Are you dreaming about Paris? Can’t get enough of the City of Lights? You may be yearning for a little bit more than the latest blockbuster, or an Instagram slideshow to offer your feed. Rest your head and ponder what it would be like to visit Paris.

Though many think that visiting Paris is only possible through film or photographs, not everyone can take that amount of time off work! Thankfully there are some things you can do remotely to give yourself a taste of the famous city. From watching a film, to studying the history of the city, and even learning to speak French! It’s all there for you, and here is how.

Movie Night

Paris is the favourite city of many filmmakers. Star Wars, The Artist, Moulin Rouge, The Full Monty are just some of the movies that have received praise in the city. For film buffs alike, Paris is a dream come true. You can watch your favourite movie anywhere you want, or even rent it out. Back in the day there was no shortage of kiosks selling pirated copies of movies at places like Bercy Park. But the invention of the internet has made watching movies online easier than ever.

The Paris Review offers free viewing of classic movies. They have an extensive collection of short fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and interviews with some of the world’s greatest literary minds. You can watch all these videos on their website or on their YouTube channel.

You can also learn about popular movies shot in Paris through IMDb’s Top 250 movies page . Many popular movies are set in Paris including Hugo , Amelie , and Star Wars Episode II . Others like Breakfast at Tiffany’s and An American in Paris are actually about visiting or living in Paris.

A Bit of History

History buffs will be pleased with two sites dedicated to the city’s history . Both Paris s’écrit and SéDeCulture offer a wide range of information about the city. You can read anything from the history behind the Arc de Triomphe, to the names of famous buildings in Le Marais.

If you want to learn more about the city’s history, you can even try reading about it in French! Le Parisien is always available in news stands around the city. This free edition of the French newspaper offers an interesting glimpse into life in France.

You can also find Paris’s history online. The City of Paris Museum invites visitors to explore the many eras that have transformed the city into what it is today. You can peer back into the past with their interactive timeline . All these resources are free to access online.

Activities to do in Paris:

Paris Wall Street

In 2000, a year after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 , a group of investors and creators wanted to do something that would bring the city together and ignite new ideas and creativity. They rented out 200 underground stations throughout Paris and turned them into dazzling exhibitions filled with interesting facts about the city. The tagline says it all: “Art, discussion, culture, advertising.” The idea was so successful that they decided on an even bigger plan: turning over the whole of the City of Paris! Where? Where? Where? It’s still not 100% decided but there is no doubt it will include some famous tourist landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower.

Street Art

On a different note about art, Paris is a city full of colourful and interesting art. Take a stroll through the streets, and you’ll find yourself surprised by the sheer number of street artists. There are even whole tours dedicated to spotting them. If you can’t make it out to the streets, don’t worry! Street Art Paris offers 200 photos for free! You never know what you might see around the next corner.

Museums

If you’re interested in learning about arts and culture , you can visit some of Paris’s most famous museums . You can visit the Louvre , Centre Pompidou , Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine , Musée d'Orsay , Musée Marmottan Monet , Musée Rodin .

There are also some smaller, more unique museums that can be quite fascinating. The Catacombs of Paris are actually the remains of the stone mines built over two centuries ago. It is now a museum where you can find the remains of more than six million people who have been buried in Paris since its foundation.

Another unique museum is the Museum of Magic . This museum houses a collection of more than a thousand magic tricks and objects. The goal is to bring magic even to those who don’t believe in it. It’s a great way to experience all sides of Paris, especially for those who can’t make it out to the city any time soon.