are frequent architecture-theme temporary exhibits, plus a café and bookstore. | 21 bd. Morland, Bastille | 75004 | 01–42–76–33–97 | www.pavillon-arsenal.com | Free | Tues.–Sat. 10:30–6:30, Sun. 11–9 | Station: Sully-Morland, Bastille.
FAMILY | Piscine Josephine Baker.
This modern floating aquatic center, named after the much-beloved American entertainer, features a pool with a retractable glass roof, two solariums, a steam room, Jacuzzis, and a gym. Entry is a bargain at €10 (€5 for the pool only). Check the opening hours and schedule of classes online. | 21 quai François Mauriac, Bibliothèque | 75013 | 01–56–61–96–50 | www.paris.fr/loisirs/piscines/piscine-josephine-baker/p6085 | Mon., Wed., and Fri. 7–8:30 am and 1–9 pm, Tues. and Thurs. 1–11, Sat. 11–8, Sun. 10–8 | Station: Quai de la Gare, Bibilothèque François Mitterrand.
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