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13 Things to Do in Paris on Tuesdays

*Originally published by Natalie in February 2019 and Updated by Vanessa R. in August 2023 and by Vanessa M. in September 2023.

Tuesdays in Paris can be a hit or a miss; it’s really all dependent on the arrondissement in question and where you find yourself at different intervals during the day.

Tuesdays are always an awkward part of the week, not close enough to Sunday to still feel like the weekend but also not deep enough into the week to start being eager for Friday.

A lot of businesses in Paris choose to take Tuesdays off so that business can flow continuously through the weekend and Mondays. If possible, you want to stick within the city centre and adjacent arrondissements during this time of the week as there is more to do and less room for disappointment.

Banks of the Seine – by Dan Novac –

Thanks to my local sources, I’s successfully compiled a great list of things to do in Paris on Tuesdays over the years. Word of mouth goes a long way with things like this, and the following activities seem to be the hot spots for Tuesdays in the city.

Keep in mind that there are also always the many free attractions to enjoy on any day of the week! Walking the banks of the Seine, or a stroll through any of the Botanical Gardens are activities that take no days off and are always available to you!

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For those who like a more curated excursion, let’s take a look at some other worthwhile things to do in Paris on a Tuesday.

1. Taco Tuesday in Paris

A weekly tradition celebrated widely around the world; taco Tuesdays almost make up for the completely awkward nature of this day of the week!

A tradition that started in the far west many years ago was for Mexican food to feature a range of specials every Tuesday. The goal was to increase foot traffic into the establishments.

Candelaria – by Candelaria –

The tradition stuck and eventually made its way into Mexican food establishments around the world.

As the name suggests, most of the food specials revolve around buy-one-get-one-free taco deals. There are usually other specials on drinks such as two-for-one margarita jugs or free chips and guac with every main meal.

Not all restaurants embrace the deal side of Taco Tuesday — some continue to serve full priced food as usual. The idea is to participate in eating tacos every Tuesday regardless of if the restaurants join or not.

Religiously my Tuesdays are spent chasing tacos around Paris. My go-to is a speakeasy style spot called Candelaria in the north of Le Marais.

Tacos at Café Chilango – by Café Chilango –

The food is incredible. Everything is handmade and authentic — and the prices aren’t bad either. They also have a wide variety of cocktails on offer if you’re in the mood to get a bit festive on a Tuesday.

Across town in the Oberkampf district is another great spot called Cafe Chilangio. Slightly pricer than Candelaria but equally as delicious! They do great plated specials that always come with tequila to share.

2. Palace of Versailles in Paris

When Paris quietens down on Tuesdays it’s sometimes a good idea to venture slightly outside of the city and have a day trip. Versailles is the perfect place to do so.

Located about an hour outside of Paris’ city center, Versailles can be reached via most of the main metro stations around the city. They will take you directly into the centre of Versailles and you’ll get off right outside of our Tuesday attraction; the palace.

Versailles was the royal residence from 1682 all the way up until the French Revolution in 1789.

Palace of Versailles – by Stephanie LeBlanc –

The Palace takes it’s weekly break on Mondays, and reopens to the public first thing on Tuesday mornings.

If you haven’t heard already, it is arguably the most beautiful building both decoratively and architectural on the continent of Europe.

A free guided walking tour of the Versailles neighborhood will give you all the history and information that you need to know about the palace and its inception. The Palace of Versailles holds many a tale between it’s walls — a great way to spend a Tuesday immersed in some French culture.

Admission: €20

3. Picasso Museum in Paris

Most of the museums around Paris take Tuesdays off and are closed for business. The Picasso Museum over in Le Marais is one of the few who keep their doors open on this day.

The collection of works within the space is hugely impressive. Over 5000 actual pieces and tens of thousands of archived ones call the museum home.

Picasso Museum Paris – by Kippelboy –

The building is the original Hotel Salé; it was converted into the Picasso Museum in 1985. After recently undergoing a series of necessary renovations the museum is back to being open to the public.

I love visiting this museum because it is one that you can complete easily within one day. Working your way through the old hotel rooms is quite systematic and before you know it you’ve managed to absorb all of the works available.

Admission: €14

4. Saint Denis Market in Paris

Again we visit one of the outskirt suburbs of Paris in search of some Tuesday entertainment.

The Saint Denis Market is located directly north of Paris. It is only ever open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It is one of the largest markets in the region of Paris and has been around since the Middle Ages.

Saint Denis Market – by Chris93 –

Today you’ll enjoy the variety of 300 vendor options spanning from fresh produce to collectables. The big hall is where you’ll find a dedicated food market with cuisines from all around the world to enjoy.

A lot of work goes into making this market possible. Due to its overwhelming scale, merchants begin setting up here from 4am on the day of exhibit.

Be sure to take cash along, not all of the vendors have card enabled facilities.

5. Take a Walking Tour in Paris

With a Tuesday to kill in Paris why not take advantage of one of the many free guided walking tours on offer. They are a great way to see neighborhoods you might otherwise have never heard of within the cities parameters.

You’ll also have the option of choosing your favorite Parisian neighborhood and walking through it’s history with a guide .

In terms of attractions and historical content, areas such as Le Marais, Montmartre, Menilmontant, Bastille and Montparnasse are the crème de la crème of places to walk through.

Enjoying Paris – by Atikh Bana –

Exploring Paris by foot is always a completely new, eye opening experience compared to the conferments of a taxi or metro car. Being one on one with the streets, architecture and people is the best way to understand the true nature of this eclectic city and the beauty that it holds.

Tuesdays in Paris are the opposite of dull thanks to these walking excursions. Book yours today (and in advance) to avoid disappointment.

6. The Latin Quarter in Paris

Some neighborhoods in Paris just seem to never take a break. Similar to New York being the city that never sleeps, the Latin Quarter of Paris could bare that title itself.

Being a university town, the Latin Quarter makes up the 5th arrondissement and it seems there is always something happening on these streets no matter the day of the week.

Between the bars and the bookshops, you’re bound to find something that tickles your fancy.

Shakespeare & Company Paris – by Mike Peel –

Sometimes late on Tuesday evenings I venture through to the Shakespeare & Company Bookstore on the edge of the district at the banks of the Seine. This is a property rich in Parisian history and has been in business since 1951.

Two blocks down from this bookstore there is a restaurant called Le Grenier de Notre-Dame. It’s nice to buy a book and come spend a few hours in this space gorging on vegetarian food.

The food at Le Grenier de Notre-Dame is all organic, which is hard to come by in Paris.

7. Take Photos Outside the Louvre in Paris

As I mentioned, the museums of Paris are notorious for taking Tuesdays as their day of rest. Even the well known tourist attractions need a day off, and the iconic Louvre Museum is amongst those that shut their doors.

This is the day when you’ll see numerous photographers flocking to the museum’s main square to capture the perfect photo of the famous glass pyramid and adjacent buildings.

Since there are no people in the vicinity, there is opportunity to capture a completely vacant photograph. This is not something that is easy to do on any other day at the Louvre thanks to the thousands of people the museum attracts by the hour.

Louvre on a Tuesday – by Vitor Pinto –

If you find yourself near the museum on a Tuesday make a point of doing a walk through the square and enjoy being able to take a solo photograph with the glass structure.

Unlike other tourist photos, yours will be most unique and void of the tourist presence that cloud selfies on every other day. Lucky you!

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8. Eat at Ima Cantine in Paris

Right next to the Canal Saint Martin is a little hidden gem of a Tel Aviv themed restaurant: Ima Cantine.

Ima is open every day of the week and is the perfect stopping point after a walk down the canal on a Tuesday afternoon.

I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. It is a French-Israeli fashion space with a solely vegetarian menu that has been executed perfectly.

Ima Cantine – by Ima Cantine –

I love their twist on traditional dishes such as Shakshuka. Their cakes are also made fresh in house and many of them are entirely vegan so that all patrons to the restaurant can enjoy them.

Ima is easy to get to if you’re in or near the Le Marais district. It is juts to the north of the 3rd arrondissement. You’ll be absolutely fine wandering in on a Tuesday without a reservation. They are open from 8am to 10:30pm — all day essentially!

Average Cost: Under €20

9. Swim at Piscine Molitor in Paris

The Piscine Molitor was originally founded back in 1929, but after many years of inactivity it only saw its rebirth recently in 2014.

It is known to be the most beautiful swimming pool in Paris. You might recognize it from the iconic scene in Life of Pi where the the characters travel back in time to enjoy a historic swimming pool in the heart of Paris.

Piscine Molitor – by BikerNormand –

Today you’ll find the Piscine Molitor in the 16th arrondissement. The pool is attached to a hotel and is open to all guests to enjoy.

Unfortunately enjoying this pool as a member of the public comes with a hefty price tag. A day ticket will set you back €180. yes, you read that correctly.

In the mood to drain your bank account this Tuesday? The wonder of Piscine Molitor awaits.

10. Watch Free Jazz at Le Gare in Paris

Also in the 16th arrondissement, Le Gare is a jazz club that was set up in an abandoned train station on the edge of the Jardin du Ranelagh.

Both the garden and the train station are worth of a visit on any given Tuesday, but from 9pm be sure you’re in the vicinity of Le Gare as there will be a free jazz show for all to enjoy in the entrance hall.

After the show, enjoy a drink and light meal in the jazz terrace of the establishment. It’s a great way to waste a Tuesday evening with the sweet saxophone sounds filling the background.

Jazz at Le Gare – by Le Gare –

Le Gare captures the ambiance of the Parisian jazz scene perfectly, I find myself returning here for some music for the soul.

Tuesdays in Paris; sounds like the title of a 1950s romcom, doesn’t it?

Hopefully this list of things to do makes your average Tuesday slightly as whimsical as the big screen would.

And remember, when in doubt; stick to the freebies! It costs nothing to enjoy the gardens and streets around Paris — make the most of them this Tuesday!

11.  Visit the Arc de Triomphe

, , via Wikimedia Commons

The Arc de Triomphe can be found standing above the Champs-Elysees. You have one of the greatest views of Paris from the top of the Arc. See the Louvre, La Defense, and the Eiffel Tower from the Champs-Elysees, as well as the roofs above La Defense. Watch the Eiffel Tower and Paris sparkle at night. 

12. Get 360 degrees view from Galeries LaFayette

There are several locations with fantastic views of Paris, but most are not free. The Gallerie Lafayette is free, which is something we like.

Although the bulk of visitors come to shop, the actual gem can be found at the summit. With a 360-degree view, you can see the Sacré-Coeur and the Eiffel Tower. The physical structure itself is a work of art. Therefore, you can find that breathtaking vista of Paris or simply wander around admiring the architecture right here for free.

13. Visit Jardins Du Luxembourg

, , via Wikimedia Commons

It would be lovely to have a picnic in this lovely garden in Montparnasse. These are some of Paris’ most impressive gardens, and it is not difficult to understand why they were modelled after Florence’s Boboli Gardens. It is covered in greenery, gardens, and statues.

It is a piece of art and an excellent spot to spend a Tuesday afternoon in. The entrance is free, which is truly fantastic. It is best to check before leaving because the season affects the opening and closing timings.

5 Fun things to do in Paris on a Tuesday Night

Go to a nightclub on a Tuesday night

Some of Europe’s top nightclubs may be found in Paris! There’s everything from classy jazz bars to hip-disco clubs, each with its own unique flair. From warm and moderately priced pubs to noble trendy bars and sinfully costly nightclubs and discos, there are venues to go out for every budget.

Photo by Edoardo Tommasini from

Pay attention to the clothing code here, as many have a strong door policy. Most sites are open every day of the year. Find yourself and your loved one dancing, rocking out to live music, or sipping cocktails in a corner booth. Nightclubs are an excellent option for couples touring Paris at night!

Dinner on a Tuesday night in Paris

Most Parisians like a casual, late-evening meal at dinnertime, which is why a classic Parisian dinner must feature on this guide to fun things to do in Paris on a Tuesday night as it is truly a nighttime activity in and of itself.

If you just have one night in Paris and are wondering what to do in Paris for one night to have the most authentic experience, I would recommend indulging in a big, traditional dinner at a typical Parisian bistro or restaurant.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva from

For the greatest foie gras in town, go to , about a nine-minute walk from the Relais du Louvre. Or try Le Petit Canard (19 rue Henry Monnier) for a delectable duck confit entrée.

You’ll feel like a true Parisian native surrounded by waiters wearing traditional uniforms, brass fittings, and the famous red and white gingham tablecloths!

Ride the Ferris wheel at Concorde on a Tuesday night

Another of my top Tuesday nighttime recommendations in Paris is to ride the Ferris Wheel known as La Roue de Paris, at Place de la Concorde. The remarkable construction of the wheel stands 60 meters tall and provides breathtaking views over Paris’s historical axis and beyond.

, , via Wikimedia Commons

The entrance cost is only €12 which may appear to be a bit steep but it’s well worth it for the opportunity to see the nicest areas of Paris illuminated up at night while riding around the wheel in your own personal pod.

This is a fantastic spectacle to visit at any time of day, but I think it’s finest at night when the sun has set and the wheel is illuminated in a variety of colors against the midnight blue sky.

Tango dancing at Tino Rossi Gardens on Tuesday night

Every evening from May to September the Tino Rossi gardens at the Quai Saint-Bernard come alive with a swarm of excellent tango dancers who team up and dance along the canal till the early hours of the morning.

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Whether you choose to participate or simply sit on the sidelines with a bottle of wine this is without a doubt one of the most unusual things to do in Paris at night and so deserves a spot on your list of must-do things in Paris on Tuesday night.

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Photograph Paris on a Tuesday night

Want to obtain some great photos of Paris or hone your photography skills? There is no better time than at night to accomplish this! The Eiffel Tower sparkles, the bridges are illuminated, and the lights from crowded cafés and restaurants reflect off the jagged cobblestoned streets.

Photo by Louis Gys from

You can also usually take an impressive snapshot of the city’s reflection in the Seine River. Photographers and videographers travel long distances to capture the romance of Paris at night in a single photograph, and you should do the same on a Tuesday night!