Let's say you
moved to Paris and are now living a fairly peaceful life here. The French capital is a bustling metropolis that's always lively, but it's not all bad. Despite how popular it is, it's not too crowded, save for a couple of peak months for tourism. However, this will change come the Paris 2024 Olympics. The city is expecting an estimate of around 15 million visitors this summer, all planning to watch the global sports event live. If you want to avoid all those crowds, where should you go? Well, consider escaping to the Paris Suburbs, the 1st arrondissement, or Montmartre, among others.
Canal Saint-Martin
Let's start with the scenic Canal Saint-Martin in the
10th arrondissement. Even without the Paris 2024 Olympics, this district has always been one of the more underrated
neighborhoods in Paris. For one thing, it doesn't have an iconic landmark. The 1st has the Louvre, the 4th has Notre Dame, the 7th has the Eiffel Tower, and the 8th has the Arc de Triomphe. The 10th? Nada! The most famous spot here is Canal Saint-Martin which has fewer tourists than other parts of the city. And this is why it's one of the best places to escape the city's hectic energy during the Olympics.
Montorgueil
Montorgueil, specifically Rue Montorgueil, gets its fair share of hustle and bustle. This busy street shares crowded restaurants, lively food markets, and more on any given day. But what separates the area from the other more popular parts of the city is that its bustling energy is mostly local. More often than not, it's the local Parisians who crowd Montorgueil. There will be some tourists thrown in there, but for the most part, the people you'll bump into here will be the French. This will likely stay true during the Paris 2024 Olympics too.
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is as Parisian as it gets. This was once the hotbed of the early 20th-century intellectuals, after all. The likes of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir hung out here, exchanged ideas, and debated over cups of coffee and bites of buttered croissants. This was once the center of Parisian cafe society, one that even Hollywood has long glamorized on the silver screen. So it's quite surprising that Montparnasse isn't the most popular among tourists. It still gets its fair share, sure, but not as many as others, especially ones with famous landmarks. It's bound to stay the same in Paris 2024 too!
Passy
Despite how fairly near it is to Palais de Chaillot, another of the
famous Paris spots that will host the Olympic Games, Passy will likely see very few tourists this July. Admittedly, Passy has long been one of the more underrated parts of Paris. It's an affluent area filled with some of the most
luxurious homes in Paris, not to mention grand houses for the rich and famous. Its high-class appeal and virtually zero famous landmarks place it off the beaten path for most tourists. Hence, if you can afford to explore Passy, why not do it?
Pigalle
Paris is an adult's playground and it’s more evident in
Pigalle than anywhere else. South Pigalle, in particular, serves as the city's red-light district. This
sexy side of Pigalle comprises sex shops, brothels, cabarets, and the like. The Paris 2024 Olympics will likely draw in many families who have longed to travel to the French capital. Many of them are expected to stay within the safer and more family-friendly parts of the city, which Pigalle is certainly not. Hence, if you're a single adult who has recently
moved to Paris and prefers to avoid the tourist crowds, this area is your haven!
Belleville
Finally, there's Belleville, undoubtedly among the most underrated neighborhoods of Paris. Not even many Parisians know about it. Tucked away in the quieter parts of the
20th arrondissement, the place is so quiet, you'd almost think that it's not part of Paris. As far as avoiding tourists is concerned, especially during the Paris 2024 Olympics, Belleville is the best place. You'll virtually find no tourists here, not by a long shot. Perhaps a few, so few that you can count them on one hand, but rarely more than that.
If you'll be in Paris during the 2024 Olympics and you want to avoid the hordes of crowds, escape to these handful of neighborhoods. These places are bound to be more peaceful than others during the global sports event.
