For our visit to Paris (Sept 22-30) we plan to see all the normal sights of the city of lights. Do you have any ideas for us for non touristy sights in and around Paris?. Thank you.

" non touristy sights "
isn't that one of those thinga ma gigs like "military intelligence"
Where are you going to be located? and what do you have in mind? parks? picnic areas? restos? stores? monuments? cafes?
Did you see the thread on secret Paris gardens?

Surprisingly, aside from the very touristy Place du Tertre in Montmartre (by Sacre Coeur), there are lots of lovely little streets to wander where you won't find too many tourists; just follow your nose. Also, check out Park Monceau - I had a picnic there on Easter and everyone else seemed to be a native Parisian, out enjoying the sun with friend, family, and children. It's very pretty, with a small lagoon, a separate waterfall, ducks, lawns, etc.

We are staying at the hotel bellevue D'or on Rue de Turbigo in the 4th. The things we would like to experiance is stuff like, restaurants where citizens eat,supermarkets, shops, Parks, swimming pools, laundry mats. The real way citizens of Paris live.

Hi S,

>Do you have any ideas for us for non touristy sights in and around Paris?.<

I assure you that if you visit the banlieus on the edges of Paris, you will see very few tourists.

The rue Montorgueil is a nice shopping street in a less-visited area of Paris.

Thanx ira. is the banlieus a place you have visited?

Here are some suggestions for the 5th (Latin Quarter) that I put on another thread:
We always have a favourite café – for morning coffee and a drink in the afternoon. (Café Arenes on Monge).
We always have a special night out – (La Truffiere on Blainville for the degustation menu).
We always find a place to rub shoulders with the business people at lunch (Buisson Ardent on Jussieu).
We always have a French restaurant where we are the only non francophones – they turn and look when we come in (Le Moissonnier on Fosses-St Bernard) This is my absolute favorite and I hate sharing it.
As well we have our picnic spot – (Les Arenes de Lutece)

Google will give you maps and addresses.

Just do everything on foot and you can find all kinds of different neighborhoods in Paris.

Often the two cross, for example Luxembourg Gardens attracts tourists, but also local families will be there especially on the weekend.

"is the banlieus a place you have visited?"

He was joking. The banlieus are the public housing areas in the Paris suburbs, where the has been a lot of ethnic and religious unrest.

HI S,

> Thanx ira. is the banlieus a place you have visited?

Not on purpose.

Did you miss the ?

Are you in cahoots with ekscrunchy?



banlieus is plural

<<<The banlieus are the public housing areas in the Paris suburbs, where the has been a lot of ethnic and religious unrest.<<<
Just tell this to Neuilly, Chantilly, Saint Cloud, Maison Lafitte, Saint Germain... inhabitants; many banlieues are rich and posh.
Banlieu just means suburb

But Banlieu has become synonymous with unrest in Paris. That's why Ira made the joke.;

I second La Truffiere.

Heavenly.

And it is banlieue, not banlieu.
There is a not so subtle difference between "habiter en banlieue" - as Norween wrote, some of them are very posh et "habiter les banlieues".

If you want to see nontouristy parts of Paris get on a bus, any bus, take it to its final stop, and get off and walk around.

St Cirq is a absolutely right. Try Parc Montsouris in the 14th to be tourist free in a lovely setting (or almost, I was there, after all) then walk around the neighborhood and see an essentially tourist free neighborhood(tho lots of international students) or take the bus to Parc Andre Citroen, and get off in any of the neighborhoods on the way. Everything Rick Steves describes in the Rue Cler area but without the people carrying the Rick Steves books.

Very funny ira. Good thing I didn't add the banlieus to our list of stuff to do.
Thank you all for your suggestions.

Hi Somedayparis,

I am not going to buy into the banlieue argument, they all sound far too experienced for me.

I hope this doesn't sound too weird but when I was in Paris with some friends we went to Pere Lachaise Cemetery in the 7th Arondisment. It is in quite a nice area but the cemetery is so interesting, there are many favour people buried there, such as Chopin, Oscar Wild, and Jim Morrison. After the cemetery we walked around the corner to a lovely bar and sipped champagne and just watched the people passing by.

I liked it very much.

P

Sorry correction (famous)not favour.

Woops.

If you want a place within Paris that does not attract many visitors from abroad, try the area around the Denfert Rochereau station.

Also the shopping areas around Place d'Italie struck me as being off the tourist track, yet well within the city of Paris.

And don't believe 'em about those banlieue things. They give rise to banlieusards which invade Paris very frequently, almost daily in fact. Fortunately they usually are not around at night in central Paris.