Five ways to get creative in Paris

In a city packed full of creativity, we've put together a list of ways you can involved in fun courses, classes, and workshops.

Hi folks,

For decades, Paris has served as a creative hub for many. Fashion designers, writers, musicians - the list goes on and on, frankly. Fortunately, nowadays this creativity is accessible to anyone and everyone who’s interested, via workshops offered by qualified practitioners. Looking online, you’ll see there’s a vast range of workshops available, but how to tell which are worth the time and money?

We’ve put together a list of the city’s five best (and most unusual, in our opinion) creative workshops. Ready to get stuck in? Let’s go.

1) Carve your own stone

Take a chip off the block with Grégory Philippe, the stonemason who I discovered during one of my Marais walking tours. This week I actually did his workshop with The Earful Tower team and it was terrific. (I made a limestone Earful logo).

Over the course of two hours, Gregory introduced us to limestone, also known as pierre de Paris. After an initial presentation of the tools and techniques of the trade, we all carved our own bas-relief, with lots of help from Grégory himself. If the idea of this type of activity intimidates you, Grégory has some encouraging words for you.

“Follow the steps - you draw and then you begin to carve. It’s not complicated. Everyone succeeds.”

The setting of the atelier is really atmospheric, one of the oldest streets in the neighbourhood, and Grégory is working with the local town hall to develop the street to be a hub for other ancient trades - it’s exciting to see what more is to come. Address: 12 Rue du Prévôt, 75004.

Listen to the podcast episode I made with Grégory. We talked about the ancient art of stonemasonry, the workshop experience and, of course, the Philippe Auguste wall. You can see the video of our chat below.

Here’s more to discover in the 4th arrondissement.

2) Distill your own gin

La Distillerie de l’Arbre Sec is a cool, new micro-distillery located on a quiet street mere steps from the Louvre museum in the 1st arrondissement. The team here, including Charlotte Buisson Dackow (who we spoke to on a previous podcast episode), offers refreshingly original gin-making workshops in a spectacular setting. There’s a whole wall of ingredients in jars that you use to make your own flavour, and you walk away with your own bottle of gin at the end.

Providing excellent quality gin, as well as tastings, it’s clear that Charlotte and her colleagues take gin seriously. Of course, wine is the dominant French beverage, but, as Charlotte explains, things are changing. “I think [gin] is taking over the world! Often French people are set in their ways, so we are a little behind everywhere else, but it’s starting here in France. I think it’s really exciting.” Address: 52 Rue de l’Arbre Sec, 75001

When I met with Charlotte she showed me around the beautiful distillery, before we went on a discovery walk of the 1st and 2nd arrondissements. Watch that video below.

Listen to my chat with Charlotte below.

Here’s more to discover about the 1st arrondissement.

3) Layer your own mille feuille

The Earful Tower team took a class preparing this iconic dessert at Cook’n With Class and we made an entire podcast episode about it, which included some pastry and chocolate tips from chef Christian. Not only are you making a delicious dessert, steeped in Napoleonic history, but it’s in a charming Parisian cookery school located in Montmartre. If mille feuille isn’t your thing, they also offer macarons or croissants. Book a class and unleash your inner Julia Child. Address: 6 Rue Baudelique, 75018.

Listen to the patisserie-themed podcast episode below.

Here’s more to discover in the 18th arrondissement.

4) Make your own chocolate

Nestled within the beautiful archways of the Viaduc des Arts, Atelier C is a haven for chocoholics. Atelier C has become a must-visit spot for chocolate lovers in Paris, and it’s no surprise why. The shop’s flavour combinations and attention to detail make for a memorable snack. There’s a big table in the centre for the classes, where, in three hours, you’ll turn cocoa beans into bars of chocolate to take home. Address: 123 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012. Enjoy finding out what this place is like by listening to the podcast we made about Atelier C.

Listen to the podcast episode below for some tasty chocolate treats.

There’s more to discover in the 12th arrondissement.

5) Zinc and slate-making workshops

At 24 Rue Saint Paul, you’ll find Constance Allard, who runs Les Toits Parisiens, which offers zinc and slate-making workshops. Zinc is an integral part of life in Paris - if you’ve ever looked closely at a Parisian rooftop there is so much intricate detail, it’s not just zinc panels laid one over the other. There are the gutters, eaves, joints, gables, ridges, vents, and of course, decorative ornaments. I was lucky enough to get an up close look at the intensive, and creative, process involved in maintaining these roofs when I interviewed a Parisian roofer, which is as fun as it sounds, really! Address: 24 Rue Saint Paul, 75004

Listen to the podcast episode below and hear my conversations with an authentic Parisian roofer, as well as Constance, who runs the workshops.

Here’s more to discover in the 4th arrondissement.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading my newsletter - hope these tips help for your next Paris trip.

And if you want to get a closer look at two of the places on this list, we pass their HQs on my weekly semi-private Marais walking tour, every single Monday. Get in touch to know more or book one here.

Oliver