Parisian Secrets – Recommendations for Secret Places in Paris

Paris is a real ocean: throw a probe into it, you will never know its depth. Sail on it, describe it: whatever you invest in exploration and description; however many and interested the explorers of this sea may be, they will always come across a virgin place, an unknown cave, flowers and pearls, monsters, something incredible forgotten by the literary divers. Honore de Balzac 1835

This quote from the book Abba Gorio could certainly be used as a motto for fans of Paris The real ones. I don't mean those who have been to the City of Lights once or twice in their lives, eaten a fine croissant, walked around theMarais, do some Shopping And flew to their next destination. I mean the real addicts, the ones who come to Paris on every vacation and every opportunity and can't satisfy their curiosity and love.

What characterizes these people is the strong desire to unlock the secrets of Paris and discover places that almost no one knows about. It could be a small, hidden garden, a magical street that has managed to escape the tourist trail or Romantic hotel And what's amazing is that even though these Francophiles return to the City of Lights time and time again, the secrets of Paris continue to be revealed to them, and each trip holds new discoveries.

So, as a service to the Francophile public, I decided to reach out to some true addicts to the City of Lights and ask each of them to recommend one secret place they love. The people I interviewed for this article are the crème de la crème of Francophilia, and what characterizes them is an uncompromising love for Paris and the fact that they have visited it dozens of times or lived there for a long time.

So after all this introduction, let's get going and discover some of the secrets of Paris together!

The Secret Architecture

The Menya Family's Chocolate Palace

A recommendation from Judith Marmelstein, a Francophile whose love for Paris led her to become one ofThe leading tour guides in the City of LightsYou can read more about it on the Paris website in Hebrew.

Somewhere in the 8th arrondissement, not far fromMonceau Park, a special building has been found that looks like it came out of a fairy tale. This is the Hôtel Menier and it is considered one of the most secret and beautiful places in Paris. You can read about it in the article Hotel Henri Meunier – Paris’ Secret Chocolate Palace.

Jean's Tower Made of Fearless

Recommendation of Avital Inbar, one of the greatest distributors of Francophilia in Israel thanks to his series of pleasure books (The Pleasures of Paris, The Pleasures of France, The Pleasures of Southwest France, etc.) and thanks to his translations of some of the masterpieces of French literature (for example, Romain Gary's "All Life Before Him" ​​and Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables"). For all this, he won two decorations from the Israeli government. France With the rank of officer and even French citizenship.

This tip came from his book “The Pleasures of Paris,” which is unfortunately out of print, but you can find quite a few stories about Paris in his book “Parisian Pictures,” which can be found at the Mendeley bookstore.

22 Rue Etienne Marcel, south of the Passage Grand Cerf, remains of a medieval castle, the tower of Jean Sans-Peur, Jean the Fearless, which is almost unnoticed, as it is adjacent to residential buildings. Its importance lies in the rarity of the remains from its time. It was originally the Hôtel d'Artois, built in 1270 and leaning against the ramparts of Philippe-Auguste. In 1384 it became the Parisian residence of the Dukes of Burgundy.

Duke Jean, who lived in the house, invited The murder of our cousin Louis d'Orléans, the king's brother, which caused a bloody war of revenge between the Burgundians and their rivals, and temporarily changed the course of French history: Jean took power in Paris in 1409, enlarged the palace, and to protect himself from expected revenge, built the war tower inside. He was expelled a few years later, executed, and with the death of his grandson Charles "the Bold", Duke of Burgundy, the duchy was annexed to the French crown.

In 1543 the estate was parcelled out, and part of the land was broken into and the Rue Française opened. In 1548 monks built a performance hall there, which in 1629 became the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne, whose troupe competed with that of MolièreThe second part was sold to a certain Diego Mendoza, and was called Hotel Mendoza. It was later used cabaret, a charity warehouse, and the locksmith's business, Ricard, which now has a museum named after him in the Marais. The burglary of Ré Etienne Marcel in the 19th century caused the house to be demolished, except for the tower, which was declared a protected historical monument in 1884, and was reinforced because it was about to fall. It was restored in 1991. In 1999, after 730 years, it was opened to the public.

Jeanne's Tower aims to become the first center for medieval tourism in Paris. The entrance hall already provides a wealth of information about the remains of buildings in Paris, divided by type. The information, also available at the reception in English, makes it possible to conduct a period-themed visit to Paris. The five floors of the tower are dedicated to the Middle Ages and daily life in the 15th century. A spiral staircase, like the one in Charles V's Louvre, which no longer exists, leads up. The stairwell is decorated with floral motifs, a masterpiece that has been preserved for 5 years. The top floor was the bedroom of Jeanne the Murderer.

How do we get there?

Address: 20 Rue Etienne Marcel

Metro: Etienne Marcel

Want to read more about secret medieval structures?

I invite you to read Avital Inbar's article. What Remains of Medieval Paris by Avital Inbar.

Stalactite Cave and Roman Temple of Vincennes Forest

Yoel Tamanlis is a great Francophile and a wonderful photographer. You can read his articles on the website In this link And see his photos on the Paris page via Zoom. Here is his recommendation:

Many sites could be included in the list under the name: “My secret place in Paris.” The most intriguing, exciting and unusual of all, in my opinion, is the small stalactite cave and the ancient Roman structure above it at the entrance to the island of DE REUILLY inVincennes ForestI spent many, many hours walking through the forest with my camera. This corner always makes my heart ache.

There are usually no travelers here, tourists have not yet discovered the place, the silence can be cut with a knife, the peace and tranquility are amazing, the chirping of birds inspires excitement, the nature, the many animals, the lush vegetation and the landscape around the lake are mesmerizing, this is a small paradise for photographers and painters.

How do you get to this secret place?

Get off at the PORTE DOREE metro station (line 8) and from there, a very short walk south will take you past the Palais de la Porte Doré and you will soon find yourself in one of the most spectacular parts of the forest – Lake DAUMESNIL. Near the boat rental station, turn right, walk around the lake on the right side, pass the Buddhist center, turn left, go up the bridge and near it on the right you will find the Roman structure and below it the secret stalactite cave.

The Secret Culinary

“Beaupassage” – “Beaupassage”

This is a recommendation of Ruth Shimoni, a Francophile addicted to Paris, an expert on French culture, holder of an honorary medal from the French government and the best lecturer in Israel on French culture.

The place Ruthie chose to recommend is a new complex (opened in late 2018) called “Beaupassage.” It is a complex dedicated to the art of good living and combines top-notch cuisine, sculpture, and intriguing architecture.

Since it is not possible to write about the complex in just a few words, we decided to dedicate a separate article to it and you can read about it at the link  Beaupassage, the art of good living complex in Paris.

Mansion Montmartre

This is a recommendation from Dr. Zeev Ben Nahum. Zeev is a Francophile who decided to map the כל The interesting places in Paris. This is a huge project and can be found on the website The Paris MapSince Zeev now knows almost every prominent figure in Paris, it was difficult for him to choose one secret place, but after quite a bit of effort, he managed to do so. Permission to speak to Zeev:

Montmartre is, as we know, one of the most visited hills in Paris. There is no Francophile – beginner or veteran – who does not visit it almost every time he visits. Its uniqueness is not only in its height and the view from it (between us – I would turn it a little to the left), but also in the many sites on it.

The average tourist is usually exposed to a series of attractions that include the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the terrace overlooking the city, Place de la Tartre, and lots and lots of souvenir shops and mediocre restaurants. A slightly more experienced tourist is also exposed to the Church of Saint-Pierre, the Montmartre Museum, the vineyard, the Dali statue, and the windmills. Art lovers also enter the Dali Museum.

Well, there are more. Lots. I won't go into detail, as I was asked to name one of my favorite places, which is not known to most people. I chose a hidden cafe, which even most tourist guides don't know about for some reason. The name of the place – Mansion Montmartre. This is a small hotel with an unknown number of stars, but in the pictures it looks amazing, and the prices are like those of a 4-star hotel or higher in the center of Paris. This, with really – really – large rooms (35-85 square meters!!!). The hotel also has a restaurant – which I did not check out. The menu is quite banal, with lunch costing 35 euros, and dinner can cost 65 euros. But – that’s not what we came here for. We are only here for the coffee and the location.

Where exactly? Well, if you don’t know about the place – you won’t find it. The hotel is hidden inside one of the enclosed courtyards on Avenue Junot to the north and Rue Lepic to the south (see the link under the hotel name above). On both streets you will find a locked gate and a Voie Privée sign. No mention of the hotel. I didn’t try to enter from Rue Lepic, but on the Avenue Junot (near number 23bis) there is an intercom, if the gate is indeed locked. Indicate that you have come to the hotel and they will open it for you.

The café is located inside the hotel building, in a greenhouse, but mainly in its beautiful courtyard. This is the main attraction. Sit at a round table among the greenery, order a drink and a pastry (15-21 euros), relax from the day's work (hard, hard) and enjoy the peace – a great contrast to the tourist noise that surrounds the hill. You are invited to ask yourself from time to time what city you are in.

The Choupettes of Chouchou

Recommendation by Ran Vardi, Francophile, photographer at Grace, French culinary expert, blog owner Anton Chili and Facebook group manager French cuisine.

For French culinary enthusiasts who live in Paris for its many gems, it's a bit difficult to choose when asked to write about one place. That's why I chose not a Michelin-starred restaurant or a spectacular food market, but a small and amazing shop, hidden somewhere on Montmartre Hill. Tourists won't come to it without a plan, but anyone who enters will enjoy it.

And this shop sells only one product, Chouquettes. Fresh, high-quality little puffs studded with granulated sugar and filled with Chantilly cream (whipped cream), a pure pleasure that comes from a simple and addictive combination, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, heavenly in flavor, captivating in its simplicity.

Here, this simple and uniform product is sold in the best quality there is, which will simply do your heart and soul good, and here they chose to call them the Choupettes brand. The secret of this artisan shop is that the choupettes are prepared here on site throughout the day so that they are fresh and crispy, and the filling is poured into the choupette in front of your eyes only after you order, so that the whipped cream does not stay in contact with the puff for even a minute and does not damage its crispiness. Perfect ❤

Here they don't disperse, they don't expand, there are no branches and there is no line of products and collections. Here they only prepare judges. Period. They call it specialization. In France, it is customary to call this product Chouquettes, and it is part of a very extensive tradition of Pate a Choux products in the homeland of the world's pastry (éclair, Saint Honoré, Paris Brest, Croquembouche and more and more).

The puff pastry was invented in 1540 by the pastry chef Popelini. It is a dough created by cooking milk, water and butter with flour, sugar and salt. After the dough has solidified, it is removed from the heat, eggs are added, mixed, poured into the desired shape and baked in the oven. After baking, a cavity is created inside the pastry that allows and invites the insertion of a filling into it, and from there the variations run wild.

If you are on the hill, a visit is a must.

Les Choupettes de chouchou, 27 rue Durantin, Paris 18

The store's Facebook page

The secret streets

Champollion Street – an almost invisible street in the Latin Quarter that hides a cinematic treasure

A recommendation from Liran Hotmacher, a photographer and videographer living in Paris, who offers tours and photography sessions throughout the City of Lights, where you can not only discover corners of experiences and hear fascinating stories, but also take photos against the backdrop of the most beautiful places in Paris.  

Champollion Street, located in the Latin Quarter near Sorbonne Square, Luxembourg Gardens and Boulevard Saint-Michel and Boulevard Saint-Germain. Despite its central location, it is not at all known to tourists. What is it about this street that makes it so interesting? You will find the answer to this question in the article Discover the real Paris through the cinemas of Champollion Street.

Villa Leandre A dead-end street saturated with magic

This is a recommendation from Hadar Gabay, who runs street art and culinary tours in Paris. Hadar has written on the site before and you can read her articles. HERE.

How is it possible to choose one unknown corner, in a city where there is a constant feeling that there are more and more corners, and more and more secret and magical places? It's as if the city branches out and reinvents itself every time you try to reach the previous secret corner you loved..!

But you have to choose, and I was debating between two quiet, lesser-known corners of Paris, both in the eighteenth arrondissement, and I'm going to take you to a dead-end street that seems to have come from another time, somewhere in a village outside the city, and this is actually Paris, this place is called Villa Leandre.

If you walk down the 'street of the rich' Montmartre, Avenue Junot, where there are private houses of French noblewomen and it curves down at a round angle, and you turn into a small and forgotten street, you will discover that you have actually left Paris for a few steps! You will discover private houses, small and low that do not at all correspond to the familiar Parisian and Haussmannian style, not even close to it! Maybe more like the construction of the London suburbs. Colorful and tiny three-story buildings, with a small garden facing the quiet street, and pointed tiled roofs.

Note that number 10 has a nod in its design to the British Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street in London. These picturesque buildings were built on the ruins of what was previously the 'slums' of poor Montmartre, also known as Le Maquis de Montmartre. In the 19th century, the area was populated by the destitute who lived in huts, much like a shantytown, and in such a rural atmosphere, families and artists of Montmartre lived here.

But in 1909 everything changed, the current street began to emerge from the poor neighborhood, and was officially founded in 1926 after a fire consumed the remains of the shacks, and is now named after Charles L'André, a French artist and caricaturist, who died in his studio not far from here, on Rue Caulaincourt.

This small street will fill you with peace, you will feel like you are in a period painting, and its silence is constant, Art Nouveau in the middle of Paris! I recommend going on a nice day and imagining that you are in the suburbs. Although there is no bench to sit on the street, your admiration for the street will bring you to a cafe in its corner, Café MARCEL, where you can take a break if you wish.

Nearest metro station: Lamarck Caulaincourt

Square Montsouris

Recommendation of Fellow physicianA Francophile who moved to Paris due to his love for the City of Lights. His great love for Paris and his strong desire to share it has made Amit one of the best tour guides in the city.

After living in Paris for over 20 years, it's a bit difficult to write about magical, hidden corners. Everything looks so familiar, and feels so at home. One of the things that characterizes Paris is the uniform architecture. Those 19th-century Haussmannian buildings that give the feeling that all of Paris looks more or less the same. So what do you do when you're tired and want to feel outside of Paris, without leaving the city?

For me, the solution lies in a short metro ride to the edge of the 14th arrondissement, to the Parc Montsouris area. Not to the park itself, which is certainly lovely, but rather to the small streets around it. Go from rue du parc de Montsouris to rue Georges Braque and from there to square de Montsouris. Three small streets where between the two world wars quite a few artists lived and built their own studio houses. A short walk through the streets that seem to have been taken from a small village and planted in Paris, and then a rest or picnic with friends in the extensive park nearby is a kind of leap out of time and into the familiar Parisian architecture.

For architecture enthusiasts, you can also combine a visit to the international university city, a fascinating place in itself - but that's another story.

And anyone interested in reading more about this magical place is invited to read Ruth Shimoni's article. Square Monsoury, one of the best-kept secrets of the 14th arrondissement.

The Secret Gardens

Square Rene La Gale

Dr. Orna Lieberman is an expert in biblical language and French culture, and to my delight, she writes quite a bit on my website (you are invited to read her articles atLink this).

Outside of my private space, the hidden gardens that I guard jealously, I have no secrets. No secrets – that is my motto so that others can also enjoy what I enjoy. I am in love with the 14th arrondissement, which has quite a few charming, rural and peaceful corners just a stone’s throw from busy commercial streets. And this beloved arrondissement led me to its neighbor, the 13th arrondissement, where you can find “Square René Le Gall,” a highly successful creation, in neoclassical style, from the XNUMXs, on the meadows and lark fields of rural Paris, outside the wall.

“Square René Le Gall” is named after a member of the 13th arrondissement city council who was executed by firing squad, on orders from the Nazis, on March 7, 1942. The park’s previous name was “Square des Gobelins” because it was largely modeled on the vegetable and fruit gardens of the artists of the famous tapestry factory of Jean Gobelin and his family.

In the trusted hands of the educated and elegant architect and sculptor, Jean-Charles Moreux, this vast complex, 1938 hectares, between the two branches of a stream, La Bivere, was entrusted in 3.4. Moreux preserved as much as possible the existing vegetation while drawing avenues that led to a playful neoclassical composition. The artificial stream recreates one of the tributaries of the Bivere, and the trees also mark/symbolize the route of the lost stream, in the days when it flowed in the open air. Rest and relaxation and also, when the wind blows, a walk along the planted promenade towards the top of the park.

At the heart of a surprising amphitheater, a majestic obelisk rises, flanked on each side by two huts adorned with climbing rose bushes. Meadows and flowers, as well as sculpted shrubs, complete the charming classical appearance. Two staircases ascend to the street above. The walls of the amphitheater, made of limestone mixed with concrete, are decorated with masks and birds, made of shells, pebbles, and gravel.

If you arrive from “La place de la Bergère d'Ivry”, after getting off at the Corvisart metro station, dedicate a minute of silence to Aimée Millot, a 19-year-old goatherd who was stabbed to death at this spot by a rejected suitor.

To hear the birdsong, to listen to the sounds of the past. You can sit in one of the rounded rose huts by the obelisk and imagine that you are princes and princesses, or at least noblemen with a castle. I, personally, prefer the shady benches on the avenue. To sit in the dim light and dream of times past, to reflect on the ardor of the destructive and criminal passion of the murderer of the innocent shepherd who at once cut off his own life, on human madness, personal and national, to listen to the jubilation of the revelers of the taverns founded by the Flemish artisans who were called to bring their experience to the tapestry factory. The quality beer from their homeland flowed like the water of the Beaver, the lost river, the wine too, and the joy was great, despite the stench that rose from the stream into which industrial waste was dumped. They came from all over Paris to flourish, to revel, to relieve themselves in the tax-free taverns outside the walls. The past is silent and has passed, but its memory is preserved in hint, in demand and in secret in the hidden and magical garden that part of its conscience, just part, I have revealed to you here, as we said at the beginning, without secrets!!!

The address of the garden, “Square René Le Gall”, which is registered as a historic site:

Le Monument Historique, Square René Le Gall, 28, Rue de Croulebarbe, 75013 Paris.

How to get there:

Corbières Metro, Line 6
Metro La Gobelin, line 7
Corvisart metro, line 6
Metro Les Gobelins, line 7
Buses 27, 47, 57, 67, 91

The hidden corner in the Trocadero Gardens

Roni Katz is a longtime Francophile who fell in love with Paris during her childhood when she lived there with her parents. The right to speak passes to her:

This is a secret corner in Trocadero, one of the most visited sites in Paris. Adjacent to the most magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower...there is a beautiful garden, which is a remnant of the original garden built in 1878 in honor of the International Exhibition and is reminiscent of Butt Shomon Built two years earlier. To get to it, you have to get to the Trocadero Gardens but don't go in yet. Instead, you have to face the Eiffel and then go to the far right side of the garden (entrance from Franklin Street).

At the edge of this garden, there is a magical corner with steps carved into the rock and winding through the thicket of vegetation…a wild corner in the middle of civilization. From these steps you can reach the more beautiful part of the garden, the one with a charming fish pond, benches under the trees, a quiet place where the chirping of birds sounds like a pleasant song…pastoral.

I spent most of my childhood in the neighborhoods of Passy and the adjacent Trocadero, where my home was, and I would run and climb these stairs back and forth non-stop while my late mother would sit down on one of the benches, with a cup of tea she bought at one of the kiosks located on the Palais de Chaillot square. I always got my crepe with sugar there 😍

A corner worth taking a relaxing and soul-reviving break in ☺️. Further down this street there is a dead end, with 2 magnificent staircases that descend to the parallel street leading to the Eiffel Tower, at the end of the staircase, a beautiful statue Estatua Luis De Camoes.

Metro nearby: Trocadero

Square Louvois

I kept the last recommendation in this article to myself 🙂

This is a small and charming garden located on Richelieu Street (one of my favorite streets in Paris) in2th District Not really far fromPalais RoyalThis garden is named after the Marquis de Lobois (1641-1691), Minister of War of Louis XIV, whose estate was located there. No trace remains of this estate, nor ofOpera House, which was located on the site where the son of King Charles X, the Duke of Berry, was murdered in 1820 (the only mention of the opera is the names of the streets in the area, which are named after the composers Lully, Rameau, and Cherubini).

So if we don't have a 17th-century mansion and we don't have an 18th-century opera house, what is it about this square that I love so much? In short, there are there and in the immediate vicinity the three secret elements that make Paris so magical:

Architectural beauty

When you enter the garden, you will immediately see a spectacular fountain that you cannot ignore. This fountain was built in 1844 by the famous French architect Louis Vasconti (1791-1853), who is known to us as the man who built Napoleon's tomb inPalais des InvalidesThis is an allegorical fountain depicting the four great rivers of France:

• The Seine
• The Garone
• Loire
• The Saône

Turn the fountain and go around it. It will be wonderful from any direction you look at it. And if this beauty was not enough for you, all you have to do is leave the garden, cross the Rue Richelieu and enter the National Library, which was renovated a few years ago. When you enter there, you will discover one of the most beautiful reading rooms in the world.

Culinary

Right next to this square are Petit Champs and Saint Anne streets, and if you like Japanese or Korean food, you will feel like a kid in a toy store :). You will find quite a few popular, cheap and incredibly delicious restaurants nearby. Patisserie lovers should not miss Tomo Patisserie, which combines French tradition with Japanese elegance. The cakes there are as delicious as they are beautiful and vice versa. And if you have already come this far, don’t miss the “Doriyaki” which you can see in this video:

Spicy history

Paris is not Paris without a history of mistresses and prostitution. So you will be happy to know that right next to this charming square was the site of Paris' most prestigious and famous brothel, Le Chabanais. This brothel, located at 12 Rue Le Chabanais, hosted all the glitz and glamour of Europe during the 19th and early 20th centuries, including the Crown Prince of England (the future Edward VII).

If you were to walk down this street, there's no way you'd wonder what was hidden behind the boring walls, but luckily you have me and you can discover all the spicy stories that happened there through this article. Between holiness and sanctification.

How do we get there?

There isn't really a station that's really close, but the closest ones are Bourse, Quatre September (both of which are served by line number 3) or Palais Royal Musée du Louvre.
(lines 1,7).

The secrets of Paris don't end here.

I really hope you enjoyed the article, but if you thought that this was the end of Paris' secrets, you are of course wrong. The search for the next secret place is just beginning and, to be honest, it will probably never end. So what do we do next? Here are two good ideas:

• Go to the article Paris for advanced studentsThis is an article created especially for those who have already been to Paris once or twice.
• Go to the page Itineraries in Paris And you'll find quite a few routes there that pass through some of the most beautiful and unknown corners of Paris. Want an example? Try the The route in the 17th arrondissement or the itinerary following Madame de SavignierI promise that in each of them you will discover not only magical and unfamiliar places but also quite a few spicy stories.