Hidden Gems and Secret Spaces of Paris

Atop the Eiffel Tower lies a secret apartment built by Gustave Eiffel. This private space, not open to tourists for decades, hosted famous visitors like Thomas Edison and is now viewable by the public.

Beneath the Louvre's gallery lies the medieval remains of the Louvre Fortress. Originally built as a fortress in the 12th century, its remnants were discovered during a renovation and can be explored by visitors today.

The roof of Notre-Dame Cathedral was home to over 180,000 bees as part of an urban beekeeping initiative. Miraculously, the bees survived the 2019 fire, which highlights the resilience of nature amidst human history.

In the heart of Montmartre lies the Clos Montmartre vineyard, the last remaining vineyard within Paris. It produces around 1,500 bottles annually, maintaining a centuries-old tradition of winemaking amidst urban development.

Paris's oldest public clock, installed in 1370, sits on the façade of the Conciergerie. Overlooking the River Seine, it was a technological marvel of its time and symbolizes the city's longstanding relationship with innovation.

Every 10-15 years, Canal Saint-Martin is drained for maintenance, revealing an eclectic mix of historical artifacts and modern debris, offering a glimpse into the secret life of one of Paris's charming waterways.

Paris harbors several 'ghost' metro stations, closed and unused. Station Porte des Lilas serves as a movie set, while others, like Haxo, have never seen a single passenger and remain time capsules of the past.

Beneath Paris flows the Bièvre River, hidden and channeled underground since the 19th century. This forgotten waterway once powered mills and tanneries.