Paris hits different. Every time I’m here, I’m reminded why it’s one of the greatest cities on earth. The energy, the history, the food…it all comes together in a way that’s impossible to replicate. Sure, the Eiffel Tower and Louvre are bucket list staples, but what makes Paris special are the experiences that go deeper. From food tours and croissant baking classes to dinner cruises and day trips to nearby castles, we curated this list of 18 unique tours that showed me sides of Paris I never expected.
Unique Experiences in Paris at a Glance
Trying to see a side of Paris most travelers miss? These are the tours that will stick with you long after the croissants are gone. These unique Parisian experiences will make you feel like you’re actually living in the city, not just visiting. Here’s a quick-hit list of my favorite experiences, from vintage car rides to hidden wine cellars and castles straight out of a fairytale.
- Most Iconic Ride: Vintage 2CV Adventure: 1-Hour Paris Highlights Tour
- Best Personalized Souvenir: Molinard Parfums Paris 1er: Discovery Perfume Workshop
- Coolest Throwback Adventure: Paris City Highlights Tour by Vintage Sidecar
- Most Relaxing Afternoon: Marin D’Eau Douce: Self-Drive Electric Boat Rental
- Most Satisfying Hands-On Class: Learn to Bake Classic French Croissants
- Sweetest Workshop: Paris Cooking Class: Learn How to Make Macarons
- Most Intimate Tasting Experience: A Unique Cheese & Wine Journey in a Hidden Cellar
- Best Local Night Out: Winebar Crawl in Belleville
- Ultimate Culinary Deep Dive: Full-Day Cooking Class, Market Tour and Lunch
- Top Food Lover’s Stroll: Montmartre or Notre Dame Gourmet Food Tour with 7+ Dishes & Wines
- Most Dreamy Day Trip: Loire Valley Castles Tour with Wine Tasting
- Coolest Dark History Walk: The Darkest Secrets of Paris
If you can, I recommend mixing and matching. Do one creative class, one food tour, and something outdoors like the 2CV or hot-air balloon ride. That combo gives you a little taste of everything Paris does best. Keep scrolling for all the details, my pro tips, and the hidden gems that will make your trip absolutely legendary.
Vintage 2CV Adventure: 1-Hour Paris Highlights Tour
There’s something ridiculously charming about bouncing through Paris in a vintage Citroën 2CV, top down, French music playing, wind in your hair. This hour-long private tour hits the major landmarks (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées) while your driver-guide shares local stories and navigates streets most tour buses can’t squeeze through. It’s quick, it’s fun, and honestly, everyone waves and smiles as you pass by.
What makes it work is the flexibility. You pick the pickup and drop-off spots, so it fits neatly into your day. Want to focus on Montmartre’s winding streets? Done. Need great photo ops without the crowds? Your guide knows the angles. At around $227 for up to three people, it’s a solid splurge for couples or small groups who want something more memorable than a double-decker bus. Honestly, this type of experience will anchor your memories of Paris forever!
My Pro tip: Book this for late afternoon, then walk over to Café de Flore in Saint-Germain-des-Prés for an apéro. You’ll be in the perfect neighborhood to linger and take in the charm of Paris.
Molinard Parfums Paris 1er: Discovery Perfume Workshop
Want to leave Paris with something more personal than a keychain? This 45-minute perfume workshop lets you create your own scent from scratch, guided by a professional perfumer who actually knows what works together. You’ll choose from 40 essences, learn the basics of fragrance architecture, and walk out with a 30ml bottle of eau de parfum that’s completely yours. It’s quick, it’s hands-on, and honestly, wearing a perfume you made yourself beats any department store bottle.
The workshop is small and interactive, perfect for travelers who want a creative break from museum-hopping. Kids 10 and up can join (and apparently love it), making this a solid pick for families. At $59 per person, it’s priced right for what you get, including a 20% discount on anything else in the shop that day.
After your session, walk five minutes to Galerie Vivienne, one of Paris’s prettiest covered passages. Grab a cappuccino at Café Stern or browse the vintage bookshop, Librairie Jousseaume, tucked inside since 1826.
Paris: City Highlights Tour by Vintage Sidecar
Riding through Paris in a vintage motorcycle sidecar feels like stepping into a 1940s film, minus the script. This 1 to 1.5-hour tour zips you past major landmarks (Eiffel Tower, Latin Quarter, Île de la Cité) while your driver-guide dishes out stories you won’t find in guidebooks. The open-air setup means perfect photos and zero barriers between you and the city. Plus, everyone waves as you pass, which is oddly delightful.
The private tour is flexible, so you can pick themes like Bohemian Paris or focus on the Latin Quarter depending on what interests you. Hotel pickup is included on most options, making it easy to fit into a tight schedule. At $233 for two people, it’s comparable to the 2CV tours but with more adrenaline and better wind-in-your-hair potential.
If you book the night tour, it ends with champagne in front of the Eiffel Tower. After that, stroll across Pont d’Iéna to Trocadéro Gardens for the best post-sunset views of the tower, especially when the lights start sparkling at the top of each hour.
Marin D’Eau Douce: Self-Drive Electric Boat Rental
If you’ve ever wanted to captain your own boat through Paris, this is your chance. Marin D’Eau Douce rents out electric boats (no license needed) that cruise the Canal Saint-Martin, Canal de l’Ourcq, and Bassin de la Villette for up to 40 km of waterways. You control the pace, pick your stops, and avoid the crowds that clog up the canal-side paths. The boats are quiet, easy to handle, and fit 5 to 11 people depending on which one you choose.
Rentals range from an hour to a full day, so you can do a quick spin or pack snacks and make it an all-afternoon thing. The terrace at the base offers French charcuterie, cheese, and wine to grab before you set off. It’s perfect for groups who want something more interactive than a standard Seine cruise, and the 19th arrondissement location means you’re starting in a less touristy part of the city.
After docking, walk 10 minutes south to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. It’s one of Paris’s best parks, with cliffs, a temple perched on a hill, and way fewer tourists than the Tuileries.
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Food & Drink Experiences in Paris
Learn to Bake Classic French Croissants
If you’ve been eating croissants all week and thinking “I could make these,” here’s your shot to prove it. This hands-on baking class with Maison Fleuret walks you through the full process: kneading dough, laminating butter between layers, shaping croissants, pain au chocolat, and pain aux raisins, then watching them puff up in the oven. The 1.75 to 2.5-hour session happens in a Saint-Germain-des-Prés workshop, and yes, you eat what you bake at the end.
The class is capped at small groups, so you’re not fighting for counter space or oven time. It’s beginner-friendly but detailed enough that you’ll actually understand what you’re doing (and why butter temperature matters). At around £83 per person, it’s priced right for what you learn and take home, plus the host shares tips on Paris worth hearing. This includes, some of the top Paris restaurants for a unique dining experience.
After class, you’re a five-minute walk from Jardin du Luxembourg. Grab a bench near the Medici Fountain, the quieter corner of the park, and enjoy one of your warm croissants while watching locals play pétanque on the gravel paths.
Paris Cooking Class: Learn How to Make Macarons
Making macarons is notoriously tricky, which is exactly why this three-hour class at Le Foodist is worth booking. You’ll work through the full process with a professional pastry chef (some are Michelin-trained), learning how to pipe the shells, get the right consistency, and fill them with buttercream. The class is capped at eight people working in pairs, so you’re not fighting for counter space or waiting around while others catch up.
What sets this apart is the instructors. They’re patient, funny, and generous with tips that actually help you replicate the recipe at home. You’ll leave with 20 to 30 macarons in a box, plus coffee or tea to sample your work on-site. At $154 per person, it’s pricier than some baking classes, but the small group size and instructor quality justify it. Bonus: chefs often throw in restaurant recommendations and have even called ahead to book reservations for students.
The school is near Cardinal Lemoine metro station in the 5th arrondissement. After class, walk 10 minutes to the Arènes de Lutèce, a hidden Roman amphitheater that most tourists miss completely.
A Unique Cheese & Wine Journey in a Hidden Cellar
Tasting cheese and wine in a 16th-century Marais cellar beats doing it at a generic wine bar by a landslide. This two-hour experience from #WeTasteParis pairs eight artisanal French cheeses with four low-intervention wines, guided by certified cheese specialists and sommeliers who actually know their stuff.
You’ll learn tasting techniques, regional histories, and pairing principles that go deeper than “red with meat, white with fish.” The group is capped at eight people, so it feels intimate rather than like a factory tour.
The hosts have Michelin-starred kitchen experience and wine diplomas, and they focus on small producers you won’t find outside France. You’ll taste through seasonal offerings with artisanal bread and fruit, and leave with restaurant recommendations and pairing tips you can use at home. At £78 per person, it’s solid value for the quality and knowledge you’re getting.
Winebar Crawl in Belleville
Belleville doesn’t show up on most Paris itineraries, which is exactly why this 2.5-hour wine crawl works so well. Geoffrey, a wine professional who literally wrote a book about Paris’s hidden vineyards, leads you through this working-class neighborhood’s wine history while hopping between three carefully chosen wine bars. You’ll taste biodynamic and natural wines at each stop, paired with small plates of cheese, bread, and seasonal dishes. The group starts with a blind tasting of sparkling wine at Parc de Belleville, then moves through the quarter’s streets with stops at spots where Geoffrey is greeted like the mayor.
This isn’t a cookie-cutter wine tour. Geoffrey has decades of experience working in organic vineyards, teaching at Sciences Po, and making films about biodynamic wine, so the stories go deeper than “this tastes fruity.” At $147 per person, it’s on the higher end, but the quality of the wines, the food pairings, and the local expertise justify it. Groups often extend the night beyond the official end time, which tells you something.
After the tour, you’re already in Belleville. Walk to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, about 15 minutes west, for sunset views from the Temple de la Sibylle. That is, if you still have energy left!
Full-Day Cooking Class, Market Tour and Lunch
Start your day at a Latin Quarter market, picking ingredients with a French chef, then cook them into a four-course meal is about as immersive as food experiences get in Paris. This six-hour class from Le Foodist begins at 9:00 AM with croissants and coffee, moves to an open-air market by 9:30, then returns to the kitchen to build your menu based on what you found. You’ll work on classic French techniques (think wine reductions, homemade ice cream) in small groups of three to seven people, which keeps things hands-on rather than demo-style.
The class wraps with a long lunch around 3:00 PM, paired with red and white wines and French cheeses. Your instructor stays for the meal, sharing stories about French food culture and answering questions. At $257 per person, it’s the priciest option on this list, but you’re getting a full day, market access, recipes to take home, and enough wine to make the cooking part very enjoyable.
Montmartre or Notre Dame Gourmet Food Tour with 7+ Dishes & Wines
Looking to experience Paris’ foodie scene? Eat your way through a Parisian neighborhood with a guide who actually knows the best spots beats wandering aimlessly and ending up at tourist traps. This three-hour walking tour from Secret Food Tours lets you choose between Montmartre or the Notre Dame area, each with a different tasting menu tailored to the neighborhood. You’ll sample macarons, artisanal chocolates, fresh croissants, French cheeses, cured meats, crepes, and wines at multiple stops, with a sit-down finale in a private room. Groups are capped at 12 people, so it feels more like exploring with friends than herding through crowds.
The guides are knowledgeable without being preachy, sharing history and food culture while keeping the pace relaxed. At $128 per person, it’s one of the more affordable food tours that still delivers quality tastings and wine. Plus, you’ll leave with restaurant recommendations for the rest of your trip.
If you pick the Montmartre tour, end your day at Square Louise Michel at the base of Sacré-Cœur. The steps offer one of the best sunset views over Paris, and you can people-watch without fighting the crowds up at the basilica itself.
Adventure & Nature in Paris
Float Over French Royalty’s Playground
There’s something quietly magical about drifting over Fontainebleau in a hot air balloon at sunrise or sunset. This three-hour experience starts on the ground, where you’ll watch the crew inflate the massive balloon (oddly mesmerizing), then spend about an hour floating above the forest that once served as Napoleon’s hunting grounds. The pilot keeps things lively with stories and commentary, and if the wind cooperates, you’ll glide right over the château itself. Groups cap at 12, so it never feels crowded in the basket.
The whole thing wraps with a champagne toast back at the launch site, which feels earned after helping pack up the balloon. It’s genuinely peaceful up there, just wind and views, with the occasional wave from someone in a village below. Reviewers consistently mention how experienced the pilots are, which matters when you’re floating a few thousand feet up.
If you’re making the trip from Paris (about an hour south), swing by Barbizon on the way back. It’s a tiny artists’ village just outside the forest, full of old stone buildings and galleries, and makes for a perfect post-flight wander before heading back to the city.
Sunrise Over the Seine Valley in a Hot Air Balloon
If you want a smaller, more intimate balloon experience than the Fontainebleau option, this one’s worth considering. Aeriance keeps groups capped at six passengers, which means more room in the basket and better access to the pilot (who flies at varying altitudes, sometimes skimming treetops, sometimes climbing for wide panoramic shots). The three to four-hour experience includes setup, an hour of flight time, and a glass of French wine after landing. Flights happen April through October, timed around sunrise or sunset when conditions are calmest.
The meeting point changes based on wind direction, so you’ll get confirmation 12 hours before departure. It’s near Buno-Gironville station on the RER D, which makes it accessible if you’re coming from Paris without a car. One reviewer mentioned they weren’t briefed on the prep work involved, so just know you’ll be helping inflate and pack down the balloon (which most people find surprisingly fun).
After your flight, consider exploring Milly-la-Forêt, a charming market town about 15 minutes away. Jean Cocteau’s chapel is there, covered in his botanical frescoes, and the weekly market on Thursdays is excellent for picnic supplies if you’re planning a day in the Fontainebleau forest.
Eiffel Tower Guided Climbing Tour
Climbing the Eiffel Tower’s 674 steps to the second floor isn’t for everyone, but it’s genuinely rewarding if you’re up for it. This 90-minute tour gets you pre-booked access (which matters, since tower tickets sell out fast), plus a guide who stops along the way to point out Notre Dame, the Louvre, and Sacré-Cœur from different vantage points. The climb itself is steady but manageable. And you can pause on the first floor to check out the glass bridge and grab a coffee. Once you reach the second floor, you’re free to explore at your own pace and take in the 360-degree views without your guide hovering.
Most reviewers highlight the guides’ energy and local knowledge, though a few mention short historical commentary (about 15 minutes total). One thing to note: be on time. The company has a strict no-refund policy for latecomers, even by just a few minutes, so build in extra buffer time if you’re navigating Paris transit during rush hour.
After the climb, walk over to Rue Cler, a pedestrian market street about 10 minutes from the tower. It’s lined with cheese shops, bakeries, and wine vendors, perfect for picking up supplies if you want to picnic along the Seine afterward.
Day Trips from Paris
Loire Valley Castles Tour with Complementary Wine Tasting
This 13-hour day trip hits two of the Loire Valley’s most famous châteaux, Chambord and Chenonceau, with a wine tasting thrown in. Chambord is the showstopper here (yes, it inspired Beauty and the Beast’s castle), with its double-helix staircase and 440 rooms that once housed the Mona Lisa during World War II. You’ll get about 75 minutes there before heading to Blois for a nearly two-hour lunch break, then finishing at Chenonceau, where you’ll taste three estate-grown wines in the vaulted cellars before exploring the Renaissance architecture and gardens on your own.
The bus ride is about two hours each way. Tours accommodate up to 50 people, so expect a full coach. Guides get high marks for historical knowledge, though the commentary happens on the bus rather than inside the châteaux themselves, which are self-guided. A few travelers wished for more time at the castles and less at lunch, but honestly for me, I like the freedom and flexibility that this tour provides.
Champagne Region Day Trip: 6 Tastings & Reims Cathedral
This 11-hour small-group tour (capped at eight people) takes you through the Champagne region with stops at two producers, one family-run and one large-scale operation like Nicolas Feuillatte. You’ll get six generous tastings, plus vineyard walks and a look at the entire production process from grape to bottle. The itinerary also includes Reims Cathedral (a Gothic masterpiece where French kings were crowned) and a visit to Hautvillers Abbey, where Dom Pérignon is buried. Free time in Épernay gives you about an hour to grab lunch on your own.
The tour departs at 7am from Avenue des Ternes in the 17th arrondissement, so factor in early morning transit if you’re staying elsewhere in Paris. Guides get consistently high marks for knowledge and personality (names like John, Enzo, and Valeria pop up repeatedly in reviews). One honest assessment: it’s a long day in a van. Though most people love it, especially wine enthusiasts who appreciate the behind-the-scenes access.
Burgundy Wine Tour with Sommelier-Led Tastings & Lunch
This 11-hour small-group tour (max eight people) takes you deep into Burgundy’s Chablis region with a certified sommelier as your guide. The standout here is Luiz, who runs most tours and consistently earns glowing reviews for his expertise (he’s competed at world-level blind tasting championships). You’ll visit three wineries, including ninth-century wine caves and a family-run producer where lunch happens at the winemaker’s actual home. The meal includes wine, cheese, charcuterie, and bread, paired with tastings straight from the barrel before moving to finished bottles. The tour caps with a scenic overlook where the group shares a final bottle.
Groups stay intimate, which means personal attention and flexibility. One reviewer mentioned Luiz stopping for fresh cheese pastries en route to prep stomachs for the wine ahead. The itinerary visits villages like Irancy (known for its “eccentric” winemakers, per multiple reviews) and includes vineyard walks.
Nighttime Experiences in Paris
Paris Seine River Dinner Cruise with Live Music by Bateaux Mouches
Want to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle while eating dinner on the water? This is the move. Bateaux Mouches runs a 2.5-hour evening cruise that hits all the big ones (Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel) while you work through a four-course French meal. There’s live piano and violin, which sounds cheesy but actually sets the vibe perfectly. Window seats go fast, so upgrade to the Excellence menu if you can swing it. You get Champagne and guaranteed window placement, which makes a huge difference for photos.
The food won’t blow your mind, but it’s solid French cooking with good wine service. What really sells it is the timing. They route the cruise so you catch the Eiffel Tower’s light show right around dessert, and honestly? It’s pretty magical. Dress code is formal, so leave the sneakers at the hotel.
Meet at Port de la Conférence near Alma Bridge at 7:30 PM. After you dock, walk over to Café de l’Homme in the Trocadéro Gardens for a nightcap with that postcard Eiffel view. It’s a 10-minute walk and stays open late!
The Darkest Secrets of Paris
Skip the postcard version of Paris and get the gory details instead. This two-hour walking tour digs into the city’s bloody past with stories about executions, serial killers, cursed locations, and the kind of history they don’t teach in guidebooks. Your guide (Morgan, Leo, Jade, and Thomas all get rave reviews) leans hard into the drama with theatrical storytelling that keeps groups engaged without crossing into cheesy territory. Just know upfront: this is dark history and true crime, not a ghost-hunting experience with EMF readers and séances.
The route covers Notre Dame, Pont-Neuf, Hôtel de Ville, and the Latin Quarter, with stops that blend major landmarks and lesser-known corners of Île de la Cité. Groups cap at 16 people, so it feels intimate even when the stories get gruesome. Some tours rely a bit heavily on iPad photos, but the guides make up for it with killer delivery and well-timed humor. Wear walking shoes because you’ll be on your feet the full two hours.
Meet near the l’Occitane shop by Hôtel de Ville metro at 7 PM. Afterward, grab a late bite at Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole on Île de la Cité (it’s literally around the corner and open until 11 PM). The half-timbered building fits the medieval vibe perfectly!
- Read also: My Ultimate Guide to Paris At Night
