Paris: What not to See

In Paris as in life, not everything is wonderful. Some Parisian tourist attractions are decidedly less attractive than their Homecoming Queen sisters, who I have devoted my past six posts to. You may not even have heard of some of the sites on this list. Some of them may seem synonymous with the Parisian experience. But trust me, they are all less than spectacular.

If you have a lot of time on your hands, by all means, visit these places. But if you're trying to maximise your time, skip them all-together.

When in Paris, don't feel obligated to visit these attractions. You won't miss anything.

Arènes de Lutèce

What it is... The remains of Paris' Roman amphitheatre, built it the 1st century AD. The arena once sat 15,000.

Why not... Only a portion of the amphitheatre remains. The space is used as a public park, and is far more suited to being a soccer field for children than a tourist attraction. What is left of the Roman megalith can be toured in only a few minutes. And there is little else in the neighbourhood to see.

How to get there... (M) Cardinal-Lemoine

Champs-Élysées/Place de la Concorde

What it is... A long, wide avenue of movie theatres, expensive car dealerships and designer clothing stores. Place de la Concorde, home of the Obelisk of Luxor, is at one end. L'Arc de Triomphe is at the other.

Why not... At one time, this street likely was a glittering wonderland of fashion and celebrity; a place to see and be seen. Today, it is nothing more than a tourist trap. Corporations like Virgin Megastore and McDonald's vie to squeeze every last dollar from the sneaker-wearing masses who, dazed by the sheer foreignness of France and weighed down by their backpacks, are desperate to find something familiar. You will waste an incredible amount of time here, and all you will see are stores you can see almost anywhere else in the city.

How to get there... (M) Concorde

La Défense

What it is... Paris' business district- the only place in the city where modern construction and high-rises are allowed.

Why not... While the neighbourhood is bizarre in contrast with the rest of Paris, it looks very much like any other modern city. If you're from North America, chances are that you're already extremely familiar with high rises and don't really need to see the French take on them.

How to get there... RER D - La Défense

Cimetière Pere-Lachaise

What it is... The largest cemetary in Paris. Established by Napoleon I in 1804, it is home to the remains of many famous people, including (but certainly not limited to) Molière, Balzac, Chopin, Haussmann and, of course, Jim Morrison.

Why not... Long story short: this is a cemetary. A huge cemetary. Granted, if you troll around for hours on the uneven cobblestones, you might see where some relatively interesting people are buried. But, just like regular people, they are all far less interesting in death than they were in life.

How to get there... (M) Père-Lachaise

Forum des Halles

What it is... The former site of Paris' largest public market, Forum les Halles is now a large underground mall.

Why not... Remember when you were a teenagers with a lot of your time on your hands and nowhere to go? Remember how you hung out at the mall? Well, that's what kids in Paris do, too. This place is teeming, particularly on the weekend, with kids who have nothing to do but get into trouble. If you do visit, keep your head down and hold your purse tightly- particularly at the street entrance.

How to get there... (M) Châtelet-les-Halles

Le Musée des égouts

What it is... A museum devoted to Paris' sewer system.

Why not... The museum is actually in the sewer. For 4,20€ you have the privilege of going underground, into the sewer, and read several artistically arranged placards about the Paris sewer system, from its inception to present. There are some dummies dressed up as city workers, too. The whole thing is ridiculous, and wouldn't be worth the money if it were free.

How to get there... (M) Alma-Marceau