Truly unique experiences in Paris?
 

Ok- I will be in Paris at the beginning of March. I have been looking over your site for months now and taking all sorts of notes. I am looking for additions to the truly touristy and quintessentially French things to do in Paris.

What are some attractions, experiences, bars/restaurants that are of a strange/wondrous/absurd nature? Extremely quirky bars/lounges, truly odd stores, attractions that one might not see in a typical tourist book etc. Think theme bars or ones owned by eccentric old ladies, stores that sell only leopard print items, museums of hot wheels cars located in someone's attic that they charge small admissions to.

Please, do not hold back...I am city girl and not afraid of TRULY unique experiences!

There's a tiny bar on rue Richard Lenoir in the 11th arrondissement that's owned/run by a lady who's in her 80s -- at least!

And there's Deyrolle: http://www.pbase.com/al309/paris1

Rollerblading on the weekends:
http://www.pari-roller.com/

Someone else posted this link a while back. This guy writes charmingly and has, in my opinion, lots of great ideas:

http://troi.cc.rochester.edu/~tdip/Restaurants.html

Here's a few from Jack_Travel: The Rat House, Le Baron Rouge, and the "Vineyard in a Bistro" all look interesting.

http://www.jack-travel.com/Paris/Par...s_Contents.htm

Chartier is a unique dining experience, and if you don't like it, you're certainly not out a lot of money!

And then there's that restaurant in Montmartre where you drink wine out of baby bottles - there was a thread on here recently about that (search for baby bottles)

I don't know if it'll still be there in March, but I went ice skating on the Eiffel Tower in January. They have a small skating rink on the first level. I am very dangerous on ice skates, to both myself and others, but it's still a fantastic memory.

I didn't do this when I was in Paris because I didn't know about it, but I recently read an article in the newspaper about an antique bookshop called "Shakespeare and Co." It sounded so quaint and neat. The old man who owns it has apparently had hundreds of young people who had no place else to go living there in the shop and working for him. I bet you could find stuff about it on the Internet.

The bookstore is run by George Whitman. Supposedly there's lodging available too -- I met someone who stayed there.

The bookstore makes a pretty prominent appearance in the movie "Before Sunset."

I've never checked it out though.

Hemingway used to borrow books from the owner of Shakespeare and Co. because he was too broke to purchase them.

Two of my favorite things to do in Paris are:
1. Go to the puppet show at the Luxembourg Gardens. It will be you, Parisian parents and children. It's all in French, but hey, we all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
2. Paris Catacombes. A little creepy, but definitely interesting. Here's a link
http://triggur.org/cata/crypt.html

thanks for the suggestions! Any more?...just keep them coming!

I went to visit the catacombs when I was there last month, but when we got there, a sign was posted that it's closed until May. I guess the ancient bones need rennovation. Parisemail is going in March, so unfortunatley, she will miss that.

Lunch at the Maison Fournaise on the Ile des Impressionists in Chatou - it's where Renoir painted "Luncheon of the Boating Party."

The hamam (baths) at the Mosquée de Paris, and a mint tea break in the tea room adjacent.

Afternoon tea at the Café de la Paix - expensive, but OH so gorgeous!

A Segway tour of Paris gives you a unique perspective of the city. We loved it--

In another Paris thread, the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal was mentioned. We have gone there twice and it was a great experience for me, who loves all things related to the Blessed Mother, and my husband, who likes all things unusual and unique. This place is. While there, you can get the medals to give as gifts. That is part of the mission of the Chapel: the BM told Catherine Labouree to give these medals away to promote faith. I always buy a batch of them for gifts. People seem to really like them.

I did not attempt any French spellings because I am leaving for Italy in 2 weeks and my brain can only handle one language shift at a time, if that.

Or at the other end of the spectrum from tuscan's post

Musee de Erotisme on Blvd de clichy!!centuries of erotic art and "other items"!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/cultu...038075,00.html

I am SO sad the catecombs won't be open!!!!! =(