Paris's hidden islands: The beautiful locations most tourists miss

Travellers who've been to Paris - or perhaps admired it on TV during the Olympics - will be familiar with the Ile de la Cite. That's the island in the Seine in the French capital's historic core; the one home to Notre-Dame Cathedral (which reopened late last year). But did you know about the other islands sprinkling the river in and around Paris? Some are in plain sight, others tucked away, but all have their own unique appeal. You don't need a boat to visit them. Bridges provide access for pedestrians (and cyclists) with good public transport links nearby.

The petite next-door neighbour of Ile de la Cite has a very different ambience. It's been a well-to-do residential neighbourhood since the 17th century when handsome townhouses and a Baroque church devoted to Saint-Louis mushroomed here. Pop inside for a peek at the church's pretty decor then carry on strolling along the island's narrow main street - Rue Saint-Louis en l'Ile - where chic boutiques and bistros will pique your interest. Though the island is pretty sleepy compared to Ile de la Cite, it doesn't always feel like that on a warm day - especially by Berthillon, which some Parisians swear serves the best ice-creams and sorbet in France. Established in 1954 and flaunting a distinctive wood-panelled facade, it usually has a few dozen flavours to choose from. Order a cone to go and savour it while ambling around Ile Saint-Louis' perimeter, surveying the Seine and the elegant buildings forming Paris's beguiling cityscape.

A great vantage point for photographing the Eiffel Tower is from Pont de Bir-Hakeim, a bridge that's often rattling with traffic - including Metro trains rumbling on the viaduct above. Unseen by most snap-happy tourists is a flight of steps leading in the opposite direction down to Ile aux Cygnes. Artificially created in 1827 to separate river traffic from the busy quays of the adjacent Grenelle district, it means "Isle of the Swans" in French.

There's no guarantee you'll see any graceful white birds (and their cute fluffy grey cygnets if you're here in the northern spring), but it's always a pleasure ambling along the tree-flanked avenue of this 850-metre-long island, which measures just 11 metres at its widest point. At its southern end, past the public workout area, is a sight that may leave you almost as open-mouthed as the characters in - spoiler alert! - Planet of the Apes. Soaring from a lofty plinth is a replica of the Statue of Liberty. About a quarter of the size of the one in New York's harbour, it was gifted by the USA to mark the centennial of the French Revolution (the original statue was, of course, made in Paris and shipped across the Atlantic).

Unless you're on a river cruise bound for Normandy, you ordinarily wouldn't see Ile Saint-Germain. It's on a bend in the Seine in the southwestern suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux, where workers buzz in and out of riverside offices and TV studios, and eat, drink and mingle at Les Halles d'Issy Biltoki, a trendy covered market and food hall.

Call in for some takeaway baguettes, cheeses and charcuterie - or perhaps some Colombian or Vietnamese fare - then head over to the island, spreading out a blanket on the rolling lawns of Parc Saint-Germain, which spans the island's eastern half. Guaranteed to attract your attention as you tuck into your lunch is Tour aux Figures, a surreal 24-metre-high sculpture that looks a bit like a giant piece by Pablo Picasso but was crafted by Jean Dubuffet, a pioneer of the Art Brut ("raw art") movement that developed in Europe after World War II. You can go inside the tower and climb its dizzying, labyrinthine staircase on weekend tours.

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If you caught the coverage of the 2024 Olympic marathons, you'll have glimpsed runners pounding past an unusual contemporary landmark with an egg-shaped glass dome. That's La Seine Musicale, a sustainably designed cultural hub masterminded by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and his French counterpart Jean de Gastines. It's on the western tip of Ile Seguin, an island next to Ile Saint-Germain that was, for most of the 20th century, dominated by a Renault factory. Staging everything from Chopin and Beethoven recitals to jazz and ballet, La Seine Musicale has a 6000-seat concert hall and a more intimate auditorium in the dome, beside which a sail harnesses solar power (and can rotate to provide shade from the summer sun). Look out for the offbeat sculptures edging the venue, notably a super-sized bronze thumb by Cesar Baldaccini and a steel spiral by Kohei Nawa.

Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Alfred Sisley are just some of the artists who used to hang out on this island. A rustic escape back then, it's now woven into the metropolitan sprawl, close to La Defense, a skyscraper-filled financial enclave west of Paris. Despite the luxury apartments, eclectic houses, restaurants and tennis courts, Ile de la Jatte still has a leafy side, with shaded riverside paths and boardwalks. To see just how much things have changed here since the 19th century, follow the four-kilometre-long circuit that's studded with boards displaying copies of the famous painters' works in the very spots where they flicked their brushes. You may be tempted to go off the island to the neighbouring suburb of Levallois-Perret, where you can hire little electric boats and buzz about the Seine. On the river's opposite bank, diagonally facing Ile de la Jatte, in Asnieres-sur-Seine, you'll find Rosa Bonheur a l'Ouest. Inspired by France's bygone guinguettes (taverns), it entertains a mixed crowd on its docked barge with drinks, tapas and live music. On a balmy evening, believe me, it's lovely to linger on the outside terrace with a glass of rosé. You could play petanque or simply gaze over the Seine, spying the sleek river cruise ships as they drift by.

Pictures: Shutterstock; Steve McKenna