What to do in Paris when it rains 

At the further end of leafy Place Dauphine, one of the city’s most appealing squares, looms the huge facade of the Palais de Justice and the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle, built by Louis IX between 1242 and 1248 to house a collection of holy relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns and a fragment of the True Cross, bought at extortionate rates from the bankrupt empire of Byzantium. Though much restored, the chapel remains one of the finest achievements of French High Gothic. Its most radical feature is its seeming fragility - created by reducing the structural masonry to a minimum to make way for a huge expanse of exquisite stained glass. The impression inside is of being enclosed within the wings of a myriad brilliant butterflies.

It’s easy to be put off by tales of long queues outside the Pyramide and in front of the Mona Lisa, but ultimately, the draw of the mighty collections of the Louvre Museum is irresistible. It’s wise not to attempt to see too much - even if you spent the entire day here you’d only see a fraction of the collection. The museum’s size does at least make it easy to get away from the crowds - beyond the Denon wing you can mostly explore in peace and you can always step outside for a break. From the Hall Napoléon under the Pyramide, stairs lead into each of the three wings: Denon (south), Richelieu (north) and Sully (east). Few visitors will be able to resist the allure of the Mona Lisa, in the Denon wing, housed along with the rest of the Louvre’s Italian paintings and sculptures and its large-scale French nineteenth-century canvases. A relatively peaceful alternative would be to focus on the grand chronologies of French painting and sculpture, in the Richelieu wing. For a complete change of scene, descend to the Medieval Louvre section on the lower ground floor of Sully.

Opposite Pont de Sully, you can’t miss the bold glass and aluminium mass of the Arab World Institute. Designed by Paris’s favourite modern architect, Jean Nouvel, its broad southern facade, which mimics a moucharabiyah, or traditional Arab latticework, is made up of thousands of tiny, photosensitive metallic shutters. Inside, its museum aims to present a broad history of the Arab world, going back as far as prehistoric times (the oldest exhibit, a statuette of an earth goddess from Jordan, dates from the seventh century BC). The institute also puts on temporary exhibitions and concerts of Arab music, and there’s a library and specialist bookshop. Up on the 9th floor, the terrace offers fabulous views of the city, especially downriver towards the apse of Notre Dame.

Behind the handsome facade of a former railway station, the Musée d’Orsay is one of Paris’s top attractions. While famed for its electrifying collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, in fact the Orsay highlights a broad range of French painting and sculpture dating between 1848 and 1914. One of the most famous pieces to see here is Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait. You could spend almost a day meandering through the whole place, but it’s easy enough to confine your visit to a specific section or two. Note that the museum occasionally rearranges rooms and swaps paintings to make space for new acquisitions. There are three places to eat: the resplendent restaurant on the second floor, gilded in stunning period style; the postmodern Café Campana on level five (don’t miss the wonderful view of Montmartre through the giant railway clock) and, for cheaper drinks and snacks, the tiny Café de l’Ours on the ground floor. Exploring the Musée d’Orsay is certainly one of the best things to do in Paris when it rains.

Explore some of Paris' smaller museums: the Musée Carnavalet is the City of Paris Museum, which traces the history of the French capital from prehistory to the present day. The permanent collections are free to visit. The collection is housed in the sumptuous setting of a 17th century mansion in the heart of Le Marais.

While you're in the area, head to the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), where the Mayor of Paris regularly organizes free exhibitions in the lounges. You may also prefer the cosy atmosphere of the Guimet Museum where you will discover the wide range of Asian arts.

Probably one of the most popular choices whether it's raining or not, Paris' creepy Catacombs are open every day except Monday. Back in the 18th century when the Cemetery of the Innocents became too crowded, the bones were dug up and moved to the passageways of the quarry. The underground labyrinths were created by building works - these were the stones that built Paris. You'll be greeted at the entrance with the words "Arrête, c'est ici l'empire de la mort" - which means "Halt, this is the realm of Death" - one of the many poems and verses you'll see throughout the tunnels, reflecting on life and death. Once inside, you'll see the bones of famous people from the French Revolution, such as Charlotte Corday, Danton and Robespierre.

If you’re looking for some shopping indoors, the Forum des Halles is a fantastic choice. The Forum des Halles centre is spread over four levels. On the bottom level is the métro/RER station, where five métro lines and three suburban lines intersect, used by some 750,000 commuters a day. The other levels accommodate numerous shops, mostly international high-street fashion chains; there’s also a decent Fnac bookshop, a swimming pool and a number of cinemas, including the Forum des Images.

Even if you don't like shopping, there's definitely another reason to go inside Paris' famous shopping centres. The beautiful Art Nouveau glass roof at Galleries Lafayette is one of them: look up and you'll also see the carved balconies of the store.

More than 120 million people a year visit the luxury Parisian department stores on Boulevard Haussmann. If your budget doesn't stretch that far, don't worry: the enticing displays cater for the window shoppers, too. If you're into fashion, head to the iconic Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville in Le Marais, or shelter inside Bon Marché, on the Left Bank, the world's first department store.

The "Belle Epoque" building at Angelina, on rue de Rivoli, is home to the perfect hot chocolate. Thick, comforting, with a little whipped cream pot on the side, all served up in an elegant and refined tearoom, which is the essence of Paris. If you're feeling really decadent, try the classic at Angelina -  the "Mont Blanc". It's a meringue with whipped cream and chestnut puree, a big hit with Parisians since 1903.

Want to curl up and watch classic 1950s movies in tiny rooms? Head to the Latin Quarter. Alternatively, venture into one of the newer multiplexes. Two of the best places to go are the MK2 Quai de Seine and Quai de Loire, they're opposite each other, separated by the Ourcq canal. They've got spacious and plush seats, including the famous chairs for lovers - the armrests are movable. 

At the beginning of the 19th century, architects built hundreds of covered passages or galleries, to connect the narrow streets and buildings. Emperor Napoléon III's renovation of the city centre saw many of the 150 passages bulldozed, but fortunately there are still 30 left. Think pretty paving, windows and fine architecture, all protected from the rain. Perfect. The Grands Boulevards was historically the place “to see and be seen", or there's the Passage des Panoramas, the oldest Paris walkway. It has exquisite period fixtures. Close by is the luxurious Rue Vivienne, with its mosaic floor and boutiques, or the iron-and-glass covered arcade of Passage Brady.

Walking round parks might be out of the question, but the city's greenhouses are another story, like the Jardin des Plantes. These listed buildings had their fragile 19th century metal structures renovated in 2010. Going inside feels like stepping into one of the Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, the fictional French heroine of Tardi's historical novels. There are four natural worlds to explore: tropical plants, cacti, and species from New Caledonia, as well as a section on the history of plants.

The butterfly house and aviary in the Bois de Vincennes Floral - the "green lung of Paris”, is home to some of the finest insect specimens in the world. Or see rare, tropical plants thriving in the warm atmosphere in the botanical gardens of the Greenhouses of Auteuil in Bois de Boulogne. 

The Recycling Plant is a concept place, as well as being a cool bar and party venue. You'll find it near the flea market at Porte de Clignancourt, where what was once a disused station off the ring road, is now a highly respected, eco-friendly place full of surprises. On the off chance you've got an old lamp that needs fixing, drop into René's workshop  - he'll fix it for you. He's a one-man band though, so there might be a long wait. The affordable organic food at the Café-Cantine of recyclerie might be a better bet (they also cater extremely well for vegetarians and vegans) if you're pushed for time.