Are you visiting the Olympic Games but also want to explore more activities in Paris? Here are some fun suggestions for activities that aren’t directly at the event venues. These areas tend to be very crowded and sometimes you need a ticket for a match to enter them. Many bridges over the Seine are also closed, preventing pedestrian access.
Paris Attractions Away from the Event Venues:
Most of the area around the Seine in Paris is less accessible or harder to reach. Many landmarks are located in this area, but there are still opportunities to explore, especially after the opening ceremony. Keep in mind that these areas can be particularly busy.
If you want to visit the Eiffel Tower, you can get close from one side, specifically via Quai Jacques Chirac.
After the opening ceremony weekend, the area around Notre Dame will also be more accessible.
Montmartre
The famous Montmartre district is largely accessible during the Olympic Games in Paris. Here are some suggestions for what to do:
- Visit the Sacré-Coeur
- Go to Place du Tertre (where the painters are)
- Take a photo at La Maison Rose (around the corner you’ll find the famous small vineyard of Paris)
- Visit the Wall of Love: Le mur des je t’aime (address: Square Jehan Rictus, 14 Pl. des Abbesses)
- Visit the Museum of Montmartre
- See the famous Moulin de la Galette (painted multiple times by Van Gogh) at the corner of Rue Lepic and Rue Girardon (Butte Montmartre)
- Visit the famous bust of singer Dalida (Place Dalida)
Buy your tickets for the Museum of Montmartre here.
Note: On Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4, there are cycling races passing through Montmartre, so expect significant restrictions.
Père-Lachaise
This famous cemetery, already well-known, gained even more fame due to Rob Kemps (Snollebollekes and host at the TeamNL House in Paris), who even wrote a book about Père-Lachaise.
In summer, when everything is in bloom, the cemetery is beautiful to walk through. It’s quite large, so it’s helpful to read these tips about Père-Lachaise.
There are various entrances, but the Paris 2024 Public Transport app can help you find the quickest route during the Olympic Games.
Buy tickets for a guided tour here.
Jardin des Plantes (free entry, except for the zoo and museums)
The beautifully landscaped gardens of Jardin des Plantes are located by the Seine but remain fully accessible during the Olympic Games in Paris. However, until July 28, entrances near the Seine are closed.
You can walk through freely. There are many landscaped gardens with unique plants and flowers. There is a playground for children and kiosks for food and drinks. You can also visit the zoo, greenhouses, or the museums Grande Galerie de l’Évolution or Musée national d’histoire naturelle, but these activities require an entrance fee.
Buy your tickets for the zoo here.
Pantheon Paris
The Pantheon in Paris is an impressive neoclassical mausoleum in the Latin Quarter. Originally built as a church, it now serves as the final resting place for prominent French figures such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, and Marie Curie. Visitors can enjoy the stunning architecture, the impressive dome with views over the city (though it’s a climb), and the historical crypts. The Pantheon combines art, history, and tribute to great French personalities.
From the Pantheon, you can walk to the famous park: Jardin des Luxembourg. Here you’ll find many benches and chairs to rest or have a picnic. If you continue walking, you’ll reach the large pond in the park where children can sail boats.
Buy your tickets for the Pantheon in Paris here.
Cité Sciences et de l’Industrie
A modern museum worth visiting. This museum is in Parc de la Villette and features interactive exhibits on various scientific and technological topics.
Here you’ll find the Explora halls, La Cité des Enfants for kids, a modern planetarium, the Argonaute submarine, the Geode IMAX dome cinema, and numerous workshops and demonstrations. The museum also has an extensive scientific library. It’s an ideal destination for both children and adults interested in science and technology.
Buy your tickets for Cité Sciences et de l’Industrie here.
Iconic Department Stores in Paris
A great time to visit these unique department stores. Not cheap, but very special, such as the dome and the free-access rooftop terrace at Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann.
L’atelier des Lumieres
L’atelier des Lumières is a unique digital art center on Rue Saint-Maur in Paris. Housed in a former foundry, it offers immersive experiences where famous artworks are projected onto walls, floors, and ceilings, accompanied by music. Visitors feel as though they are inside the artworks.
The center is open daily from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays and Sundays, and until 10:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. It is advisable to buy tickets in advance due to its popularity.
The exhibitions change regularly and feature themes such as “Van Gogh,” “Dreamed Japan,” and “Strange Nature.” There are also special interactive zones for children and facilities for refreshments and souvenirs.
Catacombs of Paris
An impressive activity is to descend into the Catacombs of Paris, an underground ossuary housing the remains of over six million people. Located in former limestone quarries beneath the city, the catacombs were established in the late 18th century to alleviate overcrowded cemeteries.
Visitors can walk through narrow, dark tunnels and see impressive stacks of bones and skulls arranged in a macabre but orderly manner. The catacombs offer a fascinating and somewhat eerie glimpse into Parisian history and how the city dealt with its dead.
Read more about our experience, including handy tips, here.
Disneyland Paris
A great idea too! While many are attending the Olympic Games, you can spend a day at Disneyland or just visit the new Marvel studios.
With the special public transport card during the Olympic Games (find all the info here), you can easily travel to Disneyland Paris.
Book your tickets for Disneyland Paris here.
Olympic Flame
Find more information about the location of the Olympic Flame in Paris (hot air balloon) here.