Paris is a city where you can experience a multitude of unique activities. When it comes to immersing yourself in French culture and everyday life, in particular, nothing is better than participating in some of the best classes and workshops this city has to offer. From making neons and crafting wood objects to preparing cheese and concocting new wine mixture, these workshops will make you enjoy Paris in a new way, whether you are a local or just here for a visit.

+I’ve spoken with all involved instructors, and they can give these workshops in English. Just make sure to use the google translate feature if the website you are booking through is displayed in French.

+The Most Unique Places to Stay in Paris for a Trip or Staycation+

1.DISCOVER NATURAL DYES

In this workshop, you’ll discover a unique dyeing process created by the main instructor during her time at the National School of Decorative Arts. Her technique will allow you to slowly notice the pigment take hold and deepen as time passes. The dyes are vegetable in origin, and you can sample them from a variety of plants available in her atelier: madder, logwood, vegetable peelings, dried flowers, etc. After preparing your coloring baths, you’ll get to color and use screen-printing to imprint a pattern of your choice on a silk square scarf.

Price range: 87 US$ [74€]
Workshop duration: 3 hours
Maximum Capacity: 4 people
District: 20th Arrondissement
Booking: Natural dye and screen printing workshop
Contact: [+33 6 87 29 29 10] [contact.cueilletteparis@gmail.com]

2.CREATE YOUR OWN piece of MUSIC

Instructor Dominic has been a professional music producer with over five years of experience in the field. His unique workshop will provide you with an outlook of different music production techniques and music software tricks and tips. Think of this as less of a lesson and more of a one-on-one time with a pro where you'll get to ask specific questions and get helpful advice.

Price range: 88 US$ [75.47€]
Workshop duration: 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 1 Person
District: 1st Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Music workshop

3.CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH NEON-MAKING

Creating and designing neon is a complex process that takes a lot of practice to 'get right.' This workshop will focus on introducing and practicing the different steps of this procedure. You'll learn how to make an abstract neon line by bending, straightening, and hollowing out the glass tubes using different types of torches. Tube manipulation differs, so you'll get to experience executing 90-degree angles, curvatures, and connections. Finally, you'll learn how to wire and install your neon and take it home with you.

Price range: 290 US$ [250€]
Workshop duration: 6 hours
Maximum Capacity: 2 people
District: 9th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Neon-making workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

4.test your nose with perfume-making

It is said that Catherine De Medicis, wife of King Henri II of France, initiated the perfume trend in France. Before her, perfume was only a means to hide unwanted odors. Thankfully, both our plumbing and odor have come a long way since, and now fragrance is used to transport and revive the senses! Or so we’re told. As such, this olfactory workshop aims to introduce you to the subtle distinctions and history between various scents. Through this introduction, you’ll be able to identify your favorite smells from around 180 available notes, and consequently, learn which aromas complement one another to finally concoct your very own 30ml bottle of fragrant splendor.

Price range: 110 US$ [95€]
Workshop duration: 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 8 people
District: 4th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Perfume workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

5.Make a textured piece of jewelry

Instructor Margaux Cormier is a graduate of the Arts and Crafts-Metal Section from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Arts, and from the CAP Art of Jewelry and Jewels at the école de Bijouterie Joaillerie Orfèvrerie de Paris. She is also a subcontractor of Cartier. Basically, she knows what she's doing, so I chose to recommend her jewelry workshop even though she isn't bilingual. She tells me she'll translate all technical terms and explanations into English. In her atelier, you'll start with the raw material and use an arsenal of tools such as saws, mills, triboulets, and torches to hammer away, braze, polish, and eventually end up with your chosen type of handcrafted silver jewelry.

Price range: 175 US$ [150€]
Workshop duration: 3 hours
Maximum Capacity: 2 people
District: 18th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Jewelry workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

6.COAT A SOLID SURFACE WITH INK USING LITHOGRAPHy

Lithography is a printing process where flat stones, metal, or wood blocks are coated with ink-repellent and then used to carve onto them specific images, which are then filled with ink. This last step makes it possible to print anything you draw or inscribe onto these surfaces by simply pressing them onto an object. In her workshop, Alice will present you with the different processes and techniques involved in lithographies, such as photocopy transfer, pencil drawing, inking, and even material picking. You’ll get to sand your chosen stones, draw or carve out a sketch of your liking, create color blends, and finally experiment with the printing process on eight of your very own posters.

Price range: 325 US$ [280€]
Workshop duration: 7 hours
Maximum Capacity: 2 people
District: Gentilly
Booking + Contact: Litography workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

7.Test your bourgeois skills with french tableware

French tableware layouts and practices are a structural part of the country’s culture and history. Reaching its peak during the reign of Louis XIV, this custom withstood the tests of time, even serving as a sort of arsenal of seduction to diplomats and their opponents by means of charming and captivating their guests through attention to detail and beauty. While you might not be trying to bewitch anyone, learning to harmonize a table for a business or friendly dinner is a handy skill to develop. In this workshop, you’ll get to learn essential layout presentations and usage in a privatized luxurious lounge, from floral arrangements to dish and utensil structure and design.

Price range: 726.69 US$ [624.19€]/ per group
Workshop duration: 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 4 people
District: N/A
Booking + Contact: French tableware workshop

8.CREATE A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS

Flower arrangement seems like a pretty straightforward task, pick flowers, arrange them, and voila. But not quite so voila. If you've ever tried to put together a bouquet on your own, chances are you've ended up with something resembling a sad pile of uncoordinated flowers rather than a homogenous blend of colors and textures. We're told it's all about balanced composition, and Bertrand, an artisanal florist, divides his workshop into three parts to teach you just that. First, you'll start with flower identification and preparation, followed by stem and petal techniques, and finally, packaging. You'll get to leave with a beautiful bouquet and a newfound skill.

Price range: 57 US$ [49€]
Workshop duration: 1.5 hours
Maximum Capacity: 4 people
District: 11th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Flower arrangement workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

9. DESIGN YOUR OWN PAIR OF AIR JORDAN ONE OR AIR FORCE ONE

Fans of sneakers are sure to fall in love with this intensive 4-day shoemaking workshop. Here, you’ll get initiated to shoemaking techniques, materials, parts, and machines and get to deconstruct and analyze the reassembly of a pair of sneakers. After learning about the process and witnessing it firsthand, you’ll assemble your very own pair of leather Air force ones or Air Jordan ones through works of tracing, cutting, adorning, gluing, and sewing. The process is lengthy but worthy.

Price range: 1103 US$ [950€]
Workshop duration: 4 days
Maximum Capacity: 2 people
District: Le Perreux-sur-Marne
Booking + Contact: Sneaker-making workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

10.PRINT SOMETHING USING A silkscreen

Serigraphy is another term for silkscreen printing which constitutes, in its most basic form, the act of transferring ink through a fine screen of patterns or illustrations onto a fabric beneath it. To start the workshop, you’ll need to send your instructor a file of the illustration/logo/picture that you want to print before coming to the studio or choose from the on-site designs. Color will then follow as you’ll get to choose from a wide variety of tones, from primary colors to fluorescents or pastels. The printing can be made on tote bags, posters, business cards, or clothing.

Price range: 128 US$ [110€]
Workshop duration: 4 hours
Maximum Capacity: 2 people
District: La Courneuve
Booking + Contact: Serigraphy workshop
Similar: Serigraphy with Victor (11th Arrondissement)
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

11.design and make a leather bag

Here, leather scraps are used from French leather goods houses to participate in environmental recycling efforts. Your host Diane worked for Hermes and is here to offer your her guidance through the process. First, you’ll choose from three different models: a clutch, a purse, or a season bag. Then follows the leather and color selection of precut pieces. And finally, put together the bag through a sewing technique called ‘Point Sellier’ or saddle stitch. You can even further customize your bag using eyelets, rivets, or tassels.

Price range: 162 US$ [140€]
Workshop duration: 4 hours
Maximum Capacity: 6 People
District: 14th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Leather bag workshop

12.PRACTICE STREET FISHING

Ah! Paris! City of love where you can stroll through wonderous streets and get lost near the Seine’s water reflecting the twinkling lights above it… or fish. Yes, people can apparently fish in Paris, as long as they have a fishing card - which your host will graciously provide. This introductory activity is pretty self-explanatory and appears on this list due to the novelty and uniqueness of practicing such a sport in a city like Paris. Very unique, very fun, and no one gets to die because the fish you catch will be released back into the Seine after you snap a picture or two. Enjoy!

Price range: 43 US$ [36€]
Workshop duration: 1.5 hours
Maximum Capacity: 4 people
District: 6th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Street fishing workshop

13.shape the earth into ceramics

This workshop is a great way to familiarize yourself with the various methods involved in ceramic making. The ceramic process will be thoroughly explained in a fun and friendly space, and you’ll get to begin or perfect skills like turning, centering, drilling, opening, and lifting. The instructors are here to guide you and help you get the shapes you want, from coffee cups to goblets of fire. Since this lesson is all about incorporating different techniques, expect to create at least four distinct pieces. You can retrieve your objects a few weeks after they come out of the oven.

Price range: 163 US$ [140€]
Workshop duration: 6 hours
Maximum Capacity: 8 People
District: 8th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Ceramics workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

14.CREATE NATURAL COSMETIC PRODUCTS

If you’re a fan of DIY products and natural cosmetics, this is the perfect workshop for you. Before opening her studio, the instructor worked in the cosmetics industry and has now amassed five years of experience in natural cosmeceuticals. You can choose to either create a liquid Shampoo& Hair blam, a cream, or a lipstick. Each product is fully customizable to your needs and preferences, and you’ll get to learn about the whole process from ingredients selection to emulsification and assembly.

Price range: [Hair: 69 US$/59€] [Cream or Lipstick: 57 US$/49€]
Workshop duration: 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 8 people
District: 11th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Hair - Cream- Lipstick
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

15.BECOME AN GRAFFITI ARTIST

Parisian walls welcome you in this introductory workshop hosted by artists of the French street art scene who will make you discover the techniques and thought processes behind Graffiti. Here, you’ll get to design a fresco, first starting with design brainstorming, followed by sketching on paper, incorporation and selection of graffiti technique, and finally painting/spraying on the actual wall.

Price range: 64 US$ [55€]
Workshop duration: 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 10 people
District: 12th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Graffiti workshop

16.craft the wood item of your dreams

Ateliers Chutes Libres, translating to ‘Free-fall workshops,’ is a space where scrap wood is collected from various artisans and museums in Paris to recycle them into the manufacturing of new objects. Everything you’d need to make anything, from a birdhouse to a bed frame or a rocking horse, is available in this studio, from tools and machines to the wood itself, and most importantly: the guidance and knowledge of professional wood makers. You can choose from various models to design smaller objects or furniture, or use your imagination and come up with something, be it a simple item in their DIY workshop or a more complex one in their tailor-made workshop.

Price range: From 70 up to 325 US$ [From 60 up to 280€]
Workshop duration: From 2 to 4 hours
Maximum Capacity: 10 people for Object&DIY, 3 people for Furnitures, 2 people for Tailor-made
District: 12th Arrondissement
Booking: Object - DIY - Furnitures - Tailor-made
Contact: [07 49 30 80 65] + [contact@atelierschuteslibres.com]

17. weave together patterns

Aurélia, the creator of this workshop, has worked with French and international fashion houses for about four years and is known for experimenting with mixtures of embroidery and weaving patterns as well as different types of fibers. In her introductory weaving workshop, you’ll gain an understanding of the critical tools and gestures of this craft, and subsequently, try your hand at creating an image or design of your choice through a selection of colors and yarns issued from natural materials. Employing weaving techniques through the counseling of your instructor, you’ll hopefully end up with something beautiful and a pleasant experience.

Price range: 180 US$ [155€]
Workshop duration: 5 hours
Maximum Capacity: 4 people
District: 10th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Weaving workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

18.make and eat some cheese

I could tell you how French people apparently consume around 26 kilos (57 pounds) of cheese per year. Or how all 18 regions of France produce cheese. Or how important cheese is in French culture. Instead, I will write this simple sentence: In France, you eat cheese, one might also very much say that you become cheese. In this workshop, you’ll get to learn about the cheese-making process, some of its histories, and produce three different variations: a fresh cheese from raw milk, good butter, and curd cheese. After learning about this delicacy and some of its history, Your hard work will get rewarded by a cheese and wine tasting session.

Price range: 82 US$ [70€]
Workshop duration: 3 hours
Maximum Capacity: 9 People
District: 10th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Cheese making workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

19.DESIGN SWIRLS FOR PAPER MARBLING

Paper marbling is a technique of surface design through dense water. This process produces stone-like patterns, most of them resembling those of marbles, ergo the name. Marbling has been used for centuries to imprint designs onto anything from soldier helmets to shoes or books. This workshop is the perfect place to learn about the origins and usage of marbling and experiment with different colors, patterns, and dipping gestures with a pro. Thankfully you’ll get several dipping tries to obtain your final desired design.

Price range: 58 US$ [50€]
Workshop duration: 1.5 hours
Maximum Capacity: 2 people
District: 20th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Paper marbling workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

20. BAKe delicious french pastries

Paris is known for its delicious croissants, baguettes, macarons, and crêpe. Eating the french version of any of these creations will make you notice a striking difference in taste and texture compared to what you might be used to. Baking workshops in Paris are the perfect place to discover the secrets to these recipes and flavors. At Galerie Lafayette, you will try your hand at making macarons with a french pastry chef in one of the most highly-rated classes of the city. In the Croissants&Baguettes class, you’ll learn about the secrets of bread-making techniques from a chef within the walls of his bakery. And for anyone who is a fan of Crêpe, you can learn about the best batter-practices to adopt from a crepe maker whose been making them since 1999.

Price range: [Croissants&Baguettes: 149 US$/128€] or [Macarons: 57 US$/49€] or [Crepes: 59US$/51€]
Workshop duration: ~2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 8 People for the Croissants&Baguettes, 15 People for the Macarons, 15 People for the Crepes.
District: [Croissants&Baguettes in the 14th: 22 Rue Mouton-Duvernet, 75014 Paris] + [Macarons in the 9th: 40 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris] + [Crêpe in the 9th: 47 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris]
Booking + Contact: Croissants&Baguettes + Macarons + Crêpe

21.become an artisan soap maker

Soap-making will be a pleasant experience for both your nose and eyes and eventually to your skin as you make use of your creamy and soft creation. Discover the art of Cold Process Soap Making through organic raw materials and allergen-free fragrances. There are different soap-making techniques, but this one in particular is known to preserve the benefits of the oils incorporated into the formula. Aesthetically, you’ll also get to choose the shape and mineral pigment involved.

Price range: 57 US$[49€]
Workshop duration: 3 hours
Maximum Capacity: 8 people
District: 11th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Soap-making workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

22. capture paris by night

Chances are you can easily take pictures of Paris during the day. However, even I, an esteemed self-proclaimed photographer, have trouble capturing the city by night. And since Paris is known as the city of lights, learning how to photograph its night-time essence is a noteworthy experience. In this workshop, you'll get to master the art of night photography through the incorporation of long exposure and more challenging techniques. The instructors are all expert local photographers who are sure to make you discover the city's hidden gems, and they also offer day-photography tours for those in need of polish or initiation.

+Note that you will have to bring your own camera. Phone cameras are also accepted.
Price range: 245 US$ [210€]
Workshop duration: 3 hours
Maximum Capacity: 4 People
District: You can choose the area of your choice
Booking + Contact: Night Photography + Day Photography + Extended workshop

23.beautify your writing

This co-working space also serves as a workshop studio where you can learn calligraphy from an expert in the field. Latin calligraphy is beautiful to look at and practice, and surprisingly, not as hard as you might think to learn. Here, you can choose from a variety of 15 different types of writing styles (or bring one with you from your research) to practice and master under the supervision and instruction of your teacher.

Price range: 35 US$ [30.17€]
Workshop duration: 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 8 People
District: 18th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Calligraphy workshop

24.Play Tennis with Pro Players

If you’re a fan of tennis and are constantly looking to sharpen your skill, this lesson will give you the opportunity to get tips and tricks from professional tennis players. Beginners and experts alike will benefit from this lesson as you’ll get to practice a particular skill you want to focus on or play a fun and challenging game while getting critical feedback. You can check out the rankings of their pro team via the Booking + Contact link below.

Price range: 168 US$ [145€]
Workshop duration: 1 hour
Maximum Capacity: 2 People
District: 2nd Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Tennis lesson

25.CREATE YOUR KOKEDAMA

Kokedama is a Japanese practice stemming from Bonsai and Ikebana (floral art) planting styles that center around natural sceneries reproduction. Translating into ‘moss ball,’ the procedure constitutes turning a living plant into spherical soil covered with moss. The final creation is unique, does not require a pot, and is usually displayed hanging in the air. This workshop allows you to create one, from picking the plant of your choice to learning how to suspend it.

Price range: 69 US$ [59€]
Workshop duration: 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 8 People
District: 10th Arrondissement
Booking + Contact: Kokedama workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

26.design and make a hat

Yes, I know what you're thinking. This is a list of the best classes and workshops in Paris, and since Paris is in France, a hat-making workshop should surely include a beret or two. Regrettably, no, beret-making isn't particularly in vogue nowadays. Instead, you can choose from a variety of hats: Bucket, trilby, fedora, canotier, and capeline. After your pick, you'll get to choose the fabric and put together your hat by using a sewing machine or a steam shaping technique and, finally, leave the studio adorned by a hat of your own creation.

Price range: [Bucket hat: 64US$/55€] or [Trilby/Fedora/Capeline/Canotier: 115US$/99€]
Workshop duration: ~3 hours
Maximum Capacity: 5 People for the bucket hat, 6 people for the other hats.
District: [Bucket hat in the 14th: 12 place de la Porte de Vanves, 75014 Paris] + [Other hats in the 2nd: 73 Bd de Sébastopol, 75002 Paris]
Booking + Contact: Bucket Hat + Other Hats
For bucket hat, Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

27.get introduced to the art of Raku pottery

Raku is an ancestral Japanese pottery process whose products are often used during tea ceremonies. It consists of using a 'cooking by fire' technique which creates imposing effects of texture colors and materials on the 'cooked' objects. You won't get to shape a piece of your choice, as this is not the focus of Raku, but you will get to try your hand at enameling and firing different designs. Great emphasis will be given to the history and techniques of this art, and after the pieces cool down, you'll further build and shape your work. Your final piece can be retrieved a month later, as the process of repeatedly baking, enameling, and annealing it takes quite some time.

Price range: 175 US$ [150€]
Workshop duration: 6 hours
Maximum Capacity: 7 People
District: Colombes (92)
Booking + Contact: Raku making workshop
Code at checkout for 10% off: POTOZLIX8

28.Make Your Own Bottle of Wine (or beer)

French people have been producing and consuming wine since the 6th century BC. Hence, it would be one's duty when in France to perpetuate this custom. In this wine-making workshop, you'll get to blend your own mixture in an 18th-century royal cellar, design and personalize your label, and, more importantly, taste a few delicious wines. If wine isn't really your thing, there's also a beer-making workshop where you can dip your toes into the world of fermentation and breweries.

Price range: [Wine: $90 US$/78€] or [Beer: $40 US$/35€]
Workshop duration:~ 2 hours
Maximum Capacity: 6 People for the wine, 15 people for the beer
District: [Wine in the 1st: 52 Rue de l'Arbre Sec, 75001 Paris] + [Beer in the 1st: 20 Rue Montmartre, 75001 Paris]
Booking + Contact: Wine-making workshop + Beer-making workshop

29.reward your stomach with french food

Food in France is sublime, so taking a cooking class in Paris is a must for anyone who likes to make their stomach happy. You can choose from two different classes, both equally delicious and fun to participate in but with different atmospheres. The ‘3-Course Dinner’ is formal and traditional in nature, while the ‘Cook & Share’ is more familiar and convivial.

Price range: [3-Course Dinner: 200 US$/172.36€] or [Cook & Share: 76 US$/65€]
Workshop duration: 6 hours for the 3-Course Dinner, 4 hours for the Cook & Share.
District: [3-Course Dinner in the 5th: 59 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris] + [Cook & Share: 25-11 Rue d'Aligre, 75012 Paris]
Booking + Contact: 3-Course Dinner + Cook & Share