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The French Open is nearly over. Once tennis fever has subsided, we recommend you check out all the attractions and sights of Paris before your visit comes to an end. Those looking for offbeat experiences to take part in, here are five that we’re sure will keep you hooked from beginning to end.
The Cinémathèque Française was founded in 1936 to archive film-related objects in one place. It offers daily screenings of international and French films, and has a museum where visitors can take guided tours to check out the life and work of French actor and film director Georges Méliès. There’s also a “James Cameron Art” exhibition which is currently ongoing.
Admission to the Cinémathèque starts from approximately INR 904.
The Paris by Mouth tour is a great way to get to know French cuisine through the city’s neighbourhoods. Delivered by experts, visitors will sample the best cheese, bread, wine, chocolate and charcuterie they’ve ever tasted in about three hours. There are five tours held in East Saint-Germain, West Saint-Germain, North Marais, South Marais and the Left Bank. In addition to this, the company also offers a couple of in-depth tours on French cheese and wine.
Tours start from approximately INR 11,751.
In the heart of the Parc André Citroën along the Seine, the Generali Balloon of Paris offers visitors the opportunity to see Paris from 150m above ground. The balloon is tethered so you won’t be moving around the city but you will be able to soak in charming views of the “City of Light.” The company is raising awareness about air pollution through these rides by installing a measuring device called the Light Optimal Aerosol Counter (LOAC) on board the balloon. This instrument helps the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) to take air quality samples seven days a week.
Prices start from INR 1,716 per person.
The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6km long canal in Paris which connects the Canal de l'Ourcq to the river Seine. Nearly half its length (approximately 2,069m) between the Rue du Faubourg du Temple and the Place de la Bastille was covered in the middle of the 19th century to create wide boulevards and public spaces on the surface. It’s a source of fascination for Parisians who often discover curiosities and treasures among the hundreds of tons of discarded objects in the waterway. There are many popular restaurants and bars along the open part of the canal but the best way to take in its ambience is through a cruise.
Passengers will see Parisian monuments like the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the islands of Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité, an underground vault, the Paris Arsenal Port, and the La Villette Park, among others. Prices start from approximately INR 2,077 per person.
Can you eat in a pitch-black setting? What would that experience be like? Ranked as one of the 10 most unusual restaurants in the world, the Dans le Noir? offers visitors the chance to sample surprising and tasty dishes in an original setting. Guests are plunged into total darkness and deprived of sight for the duration of the meal. The experience heightens the smell, taste and hearing of guests and takes them on an adventure they won’t forget in a hurry. The restaurant also offers sensory workshops on taste and smell as well as an “escape room” experience.
A three-course set menu starts from approximately INR 5,600.
There are direct flights to Charles de Gaulle Airport from Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi.
