Paris has tons of amazing historic sites, but if you’re into seeing some unusual places while you’re here, you won’t be disappointed. In the 20 years I’ve been living in Paris, I’ve always been on the lookout for unique places. I’ve found a whole bunch of curious, fun, or downright weird sports that I think are definitely worth checking out. From funky bars to hidden artworks, I’ve brought together my favorite wacky places in Paris in this article that should add a little extra fun and adventure to your trip.
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(WA = Wheelchair Accessible)
Image Courtesy of 59 Rivoli
59 Rivoli
Located just down the street from the Louvre, this artist squat is absolutely one of the wackiest places in Paris. Walking down rue de Rivoli, you can’t miss the building because it always has some zany decoration plastered all over it – and it’s even more fun inside.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday 1pm to 8pm, you can wander freely (donations appreciated) around the building to visit different art studios. It’s a great opportunity to see art made by real local artists, who you might even get a chance to have a chat with (many speak English).
Some nights they put on art opening parties and concerts, so you might want to take a look at their website to see if they’ve got any during your stay. Parisians also like the place, so it’s a fun spot to meet some locals, too.
59 Rivoli | 1st Arrondissement
Image Courtesy of Palais de Tokyo
Fotoautomat in Palais de Tokyo
If you’re over by the Eiffel Tower, you might want to take a detour to this really fun photo booth. You might have seen the famous photo booth in Montmartre on social media, but this one is even cooler. It’s a real vintage photo booth that’s been beautifully restored, and if you’re a K-Pop fan, you might recognize it as the one BTS’s Jimin took some photos in.
The photo booth is inside Le Palais de Tokyo, a really cool contemporary art center. You can pop in to use the photobooth without paying the entry ticket to see the center’s art exhibitions. The other side of the building is home to the City of Paris Modern Art Museum (which is free to visit and a great museum), and the plaza between the two sections has a nice outdoor café with great views of the Eiffel Tower, so there are a few things you can do right at the same place.
Palais de Tokyo | 8th Arrondissement
Image Courtesy of Pavillon des Canaux via Facebook
Pavillon des Canaux
I really LOVE this funky café on the Bassin de la Villette, which is at the beginning of the Canal de l’Ourcq. A former lockkeeper’s house, the café is decorated like you’re in someone’s home. There are a few “living rooms” on the ground floor, but I think the rooms on the second floor are the best. Here you’ll find a 1960s-style kitchen, a cozy bedroom, and a bathroom that has an old-fashioned bathtub that you can sit in (my favorite seat – but it’s a little hard to get out of afterward).
In case you’d prefer to sit outdoors, it also has a big terrace overlooking the canal. Included in Day 4 of our Paris itinerary, it’s the perfect place to stop for a drink or snack while strolling along the canals and it’s a great local spot, too.
Pavillon des Canaux | Canal de l’Ourcq | WA
Image Courtesy of Paris Sewer Museum via Facebook
Paris Sewer Museum
This very quirky place isn’t for everyone, but if you’d like to see what it’s like beneath Paris, this museum’s your chance. Found close to the Eiffel Tower, the museum covers the history and workings of the Paris sewer system (égouts in French). Located in large arched tunnels, the museum’s displays allow you to follow in the footsteps of Paris’s sewermen and explain how the sewers were built and how they work today.
Just a heads up that it can be a tad smelly, but not too bad, and usually only on rainier days, so if that would turn you off, this isn’t the museum for you. I also wouldn’t suggest it if you’re claustrophobic. The panels are only in French, but you can get the gist or use the lens feature in a translation app like Google Translate, and just seeing the peculiar site is the fun part.
Paris Sewer Museum | 7th Arrondissement | WA
Place du Caire
If you’re exploring the Montorgueil area, you might like to track down this surprising square. Along the walking route of Day 4 of our Paris itinerary, the hidden square is really charming, but the most unusual feature is the Passage du Caire. This is a historic covered shopping arcade whose entrance is decorated with large Egyptian-style heads and some other Egyptian decoration. Not what you’d usually expect to find on a Parisian building, that’s for sure.
It was built in the late 1790s, just after Napoléon’s military campaign in Egypt, after which time ancient Egypt was all the rage in Paris. There are some great shops and cafés on and around the square, so you can do a little browsing around while you’re up here.
Place du Caire | Montorgueil | WA
Image Courtesy of Lavomatic
Lavomatic
Shake up your Parisian nights by going to this cool cocktail bar that’s hidden inside a laundromat. Among the speakeasy-style bars in Paris, this one probably has the quirkiest location. You won’t have trouble finding it, because as you approach its address, near Place de la République, you’ll likely see a line out front. It’s a small place and pretty popular, so if you’d really like to go, show up before it opens. Once you get inside, the bar area is really cozy, with fun seating on blocks that look like retro detergent cubes. The cocktails have funky names, so this also adds to the fun ambiance.
Lavomatic | 10th Arrondissement
Salvador Dalí Sundial
There’s some art in weird places in Paris, and this quirky sundial made by the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali is certainly one of the strangest. It’s attached to the side of a building in the Latin Quarter, at 27 Rue Saint-Jacques, and just off the walking route of Day 2 of our Paris Itinerary. Dali lived in Paris for a while, but this is his only work that’s out in the streets. The artist came to set it up here in 1966, during a lively ceremony that even had a brass band.
The sundial, which doesn’t actually work, looks like a face that’s within a scallop’s shell. The shell is actually the symbol of an ancient religious pilgrimage route, called the Way of Saint James, or Saint Jacques in French, which is the name of the street the sundial is on. A bonus quirky item for you while you’re on this street, look out for bronze markers of scallop shells on the ground, usually at crosswalks.
Salvador Dalí Sundial | Latin Quarter | WA
Image Courtesy of Sylyswiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rue Dénoyez
If you’re looking for a lot of wackiness in one place, then head to Belleville. This is an artsy, alternative neighborhood in northeastern Paris that’s especially known for its street art and some of the best is on this street. A narrow lane right at Belleville métro, and an option to see on Day 5 of our Paris itinerary, the street is plastered in street art. So you can see a lot of cool murals and poster street art, all in one place. In the itinerary, I’ve also included some cool places to grab a drink right nearby, where you can continue soaking up the cool vibes of Belleville.
Rue Dénoyez | Belleville | WA
Image Courtesy of Halle Saint-Pierre via Facebook
Halle Saint-Pierre
Of all the people who flock to Sacré-Coeur, very few know that there’s this quirky spot right at the base of the park beneath the basilica. It used to be an old market hall, so the building is worth seeing in itself, but today, the large space is dedicated to “Art Brut,” a type of simple or naïve art that doesn’t follow conventional art practices (imagine art that looks like scribbles or made of recycled pieces of metal). It puts on exhibits which you have to pay to see, but it’s free to have a look at the amazing metal structure of the building. It also has a great café, where you can stop for a drink or snack, and an art-focused bookshop.
Halle Saint-Pierre | Montmartre | WA
Image Courtesy of Le Comptoir Général
Le Comptoir Général
This eclectic hangout on the Canal St-Martin is definitely one of the best wacky places in Paris. It’s tucked away behind a large wall, so you might not spot it from the street. The large place is like a maze where you’ll find a few bar areas, a restaurant with a great terrace, a vintage store, a concept store, and plenty of fun vibes. If you’re thinking of checking out the Canal St-Martin area, also included on Day 4 of our Paris itinerary, I really recommend popping in here. A heads up, it has odd hours, so be sure it’s open before making your way there.
Le Comptoir Général | Canal St-Martin
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