5 days ago
I visited the lesser-known side of Paris with art ‘monsters', new museums and a soon-to-open winter village
THERE'S a monster lurking below the streets in Paris.
OK, so it's not real. It's actually a colossal sculpture.
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Measuring 100ft long, Monster has been created by artist Raymond Moretti from warped metals and unusual shapes.
The work of art is one of many I found during my travels around La Defense, a lesser-visited part of the French capital, which sits to the west of the city centre.
Initially a business district, La Defense may look a little structured and rigid at first glance, with skyscrapers positioned around a long plaza of greenery and pathways.
But don't be fooled. Explore a little deeper and you'll notice the area is filled with weird and wonderful art that transforms this region into an open museum.
And with more than 60 statues and installations dotted around, I went on my own artistic scavenger hunt.
Look directly up the street from the Arc de Triomphe and you'll spot La Defense's own masterpiece, Le Grande Arche — a giant building, shaped like a photo frame.
Then, around the corner from here, sits a giant bronze thumb sticking out of the ground.
And nearby there's a bright red spider protruding from the central plaza, as well as an upturned white Peugeot 406 balanced precariously on a lamp-post.
These certainly aren't things you would find in the Louvre, but that's what gives La Defense its charm and makes it an easy place to spend hours wandering around in.
There's also the newly-opened Zoo Museum, a particular highlight for me, with four floors dedicated to the street art community.
I'm a travel editor and this caravan park is the only family holiday I pay for every summer - it's better than 5-star resorts
Every inch, from walls to door frames, is decorated by more than 350 artists.
Some rooms are described as 'magic tricks' with the artist using perspective and 3D lenses to bring even more life to their work.
Some contributors are still anonymous, while others work for designers such as Desigual.
Away from the art scene, there is plenty else going on in La Defense.
The plaza is never short of fun, with pop-up bars and markets for each season.
This summer, it was home to the Garden Parvis — with free games of boules, a stage for live performers and open-air workshops.
By the end of the year, it will turn into a Winter Village with hundreds of wooden chalet stalls selling everything from vin chaud to raclette (an assortment of potatoes, meat and veggies smothered in melted, gooey cheese).
Of course, it's a sin to visit Paris and not take in some of its history, so I made sure to visit the Notre Dame cathedral.
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Ducking and diving
The building only reopened in December after being wrecked by fire in 2019, and it has been magnificently resurrected.
I was talked and walked through everything, from the doors to the rafters, all thanks to a virtual reality headset.
Transported to another world, I was soon ducking and diving through holes in the wall, being sent into the sky through floating platforms and zooming through decades as if I was living them.
Luckily, La Defense is still well-positioned for exploring the rest of Paris. If you're travelling by Eurostar, simply hop on the new RER line and you'll reach Paris La Defense in just three stops.
To make things even easier, the train station is right in the middle of a giant Westfield shopping centre, Les 4 Temps — particularly handy when you've forgotten your toothpaste, have a shopping itch, or fancy a bite to eat at the food court.
There's a hotel within the centre, the 4H Hilton Paris La Defense, which is home to an excellent restaurant.
Try the veal with truffled mashed potatoes and don't miss the dessert trolley loaded with oozing chocolate gateaux and pretty-looking lemon tarts.
If you're into your music, you'll likely have already heard of La Defense thanks to its massive arena, which has recently hosted Beyonce's Cowboy Carter tour and Robbie Williams' Britpop concert.
So keep your eyes peeled for any upcoming gigs if you plan on visiting.
As an added bonus, due to the area's history as a business area, it is full to the brim with hotels, which cost a fraction of those in the main city.
I know where I'd rather splurge!
