There is so much to see and do in France that is off the beaten Eiffel Tour, Louvre and Notre Dame path. The attractions that we list below are unmissable and yet many websites do not provide any information on them.

Paris is a huge city with more than 700 hotels. For each of our off the beaten track activities, we link through to pages where you can compare hotel rates and book Paris hotels, apartments and B&B accommodation.

Readers and architecture lovers alike will delight at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France (National Library of France). When the former library was in shambles, French president Francois Mitterrand, known for his love of fine architecture, proposed the idea of a new library. And it stuck. The Bibliotheque was built and opened in 1996. Each 24 story tower is shaped like an open book, all of which look over the beautiful center garden. The set up provides a magical library experience with the open, airy interior with enough room to hold 1,600 readers, researchers or tourists at once. An interesting note is that the library holds nearly 10 million historic documents, some date all the way back Paris’ medieval times. Unfortunately, these are for qualified hands only but lay people can research periodicals and archives for similar documents. They aren’t originals but they get the historic point across. Although prices vary from 4.5EUR to 7EUR, access to the library ands it massive archives is relatively cheap. Doors are open from 9:00am to 8:00pm in most rooms.

For those wishing to stay in hotels near Bibliotheque why not stay in the Hotel Helvetia which is located only a short wlak form the library.

Another old archive of a different sort that is an essential to visit is the Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise. The infamous cemetery, open from 8:00am to 5:30pm most of the year, is a free place to visit yet still out of this world, quite literally. Spirits from many of the most rich and famous people in the world rest their bones here. The 109 acre cemetery was built shortly after Napoleon Bonaparte lifted the “no cemetery” ban that had been placed on in the early 19^th century. It was not a particularly popular destination until the bodies of Moliere and La Fointaine were dug up and reburied here. The thought of being laid to rest near celebrities of sorts was very attractive to many wealthy people. Soon after the headstone competition began. Each family tried to outdo the families around them and head stones soon turned into stunning sculptures and enormous structures to worship the deceased. Some famous folks buried here are writer Oscar Wilde, musicians Chopin and Jim Morrison and artist like Delacroix and Cartellier.

Visitors can find the cemetery by way of metro lines 2 and 3, Pere Lachaise station. Anybody who wishes to stay near the cemeteries can should stay in one of the Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise Hotels.

Curious to see how some of these people made their way into the Pere-Lachaise cemetery? Look no further than the Hotel de Ville and the Place de la Concorde. These two locations had many heads literally rolling. The site of the Hotel de Ville dates all the way back to the 13^th century, when the shore line was built up and the Hotel de Ville was constructed as a municipal building, which it still is today. For the next 6 centuries or so, many executions by way of beheading, cooking or burning at the stake took place in front of the massive structure. After the last horrendous death in 19^th century, the city tried to fill the Hotel de Ville with new life and gave the building a massive overhaul. Many statues and additional architectural details were added to the facade while the interior was done in an exquisite III Empire Style. Buildings with turbulent and chaotic pasts run deep in Paris. The Hotel de Ville and Place de La Concorde are no exceptions. Place de la Concorde saw many executions as well over a very short period of time. Well over 1,000 citizens were beheaded here including the likes of King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Robespierre. Now the square, the largest in Paris, holds a very rich history. In each point of its octagonal shape likes another fantastic monument including a 3,200 year old obelisk from Ramses II at Thebes, two large fountains and many statues, each of which represent a different French city.

After seeking out the old, dusty and departed in Paris, you may want to try to wash away the sins of others at one of the cities many gorgeous cathedrals. Give Saint Chapelle a try. There are many hotels near Saint Chapelle to stay in giving great access to the cathedral. Its origins too date back very far, into the 13^th century to be exact. The epitome of French Gothic architecture the unbelievable structure is said to have once housed the very Crown of Thorns and fragments of the True Cross that Jesus himself was hung upon many thousands of years ago. During the French Revolution the building was badly damaged and many of the infamous relics who called Saint Chapelle home were destroyed or completely disappeared.

Another place that dates back to Paris’ year 1300 heydays is Place de Vosges. It is one of the oldest squares in Paris and certainly one of the most unique and beautiful. Rich in history, the square was originally the site of Hotel de Tournelles. Many royal events and tournaments were held here until King Henry II was injured beyond repair during one of the said events and passed on several days later. His widow had the hotel demolished and moved to the Louvre where it still stands today. In its place a Royal pavilion was built in 1604 by the backing up King Henry IV. Across the way, the Queen had her own Royal structure built. Many famous Frenchman roomed in the apartments here such as Cardinal Richelieu and Victor Hugo. Slowly but surely Place de Vosges was built up to what it is today – a lovely park filled with locals and tourists alike grabbing a bite to eat, enjoying the immense buildings and the outdoor nature of the square. There are many Place de Vosges hotels that are worth staying in and this gives you great access to the surrounding attractions.

Ever older still is the Arenes de Lutece. The unique park dates back to the first century A.D., when Paris was still known as Lutetia and was a Gallo-Roman town. In its prime, the arena might have been the biggest of its kind that was ever built by the Roman Empire - it had enough seating 15,000! What “kind” was it? It was a massive sunken auditorium complete with 8 foot walls. It boasted some of the best acoustics in its era for many entertainment events like plays that took place here. It was also home to many exciting gladiator events including animal fighting. Some of the original cubbies still intact housed live animals for such live affairs and circuses too. The magnificent structure was almost completely demolished in the 3^rd century and a cemetery was built over top of it. It was unearthed once again during a tram station renovation of the area and is now a treasured park, perfect for impromptu football games.

Another entertaining outdoor point in Paris is the beautiful Pont Neuf bridge. In the late 16^th century, King Henry IV decided that enough was enough with Paris’ two falling down, miserable bridges that connected one side of the Seine to the other. The bridge opened rather quickly by 1607 and a bronze statue was built in the King’s honor after his death, which followed shortly after Pont Neuf’s opening. It was the first of its kind and very contemporary for the times; one of the first built without housing. The 12 grand arches and rounded architecture make it the most fêted bridge in the city. It provided the perfect spot for socializing and the citizens of Paris still use the multi-purpose bridge for the same reasons today.

Although all of these attractions are wonderful places to visit, none of them have a live entertainment factor like the Opera de Paris Garnier does. Built in the mid-1800’s, the Opera was built for patron, Emperor Napoleon III by Charles Garnier. It is the epitome of baroque architecture and is quite enormous at that. Although seating capacity is rather limited, the space itself is 172 meters long, 125 wide and 736 meters high – talk about massive! Both inside and out the building is grand and features many marvels like a 30 meter Grand staircase in the foyer, one of a kind mosaic ceiling tiles, many giant chandeliers (including one that is 6 tons!), luxurious fabrics, flying cherubs and a hand painted ceiling. It is also home to one of the most well known characters in all of time, the Phantom of the Opera, who was said to hide in the pond beneath the building (yes it is indeed built over a pond). Although the name states it is an opera, and on occasion it is used for such purposes, it mainly houses ballets today. Why not stay in hotel near Opera, this way you can make the most out of your trip to the theatre without having to much travelling to do

As you can see, going off the beaten tourist path in France can be just as rewarding as following the straight and narrow. Many sites are completely immersed in culture and deeply rooted French history. These said places have stood the test of time and for good reason. They are not only immeasurably interesting but delightful and truly the epitome of Paris’.