Relaxing Things to do in Paris

By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
A couple relaxing in the Jardin des Tuileries

What could be more idyllic than a restful break in the City of Love, with its multitude of parks and gardens, tranquil canals and cute pavement cafés, perfect for watching the world go by? Check out our guide to the 10 most relaxing things to do in Paris...

Picnic by the Eiffel Tower

Relaxing Things to do in Paris

Paris is a paradise for picnic-lovers, with over 400 delightful green spaces across the city in which to throw down a blanket and unpack your hamper. Pick up a fresh baguette, some fromage et charcuterie and a chilled bottle of Chablis and make for the Champs de Mars, a huge expanse of grassy parkland that’s straddled by the Eiffel Tower. Balmy summer evenings are perfect for this, as dusk falls and thousands of golden bulbs flicker on to illuminate the Paris icon. Come for the romance; stay for the spectacular light show that makes the tower sparkle like a diamond every hour on the hour until 1AM.

Go Boating in the Bois du Boulogne

Over twice the size of Central Park, Bois du Boulogne is one of the biggest parks in Paris. Its location a little off the beaten track in the 16th arrondissement also makes it one of the least busy. Rowboats are available to rent on the Lac Inferieur (Lower Lake), meaning you can while away a pleasant hour or two bobbing gently on its tranquil waters. Afterwards, take a stroll through the forest to smell the (many) roses in the beautiful Parc de Bagatelle botanical garden. If you’re lucky you might also encounter the park’s resident peacocks and elusive red squirrels along the way.

Browse for Books in the Latin Quarter

Relaxing Things to do in Paris

The Latin Quarter’s narrow, winding lanes are a far cry from some of Paris’s more hectic boulevards, and it’s here you’ll discover the semi-legendary English-language bookstore Shakespeare and Company, a labyrinthine treasure trove for literature lovers, where thousands of books pack into higgledy-piggledy shelves and teeter in corners. From here, you’re a stone’s throw to the Bouquinistes of Paris, where hundreds of booksellers line the left bank of the Seine, offering some 300,000 books (give or take). Creaking antiquarian tomes, literary classics, graphic novels, childrens’ books, poetry, art... it’s all here, and then some!

Have a Hammam

Stunning, intricate mosaics and an epic 33-meter-high minaret are not the only reasons to pay a visit to the Grande Mosquée de Paris in the Latin Quarter. There’s also a beautiful byzantine-style hammam with a marble steam room and babbling fountain. Book an exfoliating scrub or vigorous massage for a near-religious experience and complete your transition to a zen-like state by lingering for baklava and mint tea in the leafy courtyard. For religious reasons, there are separate times for men and women to visit the hammam.

Enjoy Pizza and Beer by the Canal

Relaxing Things to do in Paris

Dodge the tourist trail and get yourself down to Canal Saint-Martin, where cute cafés, bistros and craft-beer bars line a peaceful stretch of water that’s dotted with tree-shaded quays, garden squares, cobbled walkways and highly Instagrammable Venetian-style bridges. Eagle-eyed fans of French cinema may recognise the canal from Amélie, the quirky 2001 rom-com set in and around some of Paris’s most picturesque locations. Grab some pizza and beer from one of the boho takeaway joints and find a spot to sit down and skim stones across the water at sunset, just like the movie’s titular heroine.

Walk the Coulée Verte

Nothing soothes the soul like a bit of greenery and this central Paris walkway – literally ‘the Green Corridor’ – is no exception. A disused railway line that runs across a viaduct in the heart of Paris, it has been converted into a peaceful elevated walking route that’s alive with lush vegetation and foliage. Enjoy views of the Paris skyline from your verdant vantage point and refill your bottle with sparkling water (yes, really!) at the free fountain in Jardin de Reuilly, one of just a handful of its kind dotted around Paris.

Play Pétanque

Relaxing Things to do in Paris

One of France’s greatest and most relaxing pastimes, pétanque is a sport that’s beloved of hipsters and old-timers alike. You can have a go at this ancient boule-throwing contest in any number of locations around the city. We recommend Place de la Nation or stunning Luxembourg Gardens, where other gentle pursuits on offer include giant chess and sailing antique toy boats on the ornamental lake.

Visit a Garden

You’re never very far from a park or garden in Paris, so it’s easy to take time out from the hubbub of the city streets and pause to smell the roses – literally. Handily located between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, the 17th-century Jardin des Tuileries is a peaceful formal garden with two ponds, statues by the likes of Rodin and Giacometti, and plentiful seating. You can also put your feet up in the sculpture garden at the Rodin Museum, where ornamental ponds, perfectly manicured box hedges and a variety of famous pieces by the celebrated sculptor, make for a relaxing place to while away an hour or two.

Watch a Sunset (or Sunrise!)

Relaxing Things to do in Paris

Sunset in Paris is truly something else. As the sky turns a dusky pink and lights flicker on across the city, it can feel like there’s magic in the air. Little wonder that this time of day (and its early morning counterpart) provided such inspiration for the likes of Monet. Take a cruise along the Seine to see iconic Paris landmarks including the Louvre and Pont Alexandre III illuminated from the water. Or head for the high ground: the view from the observation deck atop Montparnasse Tower is magnifique, while the atmosphere around Montmartre – as the light fades over the Sacré-Cœur and the colorful carousel below wheels into motion – is hard to beat.

People-Watch at a Café

For Parisians, the act of sitting at a pavement café, slowly sipping espressos and peering at passers-by over dark glasses, is something of an art form. Pull up a chair, order a croissant or three and join the locals in a spot of people-watching. Your server won’t bring the check until you ask for it, so you have all the time in the world to sit back, relax and watch what some would say is the best show in town.

Save on relaxing things to do in Paris

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Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Montamartre and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica
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5 Days in Paris

Packed with world-class museums, verdant parks, superb shopping and household-name attractions including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre and Notre-Dame Cathedral, it’s no surprise that Paris is one of the world’s most-visited cities. 5 days in Paris gives you just enough time to scratch the surface of this wonderful city, ticking off its top attractions and experiencing a flavor of its arty neighborhoods and exquisite café culture. The sheer number of things to see and do around the city can make it difficult to know where to start though, so check out our suggested 5-day Paris itinerary below for inspiration. Day 1: Bucket List Bonanza Everyone knows you haven’t really arrived in Paris until you’ve snapped a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower, our first port of call on this, your whirlwind romance with the City of Love. There are a number of ways to experience the Tower: you can climb the 674 stairs or take the glass elevator to the viewing platform on the second floor, 115 meters up. Or you can whiz all the way to the very top where, 276 meters above terra firma, a champagne bar awaits to help steady your nerves. Alternatively, dodge the queues and take in fantastic views of The Iron Lady from a number of nearby vantage points, such as the Champs de Mars park directly underneath, or through the majestic Fountain of Warsaw’s sky-high water jets in the Jardins du Trocadéro just across the Seine. Make your way to the nearby Arc de Triomphe where you can pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and laugh in the face of the meager 284 steps required to reach the viewing platform up top. Board a bateau at dusk for a more relaxed way to sightsee, on a gentle Seine cruise. No time of day in Paris is more magical than when the skies begin to darken and the City of Light comes thrillingly to life, with the illumination of glorious riverside landmarks including the Louvre, Grand Palais and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Day 2: Latin Quarter and Musée d’Orsay Unless you’re absolutely art mad, a five-day trip to Paris will likely only take in one of The Big Two (that’s the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay to you and me). Perched on the Left Bank in the former Gare d’Orsay railway station, the Musée d’Orsay is smaller, more easily navigable and generally less crowded than its famous sibling with the glass pyramid that lies just across the river. The museum boasts the world’s largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, with artists including Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Toulous-Lautrec, Degas, Gauguin et al very well represented here. Go for the fine art and stay for the fifth-floor café's huge station-clock window and its exhilarating views over the Seine to the Louvre and Sacré-Cœur Basilica. From Musée d’Orsay it’s a short stroll east along the riverfront to where the Paris bouquinistes ply their trade from stalls packed with second-hand books of all kinds, from antiquarian atlases to graphic novels. Here, in the boho Latin Quarter, stroll the narrow cobbled lanes and alleys, and pause at one of the cute sidewalk cafés for coffee and pastries before paying homage to Rousseau, Voltaire, Louis Braille, Marie Curie and the dozens of other Gallic greats interred beneath the Panthéon’s impressive dome. Day 3: Picnic in the park Paris is made for picnicking. From the sweeping, manicured lawns of the Champs de Mars by the Eiffel Tower to the secluded hills and wooded valleys of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont on the edge of town, there’s a lunch spot to suit all tastes. Step one: pick up your picnic. You’ll want crusty bread, a selection of cheeses and fruits and, why not, a cheeky bottle of French wine as a bare minimum. Sure, you could get all of this in a standard supermarché. But where's the fun in that? Instead, guarantee a knock-it-out-the-park pique-nique you’ll never forget by heading to one of the city's market streets and stuffing your hamper with delicious, fresh gourmet goodies. Straddling the 1st and 2nd arrondissements on the Right Bank, Rue Montorgueil will make all your foodie dreams come true, and is also home to the oldest pâtisserie in town, where signature sticky rum babas are guaranteed to make your tastebuds sing. Across the river in the Latin Quarter, Rue Mouffetard is a picturesque place to pick up a picnic from the many bustling stalls and stores that line its cobbles. Suitably stocked up, all you need to do now is pick a park for your leisurely lunch. For feet-up-by-the lake tranquility, formal gardens and sculptures by Rodin, Mailliol and more, head for Jardin des Tuileries by the Louvre. Or, for a spot of old-fashioned Parisian people-watching, the gardens of 17th-century Place des Vosges in the Marais are hard to beat. Meanwhile, out on the opposite edges of town, Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes, the city’s largest public parks, offer relative seclusion and room to roam amid chateaux, boating lakes, botanical gardens, grottoes and more. Day 4: Montmartre One of Paris’s ‘must-sees’, the Montmartre butte is the highest point in the city, with the flamboyant Sacré-Cœur Basilica perched on top, and some of the best views in town. Wander the cobbled streets and you’ll soon discover why this atmospheric part of Paris has inspired so many artists down the centuries. You can view the work of many of them – Manet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Miró – at the excellent Musée de Montmartre, a 17th-century mansion with tranquil gardens that were immortalized in art by Renoir, a former resident. Grab a coffee and pastry at the Café des Deux Moulins, made famous from its starring role in the movie Amélie. Have your portrait painted by local artists in the picture-perfect Place du Tertre, just behind the basilica. Grab a snap of the Moulin Rouge’s iconic red windmill. And head to the wildly romantic-sounding le mur des je t’aime for a souvenir selfie of your time in the City of Love. Featuring the phrase ‘I love you’ in 250 languages, this ‘wall of love’ is a permanent art installation made from hundreds of enameled lava tiles. Day 5: A Spot of Souvenir-Shopping Make your last day in Paris as special as the first, with some leisurely souvenir-shopping in and around the Marais district, with its cobbled lanes, independent boutiques, cute pâtisseries and historic 19th-century arcades nearby. Step back in time to Belle-Époque Paris in the wonderfully whimsical Passages Couverts, a series of 18th and 19th-century shopping arcades with narrow walkways, glass-and-iron roofs and old-fashioned storefronts. You’ll find two of the best in the 2nd arrondissement, neighboring the Marais. Neo-classical Galerie Vivienne has intricate mosaic floors and an elegant glass dome that sits atop a rotunda decorated with nymphs and goddesses. Nearby Passage Choiseul is the longest covered passage in Paris and a registered historical monument. Expect chic fashion boutiques, wine cellars, jewelers, antiquarian bookstores and an old-school Paris vibe inside both. The gift shop just around the corner from the Marais' marvelous Musée National Picasso-Paris merits a visit in its own right, with tasteful Picasso-inspired homeware, art prints, pottery, bags and much more on offer. And it would be remiss to go home without a pretty box of macarons, that colorful meringue-based confection so beloved of Parisians. You’ll find these in any Marais pâtisserie worth its salt. But this is Paris, darling, so treat yourself by splashing out on some of the poshest in town from French pastry master Pierre Hermé. Save on top attractions during your 5 days in Paris Save on admission to Paris attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Louvre Museum
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Guide to the Louvre Museum - Tips for Visiting

If you do one thing in Paris, it should be the Louvre. Pay a visit to the world’s largest art museum and spend an entire day marveling at their exhaustive collections of art and artifacts. It's consistently among the most-visited art museums and one of Paris’ most popular attractions. While their collections encompass some 380,000 objects, only a portion of these are on display at any given time. Items hail from all around the globe and throughout human history, including objects from prehistory all the way up to twenty-first-century works of art. The Louvre has particularly notable strengths in Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Sculpture, and Painting, among others. The museum itself is a work of art—housed in the Louvre Palace (originally built in the late twelfth century as the Louvre Castle), it’s a veritable maze of art and artworks. Creative types will find a haven here, with something from just about every period and field to marvel at. Don’t forget about the signature I. M. Pei pyramid out the front which acts not only as a piece of art but a stunning entranceway to the museum! The Louvre Tickets Looking for discount tickets to the Louvre? Grab a pass from Go City. Spend less on admission to the Louvre and dozens of other museums, tours, cruises, and other great Paris attractions. Enjoy 2, 3, 4 or 6 days of unlimited sightseeing and save big on combined admission versus paying at the gate. See more on pricing for our passes. Louvre Tips for Visiting Be sure to download an interactive floor plan prior to your visit — it’s available in seven languages and will be invaluable in helping you plot out your course through the museum. Consult the museum calendar to see what special events, gallery talks, or tours are going on during the day of your visit. You may also wish to grab an audio guide for the Louvre. Available in seven languages, this is one of the coolest and more comprehensive audio guides around. The Louvre is big—like, really big. Wear comfortable shoes and plan to rest periodically. The Louvre is also difficult to navigate, but they’ve really simplified things by making their collections color-coded. Each of the eight curatorial departments is assigned a color, and then each room within the department is given a number. Follow your map and the signs on the wall and you’ll be good to go. Take your kids to the Touch Gallery. It’s the only place in the entire museum where visitors are encouraged to touch the sculptures (which are replicas of those found in the museum’s collections). Other important places like elevators, restrooms, and restaurants are identified via pictograms—so no worries if you don’t read French. For those visitors traveling with little ones, check out the Tuileries Gardens, which are filled with kid-friendly activities like a carousel, trampolines, and little boats. What is the Best Time to Go to the Louvre? You should plan to spend most of the day at the Louvre if you want to see a representative sample of the exhibits; it is also possible, however, to organize a “highlights” tour and accomplish it all in a few hours. We recommend visiting the museum first thing in the morning as soon as they open to maximize your time spent inside the institution. Crowds will be heavier mid-morning and late afternoon. If you're trying to attend a special docent tour, it’s wise to consult the museum’s schedule of events to see what’s available during the day of your visit. What to Bring to the Louvre Comfy walking shoes – the floors are hard and you’ll be traipsing around quite a bit. Money for souvenirs – their bookstore is one of the best places to shop for tourists in the entire city and it’s worth spending some time there. Layers – the museum is climate controlled, but this can differ depending upon the type of art. As a result, you may feel cool in some rooms but warmer in others. A camera—there are places in the Louvre where photography is limited or prohibited, but you’ll want it on hand for the opportunities that do arise. What to Do at the Louvre The museum collections are all sorted into one of eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Islamic Art; Paintings; Sculptures; Decorative Arts; and Prints and Drawings. We’ve listed a few of the highlights of each department below. Egyptian Antiquities One of the most famous collections within the Louvre’s vast holdings, the department of Egyptian Antiquities is filled with hundreds of items from Nile Valley civilizations. Items date as far back as the prehistoric period (about 4000 BCE) all the way to the early Christian period (around the fourth century CE). The objects in this department include everything from small pieces of jewelry, games, funeral urns, and amulets to large sarcophagi, engraved portions of tomb walls, and statuary. Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities Spanning the rich, diverse cultures of Greece, Italy, and the broader Mediterranean area, the objects and artifacts in this department range from the Neolithic era to the sixth century CE. Here is where fans of classical archaeology and mythology will find their inspiration. With art objects that cover everything from the iconic amphoras to intricate statues of the gods to the signature black and red Greek pottery, you’ll be amazed at the breadth and depth of these collections. Near East Antiquities One of the broadest categories of art and objects at the Louvre, the Near East Antiquities department spans an astonishing nine thousand-year period—from prehistory to the early Islamic period. Artifacts were discovered in a wide range of territory, from North Africa to Central Asia, and from the Black Sea to the Arabian Peninsula. Highlights of this department include tablets bearing some of the earliest forms of writing, ancient beaded jewelry, board games, and dozens of religious statues and figures. Islamic Art New galleries in this department opened in 2012, allowing for an expanded display of Islamic artwork for Louvre visitors. There are a few thousand objects on display here, ranging geographically from Southeast Asia to Spain, and temporally across nearly 1,300 years of human history. A few of the objects you might see in this department include dishware and pottery, sculptures, textiles and texts, and manuscript pages. Paintings With a couple hundred works currently on display, paintings are one of the larger curatorial focus points at the Louvre. This department is among the most famous as well, with particular strengths in Italian Renaissance art and Dutch Old Masters. The collection encompasses every major European school of painting as well, including works from the thirteenth through the nineteenth centuries. Some of the most famous works in this collection include Leonardi da Vinci’s world-renowned Mona Lisa, Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, and Johannes Vermeer’s The Astronomer. Sculptures The Department of Sculptures has had a long and varied history, currently encompassing Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern sculptures. Every work here dates prior to 1850, and only includes those that do not qualify for the Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Department. Some of the most stunning art objects in the entire Louvre are found here, ranging from statues of gods and goddesses to biblical characters to modern individuals of note. Decorative Arts One of the best departments for those who appreciate and/or study the history of material culture in a global context, this area of the Louvre boasts a simply stunning collection of objects from around the world. Objects were created between the early Middle Ages and the mid-nineteenth century. You’ll find everything from jewelry and ivory work to stained glass and furniture. Many of these objects inspire us to wonder what will happen to our own precious goods after we’re gone. Prints and Drawings This is one for the history of the book people. Here you’ll find a wide selection of printed material, including drawings, pastels, printed books, manuscripts, woodcuts, and lithographic stones. The unique thing about this department is its approach to displaying the collections—because of their innate fragility, most works are kept in careful storage and are circulated in and out of temporary displays. As a result, all exhibits here are temporary, so what you see during your visit will be totally unique! Save on Louvre Tickets with a Go Paris pass A Go City attraction pass for Paris provides admission to the Louvre and dozens of other Paris and area museums for one low price. You’ll also get admission to tours, cruises, and other top Parisian attractions to round out your weekend getaway.
Katie Sagal
Mother and Daughter by Eiffel Tower
Blog

Paris in Three Days: Culture, Croissants, and City Views

Visiting Paris for just three days? Here’s your foolproof, flavor-packed itinerary!

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