101 things to do in Paris: attractions

Loose yourself in the Marais’ narrow, cobbled streets: this quartier is all about intimate museums, elegant mansions and (along rue des Rosiers) Jewish restaurants that sell the best falafels in the city. Start at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme (Jewish art and history museum) or the Musée Carnavalet, which covers the history of Paris, then nip down rue des Archives to the Marais’s quirky hunting museum, the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature. Top off your day in Places des Vosges, where writer Victor Hugo’s former apartment (la Maison de Victor Hugo) is bedecked with fabulously garish decor and rafts of fascinating memorabilia.

Read more about Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme, Musée Carnavalet, Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Place des Vosges and Maison de Victor Hugo.

Slow the pace with a leisurely cruise along Paris’ Canal St-Martin. Canauxrama’s canal trips start at the Port de l’Arsenal at Bastille, then float gently northwards for two and a half hours towards Bassin de la Villette at Stalingrad, past Paris’s revamped industrial quarters, old locks and elegant footbridges. When you get to Bassin de la Villette (where Canal St-Martin becomes Canal de l’Ourcq), two MK2 cinemas, linked together by a tiny boat, show both blockbuster and art-house films; or carry on along the canal edge (on foot) to sample Parc de la Villette’s science and music museums.
Read more about Canal Saint-Martin

Yes, you’ll get some cheesy commentary, but seeing Paris in one majestic sweep on a bateau mouche (riverboat) is something everyone should do at least once. Many of the city’s most gorgeous monuments cling to the banks of the Seine and the river’s bridges are truly beautiful, providing Kodak moments galore. Riverboat companies Bateaux Parisiens and Bateaux Mouches both offer hour-long tours and restaurant cruises.
Read more about Bateaux Parisiens and Bateaux Mouches