6 Unique Paris Experiences You Won't Want to Miss
Planning a trip to Paris and wondering which tours are actually worth booking? In this episode, I’m sharing 6 of the best tours in Paris! From a croissant baking class and a Paris bike tour to a Versailles bike tour, a crêpe-making class, a Montmartre food tour, and even a unique day trip hiking in the footsteps of Van Gogh. If you’re looking for the best things to do in Paris, unique Paris experiences, foodie activities, and memorable day tours from Paris, this episode will help you decide what to add to your itinerary.
Best Paris Tours to Book
If you’re short on time, these are my top picks:
Best food experience: Croissant baking class
Best first-day activity: Paris bike tour
Best day trip: Versailles bike tour
Best unique experience: Van Gogh countryside hike
Best hands-on class: Crêpe-making class
Best foodie splurge: Montmartre food tour
If you have 3–4 days in Paris, I’d book 2 tours.
If you have a full week? You could easily do more.
1) Take a Croissant Baking Class in Paris
If you only book one food experience in Paris, I’d make it this one.
We took a croissant baking class at Maison Florette, and it was one of the most fun things we’ve done in Paris. Croissants are one of those foods that seem simple… until you realize how much butter-folding, resting, rolling, and precision is actually involved.
However, the class made it feel approachable and fun!
Why this class is so worth it
Because croissants take such a long time to make, the class is cleverly set up so you still get the full experience without spending 2 days in a bakery.
Here’s how it works:
The dough you bake has already been prepped to a certain stage by the previous day’s class
While your croissants are baking, you prep dough for the next class
You still learn the process and techniques, but in a much more efficient way
It’s honestly the best of both worlds.
What you’ll learn
In our class, we made:
Traditional croissants
Pain au chocolat
You also learn:
How the shaping differs between each pastry
How much chocolate to use and why
The history behind croissants
Proper rolling and folding techniques
And yes… you absolutely get to feel like a Parisian baker for the morning.
Why I recommend it
The croissants we made were truly some of the best I’ve ever eaten! Hot, flaky, buttery, and fresh from the oven.
Would I make them at home regularly? Absolutely not.
Would I take this class again in a heartbeat? 100%.
Best for: food lovers, couples, girls trips, unique Paris experiences
2) See the City on a Paris Bike Tour
We love bike tours in cities, and Paris is one of the best places to do one.
A Paris bike tour is such a smart way to get oriented, especially if it’s your first day in the city.
That’s exactly when we did ours, and I’d recommend the same.
Why it’s a great first-day activity
After a long travel day, it can be tempting to crash at your hotel. But if you can push through that first afternoon, it helps so much with jet lag.
A bike tour is perfect because it gets you:
Outside in the fresh air
Moving after a long flight
Introduced to the city quickly
Mentally oriented for the rest of your trip
Also, you really can’t fall asleep while biking through Paris.
What to expect
Most bike tours are thoughtfully planned to give you:
A safe and efficient route through the city
Views of many of Paris’ major sights
Historical context and fun stories from your guide
A chance to meet other travelers
It’s one of those experiences that helps you feel more confident navigating the city on your own afterward.
Best for: first-time visitors, first-day activity, active travelers
3) Book a Versailles Bike Tour
If you’re visiting Versailles, I really think biking is one of the best possible ways to experience it.
Because here’s the thing: Versailles is enormous.
Most people picture just the palace, but the grounds are huge and include:
Gardens
Pathways
Lakes
Marie Antoinette’s estate
Smaller buildings and hidden corners you’d never casually walk to
And unless you have all day and incredible stamina, you simply won’t see much of it on foot.
We did the full-day version (and loved it)
There are typically a couple of options:
Half-day bike tour (around 4 hours)
Full-day bike tour (around 7–7.5 hours)
We chose the full-day version, and it included one of my favorite details:
The market picnic
Before biking around Versailles, we stopped at the local market and had time to shop for picnic supplies.
That meant we could grab things like:
Fresh baguettes
Cheese
Fruit
Pastries
Drinks/snacks
Then later, we had a picnic on the grounds of Versailles.
It was such a fun and memorable part of the day.
One of the coolest parts: Marie Antoinette’s estate
This was one of the most fascinating parts of the tour for me.
Marie Antoinette had this entire little village built out on the grounds, and it almost feels like a storybook or “playhouse” world tucked away from the palace.
There are:
Little cottages
Bridges
Gardens
Open grassy areas
A totally different feel from the grandeur of the château
And this is exactly the kind of area you’re much more likely to see on a bike tour.
What I liked most about the structure of the tour
Even though it’s a group tour, it never felt overly rigid.
Our day included:
Meeting in Paris
Taking the train to Versailles together
Free time at the market
Guided biking through the grounds
Stops with time to wander on our own
A picnic break
Palace/garden tickets included
Return train ticket included
And one of my favorite parts? After the biking portion, we were released to explore the palace and gardens on our own timeline.
So you still get the convenience and expertise of the tour without feeling locked into a group all day.
Best for: Versailles day trips, travelers who want to see more, active couples
4) Hike in the Footsteps of Van Gogh
This was one of the most unique tours we’ve done in France.
If you love art, history, and being outdoors, this is such a special experience.
The tour starts with meeting your guide at a train station in Paris, and then you ride together out into the countryside.
And honestly? That alone is part of the magic.
Why this tour feels so different
Paris is incredible, but it’s also busy and stimulating. Getting out into the countryside for the day felt like a total reset.
Once there, we hiked through charming little towns and peaceful landscapes for around 6 miles.
It wasn’t overly difficult, and much of it was relatively flat.
What makes it so meaningful
Along the way, you visit places connected to Vincent van Gogh’s life and paintings.
That included things like:
Wheat fields
Village scenes
A church he painted
Locations where he actually lived and worked
Our guide would show us Van Gogh’s paintings and then compare them to the exact landscapes in front of us.
That made the whole experience feel so immersive.
Why I loved it
This tour combined so many things I love: Hiking, nature, art, history, and slower-paced day outside the city.
It’s the kind of experience that feels a little more memorable and unexpected than a standard sightseeing day.
Best for: art lovers, walkers, day trip seekers, unique Paris experiences
5) Learn to Make Crêpes in Paris
If croissants are my favorite Paris food class, this crêpe class is a very close second.
And if you want something a little more approachable to recreate at home, this might actually be the better pick for you.
What makes this class so fun
I expected the class to be tasty—but I didn’t expect to learn so much.
You get into things like:
The history of crêpes in France
The difference between savory galettes and sweet crêpes
Filling combinations
Technique for spreading batter
Pan prep and timing
There’s definitely more skill involved than it looks.
What you actually do
This is a very hands-on class, which I loved.
You’ll practice:
Cracking eggs properly
Mixing batter correctly
Pouring and spreading the batter
Using the traditional spreading tool
Cooking and filling your crêpes
And unlike croissants, this is actually something you’ll probably feel inspired to make again at home.
Bonus tip: Pair it with Montmartre
The class we did was in the Montmartre area, and after our class, we walked up to Sacré-Cœur.
That made for such a fun half-day plan.
If you’re looking to build a great Paris itinerary, this is an easy one to pair with nearby sightseeing.
Best for: foodies, families, casual cooking classes, Montmartre itineraries
6) Do a Montmartre Food Tour
This is the one experience on this list that we haven’t done yet—but we’re already booked for it and very excited.
We’re planning to do a Montmartre food tour with The Chef’s Tours, and it sounds absolutely fantastic.
If there’s one neighborhood in Paris that feels made for wandering and eating, it’s Montmartre.
Why this one made my list
Even though I haven’t personally done this one yet, it’s here because:
It came highly recommended
It sounds like a really strong fit if you love food + local neighborhoods
Montmartre is one of the most atmospheric areas in Paris
And honestly, food tours are one of the best ways to get beyond the “tourist checklist” version of a city.
They often help you discover:
Local specialties
Shops and neighborhoods you might miss otherwise
Food history and cultural context
Great spots to come back to later
I’ll definitely be sharing more after we do this one, but it already feels like a strong recommendation for anyone planning a return trip—or anyone who wants a more local-feeling Paris experience.
Best for: returning visitors, food lovers, Montmartre fans
How Many Tours Should You Book in Paris?
If you’re wondering how many tours is too many, here’s what I’d personally recommend:
If you have 3–4 days in Paris:
Choose 2 tours max
A great combo would be:
Paris bike tour + croissant class
Versailles bike tour + crêpe class
Van Gogh hike + Montmartre food tour
If you have 5–7 days:
You could easily fit in 3–4 experiences without it feeling too packed.
If you love food and active travel:
Paris is actually a really fun city to build your trip around both.
Final Thoughts: The Best Paris Tours Are the Ones That Add Texture to Your Trip
One of the things I love most about Paris is that you really can enjoy it on your own.
But tours like these add something extra.
They give your trip more texture, more story, and more of those “I can’t believe we’re doing this” kinds of moments.
If I were planning a Paris trip from scratch, these are absolutely the experiences I’d look at first.
My Top 3 Picks Overall
If I had to narrow it down, I’d choose:
Croissant baking class
Versailles bike tour
Van Gogh countryside hike
Those three feel especially memorable and unique.