Unusual criterion

The Phantom of the Opera: How much truth lies behind the famous legend surrounding Gaston Leroux?

Iconic novel, stage musicals, films... The Phantom of the Opera has fascinated audiences for more than a century. Yet behind Gaston Leroux’s imagined tale lie several real events linked to the Palais Garnier. The chandelier’s collapse, a mysterious underground lake, a supposedly reserved box... What remains of the legend?

Three terraces to explore Paris this summer, with Fitz Group restaurants

In Paris, Fitz Group channels three summer moods—Rome, New Orleans and Provence—right in the heart of the city, from the Opéra district to the Eiffel Tower. Each venue, thanks to its terrace, offers a full-fledged pit stop without leaving the capital.

La feria returns to the heart of Paris's 11th arrondissement in September 2026.

Following the success of previous editions, Deux and P'tit Deux are staging the fourth edition of their feria, and the heady Southwest vibe is taking over Rue de la Fontaine au Roi!

Can you enter the Académie française? How to visit the Institut de France and admire its dome

Installée sous le célèbre Dôme de l’Institut de France, l’Académie française figure parmi les institutions les plus prestigieuses du pays. Derrière ses portes se cache une histoire de près de quatre siècles, une bibliothèque exceptionnelle, des traditions immuables et des séances où se dessine l’évolution de la langue française. Découvrez les coulisses de ce lieu emblématique... et les rares occasions de le visiter !

Can you tour the École Militaire in Paris, the place where the army’s elite are still trained?

Face à la tour Eiffel, the École militaire is one of Paris's most prestigious monuments, yet one of the least well known. Behind its gates lies a history spanning more than 250 years, grand ceremonial salons, an exceptional library, and a vast military domain still active. Discover the behind-the-scenes of this historic site and the rare chances to visit.

Are Paris's sewers open to visitors? The incredible underground city that runs beneath the capital

The sewers of Paris are more than just a drainage system. A genuine 19th-century technical marvel, they form an underground city, a portion of which can still be visited today.

Can you tour the RATP maintenance workshops? The behind-the-scenes where the metro trains are reborn

Behind every metro car lies the meticulous work of hundreds of professionals. Step into RATP’s maintenance workshops and discover an industrial heritage as quiet as it is essential, seen only a few times a year.

Can you visit the Paris Observatory, the oldest observatory still active in the world?

For more than three centuries, the Paris Observatory has studied the stars and measured time. A unique scientific heritage, part of which is accessible during guided tours.

Can you tour the backstage of the Opéra Garnier? The secrets that the audience never sees.

Behind the gilded grandeur of the Opéra Garnier lies a genuine city devoted to show. Fascinating backstages (most of which remain closed to visitors) have fed, for more than a century, every imaginable fantasy.

Is the secret bunker at Gare de l’Est open to visitors? A historic underground shelter preserved exactly as it was.

Built in 1939 to protect railway workers and keep rail traffic moving in the event of an attack, the bunker at Gare de l’Est is one of the best-preserved World War II remnants in Paris, and it is open to visitors... only on rare occasions!

The Denfert-Rochereau bunker, Paris's secret Resistance site that you can visit for free.

Hidden beneath Denfert-Rochereau Square lies an old passive-defense shelter that became the headquarters of the Parisian Resistance in August 1944. An exceptional historic site, it had long been off-limits, but is now open to visitors.

Engine rooms, bunker, Eiffel’s apartment: Can you visit the Eiffel Tower’s behind-the-scenes areas?

Behind the elevators of the Eiffel Tower lies a fascinating technical universe. Machine rooms, maintenance workshops, technical spaces, a bunker, Gustave Eiffel's apartment... These areas closed to the public tell another story of Paris's most famous monument. But can they sometimes be visited?

Mégie, the new botanical canteen, shop and floral workshop along Paris’s riverfront.

A botanical cantine, a floral boutique and a floral-art workshop share space at Mégie, the new address opened in 2026 on the Quai de la Mégisserie, in Paris’s 1st arrondissement. We were there, here’s what it’s like.

Terrace in Maison Roland’s garden at Shangri-La Paris: the 16th arrondissement’s secret refuge.

The Garden Terrace at Shangri-La Paris reopens for the sunny season, just steps from the Trocadéro. This garden, usually closed to the public, now hosts the Maison Roland bistro, to be enjoyed all summer 2026 for a lovely interlude with the Eiffel Tower in view.

6.90, the budget-friendly restaurant with a bill under €10 sets up shop in Paris for good

Eating well for almost nothing is the bet of the restaurant 6.90, which is setting up shop in Paris for good from October 2026. Expect lunch for €10.

Paris’s trendiest venues to book for your evenings, private or corporate.

Because you're looking to go out, unwind, and have fun—whether it's during the week, on weekends, day or night... here’s a curated list of the best venues in the heart of Paris where you can party or reserve for your own evenings out! Plus, with the arrival of sunnier days, take advantage of spacious outdoor terraces to enjoy the sunshine.

A one-of-a-kind party venue: a pub, a nightclub, and a hidden speakeasy bar tucked away inside an underground chapel.

Meet at The Hide: it’s at once a massive pub, a nightclub under the arches, and even a speakeasy—a hidden bar at 500 Shooters. Book your evenings—you’ll love the festive vibe!

L'Espace Niemeyer, Oscar Niemeyer's masterpiece and the headquarters of the French Communist Party in Paris

Rarely open to the public, the Niemeyer Space is the historic headquarters of the French Communist Party, in Paris’s 19th arrondissement. One of the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer’s most striking masterpieces, it becomes visible during European Heritage Days... and during heatwaves!

Stag and hen parties, paintball near Paris: 20% off Loisirs Prod activities

Looking for ideas for a bachelor or bachelorette party, or a group outing near Paris? Loisirs Prod is offering its outdoor activities at 20% off with the code LPSAP20, valid until mid-August.

A verdant fan zone at the Hippodrome ParisLongchamp for France-Morocco and the first semifinal.

On July 9 and July 14, 2026, the ParisLongchamp Racecourse will screen the France–Morocco quarter-final and the first semi-final of the 2026 World Cup on a giant screen. Horse racing, DJ sets, food trucks and a range of activities round out the program of this outdoor fan zone.