Paris is not just about style and the Eiffel Tower, and there are countless other attractions to check out whilst you’re visiting this powerhouse of a city. Of course, you might not just be into mainstream places of interest, and if you’re looking for weird and wonderful, then Paris has plenty of attractions to tick those boxes.
Here’s five ideas of slightly unusual places to head when you’re visiting the French capital; bear in mind, some of these are not for the faint-hearted!
Museum of the History of Medicine
The centrepiece of this rather odd museum is without a doubt the table which was a gift from an Italian doctor to Napoleon III back in 1866; this isn’t any old gift, this is a table made entirely from human body parts, with the centrepiece being a genuine human foot – yes, really. The rest of the museum is dedicated to strange old medical instruments and medical models. A little creepy, but entirely interesting.
Les Catacombes de Paris
Les Catacombes are a huge network of long tunnels underneath the city, which stretch for around 2km. These aren’t any old tunnels, as they are ‘decorated’, if you can call it that, with countless human bones which have been excavated from overcrowded cemeteries in the 18th century. The main ‘attraction’ is the sheer number of human skulls.
Musee de la Magie – The Museum of Magic
Housed in a rather earie 16th century cellar underneath Marquis de Sade’s house, you will find the Museum of Magic. This rather fantastic museum is packed with old magicians’ props, gadgets, posters, and a plethora of other magic paraphernalia from back in the day, giving you a story of the history of magic and illusion.
Musee des Vampires
You’ll need a ticket for this one, and possibly a rather large interest in the undead, but this museum delves into the popularity and folklore of vampires, through stories, artefacts, and posters from literature over the years. Book ahead, and you may need a good grasp of French to get the most out of it, but this is certainly one for vampire fans.
Julien Aurouze & Co
If you ever watched the Disney film, Ratatouille, you might have seen this pest control shop. Yes, pest control. This isn’t an attraction per se, but you simply have to look at the outside of it, although the squeamish amongst you might want to avoid it. Set in the middle of modern Paris you will find this seriously old-fashioned store, who’s front window is ‘decorated’ with dead rats and other ‘pests’. The choice is yours whether you visit this or not!
Weird and wonderful? These five attractions are certainly a little out-there, some possibly a little too out-there, but it proves that Paris is not just about mainstream attractions, such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and the River Seine, although come on, you have to see those too!