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30th May 2019
01:00pm BST

Take a walk through Montmartre Cemetery While a graveyard wouldn't normally feature on my list of recommendations, Montmartre is so much more than just a cemetery. Famous French writer Emile Zola is buried here, as is the esteemed artist Edgar Degas and people have been known to spend hours, wandering around, checking each inscription. Some tombs are grand, others are falling into disarray but this just adds to the otherworldly feel of the 18th arrondissement. When you're there, make it your business to trek to the top of Montmartre Hill where the views are truly breathtaking.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont Although there are a number of parks in Paris, this one is a hidden gem that you would completely miss unless told about it or you accidentally happened to stumble upon it...as often happens in a city as gorgeous as this one. It's located in the 19th arrondissement, not far from Montmartre so you can make a day trip of it. The park includes a suspension bridge, waterfalls, lakes, caves and a grotto with luscious green lawns, perfect for munching on baguettes and cheese. It was constructed on a quarry which lends to the varying levels and heights of the 25-hectare park and a lazy afternoon here will show you another side to a place often scoffed at as 'too touristy'.
Place de Valois and Palais Royal Parisian architecture at its most stunning. Place de Valois is a charming courtyard that houses Bistro Valois, where you can dine outside and people-watch to your heart's content. Close by is Palais Royal, a palace steeped in history, grandeur and culture. In years gone by, the Palace was frequented by Dukes and Duchesses, today it houses the Constitutional Council and the Ministry of Culture. The Palace also houses Les Deux Plateaux, often referred to as the Colonnes de Buren, an art installation dreamed up by artist Daniel Burren in 1985. At the time, it was criticised for what some saw as damage to a historic space but others would argue that it is the marriage of old and new.
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