The 2024 Olympic Summer Games will see many of Paris’ historic landmarks, such as the Palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower and La Place de la Concorde, doing double duty as sporting venues. But as the Olympic torch prepares to shine a spotlight on these iconic treasures, it is Paris’ hidden gems that truly make the City of Light sparkle. Here are five that are worth a visit.
Musée Nissim de Camondo is a French decorative art museum housed in an early 20th-century mansion located a few minutes walk away from the Villiers station of the Paris Métro. Built by Moïse de Camondo, the son of a Jewish banker who moved to Paris from Istanbul in the late 1800s, the museum tells the story of the de Camondo family.
Photo: Loren Christie
Their rise to prominence and the tragedies that befell them as a result of the First and Second World Wars are explained against the backdrop of their one-of-a-kind collection of French art and antiques. Now run by the state, the objets d’art remain placed throughout the space exactly as they were when the last members of the de Camondo family occupied the mansion.
Photo: Loren Christie
When Cyril Venturin, the owner of a large French company specializing in historic refurbishment and re-creation, opened up Les Toits Parisiens at 24 Rue Saint-Paul, he wanted to call attention to Parisian roofers and their craft. These tradesmen still use tools and techniques that remain largely unchanged since Napoleon III called upon them, during the last half of the 19th century, to rebuild Paris into the magnificent city it has become. If you duck into this small, unassuming shop you will see, touch and hear about the history of Paris’ iconic slate roofs and the ornaments that adorn them. And if you are looking for an unusual and truly Parisian souvenir, this might be your best bet.
Photo: slovegrove/Getty Images
Pouliche is a simple yet elegant restaurant serving seasonal French fare a few steps from the Porte Saint-Denis in the 10th arrondissement. A rising star, Chef Amandine Chaignot was one of three chefs chosen from across the city to prepare the meals for the Paris 2024 athletes. Diners can choose one of three entrées to accompany the chef’s daily choice of starters and dessert. The asparagus and merlu, a local white fish, were delicious. Go soon, before she is discovered by the world’s best athletes!
Photo: Camille Rozieres
When Quai de la Photo opened last year, the vision was to “offer something completely new,” according to co-founder Nicolas Laugero Lasserre: “a place to discover urban art and photography that is completely free to the public.” While the contemporary photography exhibits are offered to the public at no cost, visitors will find other ways to spend their Euros at this open and airy space along the banks of the Seine, which also serves as a restaurant, bar and bookstore. You can even take a sightseeing tour of the Seine on a small 12-person boat from their dock or book a private boat charter on a refurbished wooden speedboat moored inside the building complex. La Seine, La Seine, a photography exhibit showcasing life on the river, is running from June 5 to Sept. 8.
Photo: Loren Christie
A 25-minute walk from Quai de la Photo on a quiet block off La Place D’Italie is the Hotel Rosalie. Herbal teas in the lobby, botanical motifs in the guestrooms and acoustic music wafting through the public spaces help create a calming oasis before and after a day of sightseeing. Le Jardin Secret on the hotel’s third floor terrace, with its leafy green canopies and herb gardens, is the perfect place to take a respite from the bright lights of a city, which seems to never stop glowing.
