You probably won’t end up in the 10th arrondissement by design if this is your first visit. Home to two of the city’s major railway stations (Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord) it’s a little far out but you shouldn’t write it off just yet, Paris’s tenth district has a wildcard in its deck - the lovely Canal Saint Martin.

One of our guides once said that Canal Saint Martin was “more of a second trip sight” and she was pretty spot on. In fact you could say that about all of 10e. Located more than walking distance from the banks of the Seine, this district is one of the city’s melting pots. Home to immigrants from all corners of the globe it represents a more modern Paris than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. But as rent price skyrocket in St-Germain and the city centre becomes more commercialised, the 10th is seeing a renaissance with regular restaurant and bar opening and a hip young crowd pushing in.

Porte St-Denis is worth a visit

For any visitor the most obvious drawcard of 10e is the Canal Saint Martin, a picturesque little canal with wooden locks and trendy bistros hidden under a canopy of trees. Take a stroll along here any day and you are bound to feel a million miles away from busy Champs-Élysées, but time it right and you could see exactly what it is that Parisians do during the weekend. On Saturday afternoons and all day on Sunday the streets on either side of the canal are closed to traffic and droves of cyclists and rollerbladers take over. If you fancy trying your hand on wheels during your visit to Paris check out Pari Roller, an association which organises a weekly skating tour of the city, following a different route every Friday. It’s a great way to meet people and see the city from a local’s perspective.

If you liked the Arc de Triumph and fancy seeing some more triumphal gates while you’re in Paris, check out the Porte St-Denis and the Porte St-Martin along Boulevard St-Martin. The Place de la Republique is another great outdoor space with loads of bars, restaurants and cafés lining it. Due for a renovation in 2012 that will see it become much more pedestrian-friendly, it’s a nice residential spot to stop for lunch.

Passage Brady, great for food

Another fantastic spot in the tenth arrondissement is Musée de l’Éventail. The Museum of Fans may not be everyone’s cup of tea but if you appreciate craftsmanship and would like to see a little slice of Paris’s history, it’s well worth the visit. Located on Boulevard de Strasbourg, the museum is based in a 19th century showroom with period furniture that’s just as sumptuous and evocative as you hope it will be. Exhibits include fans from the 18th century onwards along with the tools, materials and workspaces still used to restore these beautiful accessories. The museum is open from Monday to Wednesday from 2PM to 6PM and admission is €6.

For diners looking to venture outside the usual French bistro grub, Passage Brady is a great spot, full to bursting point with family-run Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani restaurants. Culture buffs should check out the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul, a modest but beautifully decorated chapel with not one but two exquisite organs.