Hen party ideas in Paris that skip the clichés

A great hen party doesn't need a limo or a sash that says Bride Tribe. Most of the time, the bride-to-be just wants a real moment with the people she loves, something that actually feels like her, that everyone keeps talking about for years. Paris has plenty of original hen party ideas that skip the usual clichés. Ours, unsurprisingly, are the creative ones.

A creative workshop for a hen party?

It's the one idea that wins everyone over, even the ones who "can't draw". You take over the whole place, create together around a theme picked for the bride, and everyone leaves with a handmade souvenir. At Artichaut, our café-studio in Montmartre, you can privatise the workshop for your group: up to 20 people, two crafts to choose from, a drink on us, and zero pressure on skill.

Paint and sip, the safe bet

A brush in one hand, a glass in the other, a canvas guided step by step by an artist: paint and sip has become a hen party classic, and for good reason. It's festive, easy for everyone, and it makes for great photos. You laugh, you paint, you clink glasses, and by the end everyone has their own canvas to take home. Perfect to kick off the day or carry it into the evening.

How many people, what's the budget?

For a private creative workshop, count on from €35 per person for two hours, drink included. That's a fair price for an activity that actually keeps the group busy, unlike a lot of "surprises" that fall flat fast. We adapt to the group size, from six friends to about twenty, the formula holds up either way.

Where to do it in Paris?

North Paris and Montmartre work well for a hen party: you can easily chain the workshop, a lunch and a walk up the hill. Our address, 82 rue Lamarck, is built for groups, warm and relaxed, nothing like a factory line. Tell us your plan and we'll figure out the theme together.

• Up to 20 people, two crafts to choose from
• From €35 per person, drink included
• A theme tailored to the bride-to-be