Paris Bingo: Spot 30 Typically Parisian Things
Walk the streets, tick off the card, snap a photo of every typically Parisian thing you can find. From a baguette under the arm to a Wallace Fountain in a quiet square, this is a 30-item Paris bingo that turns any walk into a treasure hunt. No fixed route. Just keep your eyes open.
Challenges (30)
Spot the Eiffel Tower
Catch a clear view of the Eiffel Tower from anywhere in the city: a viewpoint, a side street, a reflection in a window. Photograph the tower in the frame.
Spot a croissant
Spot a croissant in someone's hand or in a boulangerie window display. The flakier and crescent-er, the better. Photograph it close-up.
Spot a baguette under the arm
Find someone carrying a baguette under their arm or in a string bag, the classic Parisian commute (or a shot of a single fresh baguette sticking out of a bakery shelf).
Spot macarons in a window
Find a patisserie with macarons stacked in the window. Ladurée and Pierre Hermé are the famous ones, but any patisserie display counts. Photograph the colours.
Spot an éclair
Spot an éclair (chocolate, coffee or vanilla) in a patisserie window or on a plate. The long fluted pastry with glossy icing. Photograph it.
Spot a fromagerie window
Find a cheese shop (fromagerie) window with cheeses stacked behind glass. The smell from the doorway is a giveaway. Photograph the display.
Spot red wine on a café table
Spot a glass of red wine on a Parisian café table. Frame the glass front and centre with the café terrace blurred behind.
Spot a tourist with a suitcase
Spot a tourist wheeling a suitcase down the street, especially near hotels, train stations or the Marais. Take a candid photo.
Spot an airplane over Paris
Look up and catch a plane in the sky over Paris (Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget all send planes overhead). Photograph it with a Parisian rooftop or landmark in the frame.
Spot a Parisian bicycle
Find a bicycle parked or being ridden, a Vélib bike-share, a vintage step-through or a courier on the move. Take a photo with the bike clearly in shot.
Spot a real beret
Spot a real beret worn by someone walking the street (not a souvenir-shop hat on a tourist costume photo). Take a candid photo.
Spot Parisian sunglasses
Find someone in stylish Parisian sunglasses, or a sunglasses shop window with a striking display. Photograph it.
Spot red lipstick
Spot red lipstick on someone passing, on a beauty-counter poster or as an advert in a metro corridor. The classic French signature.
Spot Parisian bistro chairs
Find a row of woven rattan bistro chairs facing the street outside a café (almost every café has them). Photograph them lined up.
Spot a Mona Lisa
Spot a Mona Lisa anywhere: a postcard rack, a souvenir-shop magnet, a parody mural, a metro poster, or the real painting if you brave the Louvre crowd. Photograph her enigmatic smile.
Spot the Arc de Triomphe in view
Catch a clear view of the Arc de Triomphe, ideally framed down a boulevard from one of the 12 avenues that radiate from it. Photograph it.
Spot the Moulin Rouge windmill
Find the red windmill of the Moulin Rouge in Pigalle, or a Moulin Rouge poster, sign or souvenir in any neighbourhood. The big red M tells you straight away.
Spot Notre-Dame
Get a view of Notre-Dame cathedral from the Île de la Cité or the riverbanks. Photograph the towers (the spire is being reinstated).
Spot the Sacré-Cœur silhouette
Spot the white domes of Sacré-Cœur, either from Montmartre up close or as a silhouette on the northern horizon. Photograph it.
Spot the French flag
Find a Tricolor flag flying on a building, balcony, museum facade or government building. Photograph the blue-white-red.
Spot a boulangerie storefront
Find a storefront with "Boulangerie" lettered on the awning or sign. They are on almost every block; photograph the sign.
Spot a patisserie sign
Find a storefront with "Pâtisserie" lettered above the door (often combined with Boulangerie). Photograph the sign.
Spot a Wallace Fountain
Spot a Wallace Fountain, the 2-metre dark-green cast-iron drinking fountain with four caryatids supporting a dome. Around 100 of them dot the city. Photograph one.
Spot an Art Nouveau Métro entrance
Find one of the surviving Art Nouveau "Métropolitain" entrances by Hector Guimard (green wrought iron, lily-of-the-valley lamps). Photograph the entry sign.
Spot a Haussmann balcony
Find a wrought-iron balcony on the fifth or sixth floor of a Haussmann-era building (the long continuous balconies that run across the facade). Photograph it from the street.
Spot a mansard roof
Spot a zinc-tiled mansard roof with dormer windows, the grey angled roof that gives Paris its skyline silhouette. Photograph the rooftops.
Spot a cobblestone street
Find a cobblestone (pavé) street, especially in the Marais, the Latin Quarter or Montmartre. Take a photo from low down so the stones lead the eye.
Spot a love padlock
Find a padlock locked to a bridge railing, fence or gate. The Pont des Arts had them removed in 2015 but Pont de l'Archevêché, the Pont Notre-Dame and Pont Marie still carry plenty. Photograph one.
Spot a bouquiniste
Spot the green riverside book boxes (bouquinistes) along the Seine quays. They sell second-hand books, prints and postcards. Photograph an open box.
Spot pétanque players
Find a group playing pétanque, the boules game with metal balls. The Place des Vosges, Jardin du Luxembourg and the Arènes de Lutèce are favourites. Photograph a throw or measurement.
Frequently asked questions
The duration is up to the organizer when they set up the adventure. As a guideline, a focused afternoon through tourist-heavy neighbourhoods (Marais, Île de la Cité, Saint-Germain, around the Eiffel Tower) ticks off most of the easy items, and stretching the game across a weekend lets a determined group complete all 30. Pick the time window that suits your group.
Each of the 30 items is a camera challenge. When you spot the thing, take a photo and submit it; the bingo card tracks progress. Play solo, with friends or split into teams and race to tick off the most items. The points add up if you want a competitive scoreboard.
Some items (Wallace Fountain, classic 2CV, pétanque players) are rarer than others. Focus on tourist-heavy areas for the easy items first, then sweep specific neighbourhoods (Île Saint-Louis for bouquinistes, Jardin du Luxembourg for pétanque, Pigalle for the Moulin Rouge) for the harder ones. Not every team needs every item; bingo lines and full cards are both winning conditions.
The 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th arrondissements hit most items in a short loop: Marais cobblestones, Latin Quarter cafés, Saint-Germain bistros, the Eiffel Tower views. Add Montmartre for Sacré-Cœur, Pigalle for the Moulin Rouge and the Seine quays for the bouquinistes. Vintage cars are most common around the 16th and the western neighbourhoods.
Yes. Kids love spotting flags, baguettes, dogs and macarons; adults enjoy hunting Haussmann balconies, the Wallace Fountain and Art Nouveau Metro entrances. No alcohol or specific paid stops are required. Pigalle (Moulin Rouge area) is adult-oriented after dark; daytime walks there are family-friendly.