We recently visited La Distillerie de l’Arbre Sec in the 1st arrondissement and discovered that we were within a few minute’s walk of some unexpected treasures, which cover a massive chunk of history across the lifespan of Paris. So, we decided to take a tour of these hidden highlights with the distillery’s Charlotte Buisson Dackow, and recorded it as a Paris Walk Show. Watch the video below and keep on reading to find out what we saw on our travels.
Incidentally, the picture at the top of this page is from the BNF library, which is number 7 on this list, but doesn’t feature in the video.
1) La Distillerie de l’Arbre Sec
A new, exciting distillery selling quality craft gin and offering workshops and tastings, in an ancient street with a macabre history.
2) Philippe Auguste Wall tower on Rue du Louvre
Faithful followers will be well aware of the Earful fascination with the Philippe Auguste wall and along this busy street, you’ll find half of one of the towers which dotted the wall all those centuries ago. Read here to find the location of the remaining towers.
3) Galerie Véro-Dodat
One of many beautiful covered arcades in the city, the Galerie Véro-Dodat does not disappoint and will be of particular interest to fashionistas thanks to the Christian Louboutin workshop-boutique at its entrance.
4) Emily in Paris office
If you’re a fan of Emily in Paris, you can find her office Agence Grateau at the Place Valois, a picturesque square nestled away beside the Palais-Royal. Read more about it here.
5) Palais-Royal
Spend some time in the Palais-Royal, a former palace that’s steeped in history, but perfectly enjoyable as a courtyard, garden, and series of stunning arcades.
6) Galerie Vivienne
With its Pompeii-inspired tile floors, high-glass ceilings, and engraved pastel walls, the Galerie Vivienne is one of the prettiest passages by far. The storefronts offer extravagant displays and the boutiques make it feel like an elegant mall. If you want to find out more about some of the other beautiful Paris passages, read about them here.
7) BNF Library
The Richelieu wing of the Bibliothèque Nationale takes up an entire block in the second arrondissement of Paris, inside is a treasure trove which houses more than 22 million objects and documents. We visited last year, read more about our experience here.
Thank you for watching. How many of these unexpected gems were new to you? We hope you enjoyed this walk through the 1st and 2nd arrondissements. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see it, as well as many other Paris Walks, and much, much more.
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