While staying in a Paris boutique hotel you should get into the spirit of ‘vive le difference’ and check out some of the attractions and locations around the city that are off the well-trodden tourist top ten list of places to see and things to do. Why not experience aspects of life as a down at heel 19th century artist or visit the place where revolution freed the people?

Paris is one of the world’s most beautiful and romantic cities, but there is much more to it than the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Just by taking a few steps away from the well worn tourist trail you can discover some of the lesser known sites and things to do in the city of love. See the city in a totally different light by staying in a Paris boutique hotel and discovering some of its hidden gems - away from the tourist glare.

Explore the Art

Paris’s ‘other’ art museum is the Orsay Museum, which is quaintly housed in a former train station that dates from 1900. Although the permanent collection is not as large as that of the Louvre, there are plenty of paintings by famous painters from 1848 to 1915. This art museum is home to works by Renoir, Monet and Vincent Van Gogh and a must see for any art lover roaming the city.

Explore the History

If you are a fan of French revolutionary history or Les Miserables, then visiting the site where the guillotine executions of Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI and 3000 others took place during the revolution between 1793 and 1795 may be of interest. Place de la Concorde is located to the west of the Champs-Élysées, which features plenty of Paris boutique hotels to stay in, and boasts an ancient Egyptian obelisk covered in hieroglyphics that dates back to the reign of Ramses II. You can also visit the Conciergerie, the former prison where Marie and Louis were imprisoned along with thousands of others awaiting execution.

Explore the Left Bank

The Left Bank has long been famous as the bohemian quarter of town where down and out artists, authors and poets have lived and created their masterpieces. There is plenty to be seen here, and just wandering the streets is a fascinating experience. While traipsing around this area head to Le Lapin Agile, the Leaping Rabbit in English, which is the city’s oldest cabaret and bar. It was a favourite hang out for Picasso, Modigliani, Apollinaire and Utrillo. Other sites on the Left Bank include the famous windmills of Montmarte and the most famous windmill of all - the Moulin Rouge.

A Paris boutique hotel is the perfect place to stay when you are going off the beaten track in the city. They offer a more personalised Paris experience than regular tourist accommodation can.