Paris - Quirky, Pretty and Fun Instagram-Perfect Spots!
- Helen
- Nov 17, 2018
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 16, 2019
Paris could be seen as a photographers (and Instagrammers) paradise. Every corner you turn is another photo opportunity. Impressive architecture, historical buildings, iconic sights, parks, the Seine and so much more.
We all know the iconic images of the Eiffel Tower and the Montmartre that scream out Paris to us and where lines of tourists queue every day to capture their own snaps...
You already know these amazing photo opportunities so I am not going to tell you about them again.
Instead, let us consider some of the more quirky, pretty and fun locations for photo opportunities that Paris offers and that will impress even the most critical of your Instagram audience.
Quirky, Pretty & Fun Instagram-Perfect Spots In Paris
1. Villa Leandre
Nearest metro - Lamarck Caulaincourt
In the Montmartre district of Paris, hidden away, is this street of houses which is considered one of the most beautiful that Paris offers.
The homes are large and owned by the affluent. Each house is individual with painted or brick facade and high roofs. Most of the houses also have small gardens to the front, adding greenery to this city centre street.
A quiet residential road that is overlooked by hordes of tourists marching past it daily on the Montmartre trail...
Ensure you are not one of them and seek out this great photo opportunity to build your Instagram following!
2. La Maison Rose
Nearest metro - Lamarck Caulaincourt
Also located in the Montmartre district is the incredibly pretty and instantly photogenic, La Maison Rose.
This small pink house and bistro located on the corner of Rue des Saules and Abreuvoir has a history dating back to the time when Montmartre was a village location and a home to many, now famous, artists including Picasso.
The house was bought in 1905 by former model of Picasso, Laure Gargallo. Laure was married to the artist, Ramon Pichot and together they would visit Catalonia in Spain. On one trip Laure was inspired by the colours of the houses there and returned determined to paint her own house pink.
For many years the pink house was a boarding house and restaurant and the regular haunt of artists including Picasso and Maurice Utrillo who famously immortalised the building in his now well known painting.
Luckily, despite a change in hands, the building has been preserved and still now is open as a bistro and cafe.
Stop and enjoy the beauty here and get some great shots of this pretty and historical building.
3. Rue Cremieux
Nearest metro - Gare de Lyon
You might well have seen images before of this incredibly pretty street in Paris but it remains off the well trodden tourist path and it's unique beauty makes it well worth seeking out.
Located very centrally, this is another residential street with a village feel. The street is pedestrianised and is one of very few cobble-stoned roads in Paris.
Each house on this street has a unique pastel coloured painted facade and the road feels truly residential.
When I visited some of the residents were chatting at their front doors and there were bikes leaning against one or two of the homes.
A few of the houses have 'No Photography' signs up so do respect their wishes. Otherwise, the residents seem resigned to people capturing images of the exteriors of their stunning homes.
Why the painted houses on Rue Cremieux?
There appears to be no story behind the unique decoration of Rue Cremieux... It would seem that the streets residents wanted to transform their central Paris road into a unique oasis in the city and their joint venture achieved what we find today.
Lucky for us visiting as this is an Instagrammers paradise!
4. Canal Saint Martin Area
Nearest Metro - Stalingrad
Tourists spend a lot of time in central areas around the River Seine and enjoy the splendour, the views from and the romance of the water but less are aware of the Canal Saint Martin.
Canal Saint Martin was commissioned by Napoleon in 1802 as a supply route for food and materials to enter the city.
Located in northeastern Paris, this is now a picturesque, bohemian area popular with hip and trendy Parisians!
This less touristic area of the city is great to peruse and there are several opportunities for instantly Instagrammable fun and quirky images to capture.
5. Shakespeare and Company
Nearest Metro: Saint Michel
One of the world's most famous bookshops, as a book-lover, I could not resist visiting this tourist attraction on the south bank of the Seine and capturing my own images of this quirky store.
With a fun history and unique identity, Shakespeare and Company has incredible charm.
Shakespeare and Company has had two incarnations in its time and a history that includes F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
In the 1950s, the company was owned and managed by George Whitman (his daughter, Sylvia, has now taken over). George encouraged aspiring writers to stay in the store for free in small beds dotted around the building. In return they were asked to provide a couple of hours work a day and to write a one page autobiography before they left.
An estimated 30,000 people have now stayed at the store in this way, including Ethan Hawke at the tender age of 16.
Unfortunately you cannot take photos of the inside of the shop, but you can capture all the shots of the outside that your heart desires!
6. Place des Vosges
Nearst Metro - Bastille
The Place des Vosges is located in the Marais district of Paris. This beautiful square was originally called Place Royale and is one of the oldest and most attractive squares in the city.
The centre of the square is a garden that is well maintained, perfect to walk through and admire the surrounding buildings.
Unlike some of the other locations on this list, Place des Vosges is not 'pretty' in the pastel coloured, 'girly' manner but is beautiful with 17th and 18th century brick mansion grandeur.
Around the circumference of the square are arches, below which lie boutique shops and cafes.
Also located on this square is the former home of writer, Victor Hugo, which is now a museum that is free to enter and worth a visit while you are here!
There are many great photo opportunities on Place des Vosges, from the buildings to the gardens to the archways, that cannot fail to wow your Instagram audience.
7. 59 Rivoli
Nearest Metro - Chatelet
Located on Rue de Rivoli is this unique and fascinating artists haven that is open to the public to explore as they please.
In 1999, this building was a squat used by artists seeking a place to work and live. Now a legal building housing 30 artist studios, 59 Rivoli is open to the public 6 days a week.
Uniquely decorated outside and in, the building has ever changing galleries, walls, floors and ceilings of paint and artwork throughout!
Definitely worth visiting and capturing the current decor - your photos will be truly unique as the imaginative creations within change frequently.
As this is still a working set of studios, artists are likely to be mid-creation in the building when you visit so try not to interrupt their flow!
8. Aimless Meandering!
Perhaps the best way of finding some of the most unique Instagram photo opportunities in Paris is through aimless meandering of the city!
As a Parisian said to me, '...if you see tourists, walk in the other direction and you will find the true beauty of Paris'.
Taking heed of this advice I did spend time diving down quiet side-streets or visiting neighbourhoods off the beaten track and I was frequently wowed by amazing photo opportunities.
Don't be afraid to just wander with aimlessness - look up, look around as you do and you will find more pretty, quirky and fun Instagram perfect spots (guaranteed!!).
This is my list of where to get the best Instagram images in Paris that are pretty, quirky or fun and that your followers will devour!
What would you add to this list?
And, if you like this post... make sure you are following me on Instagram (@nomadwithanotebook)!
**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**
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