Mosquee de Paris

You can't go more than a few blocks in Paris without running into a centuries old church and sometimes a long line to get in. Paris' only mosque take a little more searching, but there's no line. What's more, they have Hammam baths that are open to the public. I went Saturday morning and for 43 euros you get entrance to the baths, black salt, a massage, a body scrub, and mint tea (I hate tea, so I skipped the last part).
Visiting the baths is like stepping into the Middle East (or so I imagine, I've never actually been to the Middle East). The walls are covered with tiles and stained glass windows. You go through a series of rooms like saunas, mostly covered in marble, that get progressively warmer. The first room has marble enclaves where you adjust to the heat and relax. Then you move into the back room with warmer marble on one side and an even warmer area with a cold pool. Initially the room feels unbearably hot, especially around the pool. After a while it feels wonderful. I spent two hours between the pool and the sauna rooms with some black salt in between. My skin felt amazing afterwards, and I don't know that I've ever been so relaxed. I'm hoping one of my guests wants to go so that I can justify another visit. Photos aren't allowed inside, so you'll have to use your imagination.

Afterwards I had lunch at the cafe. I ordered chicken cous cous and they brought a feast.