Looking up – the Secret Space Invaders of Paris

The Secret Space Invaders of Paris

(And why you’ll suddenly start looking up… everywhere)

You’re wandering through Paris, admiring balconies, dodging scooters, perhaps mid-croissant (or, like me, checking the name of the street (rue) you’ve just crossed as a breadcrumb back to base should your phone battery expire)

…and then you spot one.

A tiny, pixelated alien.
Perched high on a wall. Watching.

Welcome to the wonderfully quirky world of Paris’s Space Invaders mosaics – one of the city’s most playful (and slightly addictive) street art treasures.

So… What Are These Little Creatures?

They’re small mosaic artworks made from ceramic tiles, designed to look like characters from old-school 8-bit video games – especially the classic Space Invaders arcade game. 

Think:

• Pixel aliens 
• Retro ghosts 
• Occasionally, even Mona Lisa or baguette-inspired designs (very Paris) 

Each one is handmade and permanently fixed onto buildings – like a tiny piece of digital nostalgia brought into the real world.

Who Created Them?

The mastermind is a French street artist known as Invader (real name: Franck Slama, though he remains famously anonymous). He started placing these mosaics in Paris in the mid-to-late 1990s, inspired by the video games he grew up with. 

His idea?

To “liberate art” from galleries
To bring digital pixels into physical space
And to “invade” cities with playful, unexpected works 

Yes… he literally calls each city installation an “invasion.”

Why Are They There?

Because Paris needed a little mischief. But also, more meaningfully:

• Art for everyone – no tickets, no queues 
• A blend of digital + physical worlds 
• A global art game you can participate in 

In fact, Invader even created a scoring system and an app where people can “hunt” and log each mosaic they find – turning the whole city into a kind of real-life treasure hunt. 

(You know I love a little purposeful wandering… this is next-level.)

Where Do You Find Them in Paris?

Everywhere… once you start looking! Typical hiding spots:

• High up on building corners 
• Near street signs 
• Above doorways 
• Tucked into unexpected facades 

They’re often deliberately placed just out of easy reach – both for visibility and to avoid the tiles being souvenired. Hotspots include:

• Le Marais 
• The Latin Quarter 
• Montmartre 
• Around the Seine 

There are over 1,000+ mosaics in Paris alone – so yes, you’ll spot quite a few once your eye is in. 

And Here’s the Fun Part…

Once you see one… you can’t stop.

You’ll find yourself:

• Looking up at every corner 
• Scanning every wall 
• Quietly competing with yourself 

It becomes less about sightseeing…and more about spotting.

Are They Only in Paris?

Not even close. This is a global “invasion.” Invader has placed mosaics in:

• London 
• New York 
• Tokyo 
• Hong Kong 
• Los Angeles 
• Melbourne 
• And dozens more cities worldwide 

In fact:

• There are thousands of mosaics across 70–80+ cities globally 
• One has even made it to the International Space Station (because… of course it has) 

Paris, however, remains his most heavily “invaded” city – lucky us.

Final Thought (And a Little Challenge) 

Paris already invites you to slow down.

The Space Invaders give you a reason to:

• Look up 
• Notice more 
• And turn wandering into a game 

So next time you’re strolling along the Seine or getting lost in Montmartre…keep your eyes peeled.

Because somewhere above you, a tiny pixelated alien is waiting to be found.

Let us know if you’ve sighted these little critters – Paris, London, Melbourne, Tokyo or elsewhere- by dropping a line in the comments section!