A hilltop village of bars and murals, Europe's largest Chinatown, walls turned into an open-air gallery and four glass towers shaped like open books — the 13th is the city most visitors never see.
Street-art safaris, a village-and-bar crawl, a deep dive into Asian Paris and a historic tapestry works — the 13th rewards the curious. A hand-picked selection, most with free cancellation.
Decode the monumental murals of Boulevard Vincent-Auriol and the lanes of the Butte-aux-Cailles with a guide who knows the artists and their stories.
Taste your way through Europe's largest Asian quarter — dumplings, pho, bubble tea and bakeries around avenues de Choisy and d'Ivry with a local foodie.
Hop between the cooperative bistros and lively bars of the hilltop village with a small group — the convivial heart of local nightlife.
Tour the royal tapestry works that have woven masterpieces since the 17th century — the workshops that gave the neighbourhood its name.
Discover Dominique Perrault's four open-book towers, the hidden forest at their heart and the bold riverside district rising around them.
Glide past the BnF, the floating Joséphine-Baker pool and Bercy on a sightseeing cruise along the city's quieter, modern eastern reach.
No two streets of the 13th feel alike. A hilltop village, an Asian metropolis, a riverside of glass towers and a boulevard of giant murals all sit within a few metro stops — this is Paris at its most unexpected and most alive.
A hilltop village of cobbled lanes, low houses, bars and street art — once a workers' quarter, now the festive, bohemian heart of the arrondissement.
Europe's largest Asian quarter fills the 'triangle de Choisy', beneath the modernist Olympiades towers — supermarkets, restaurants and a famous New Year parade.
Boulevard Vincent-Auriol — the 'Champs-Élysées of street art' — and the Galerie Itinerrance have turned blank façades into monumental murals.
Four glass towers shaped like open books rise over the Seine around a sunken forest — Dominique Perrault's bold 1996 landmark, anchor of Paris Rive Gauche.
The royal tapestry works, weaving masterpieces since the 1600s — and the source of the 'Gobelins' name that locals give this whole corner of Paris.
The great roundabout at the heart of the 13th, ringed by the town hall, a grand cinema and shopping — the gateway between its very different villages.
From a Basque institution on the Butte to a steaming bowl of pho in Chinatown, the 13th is one of the best-value, most varied places to eat in Paris.
A Butte-aux-Cailles institution: generous Basque and southwest plates, heaped salads and a buzzing, no-frills atmosphere at gentle prices. Expect a queue.
A worker-run cooperative bistro on the village's main street — hearty French cooking, a warm room and a slice of the Butte's independent spirit.
A Chinatown landmark near Porte de Choisy — vast menu of dim sum, roast meats and noodle soups, fast and authentic. A local rite of passage.
Famous for some of the best pho in Paris — fragrant beef broth, generous bowls and a permanent queue out the door. Cash-friendly and quick.
A cosy Butte-aux-Cailles tea room with dozens of loose-leaf teas, weekend brunch and a knitting-friendly vibe — a gentle pause off the bar circuit.
A Chinese junk moored on the Seine below the BnF — a bar and gig venue under the rigging, for a drink and live music on the water.
A village, a Chinatown, a cathedral of books and a wall of murals — the landmarks that make the 13th unlike anywhere else in Paris.
A hilltop village of cobbled streets, bars, bistros and street art around Rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles and Rue des Cinq-Diamants. Best explored on foot.
A listed 1920s Art Deco swimming pool fed by a natural artesian spring — an outdoor basin and brick-vaulted indoor hall, beloved by locals.
The largest Asian quarter in Europe, around avenues de Choisy and d'Ivry and the Olympiades — supermarkets, restaurants and the New Year parade.
The national library's four open-book glass towers around a sunken forest, by Dominique Perrault (1996) — exhibitions, reading rooms and a belvedere.
The royal tapestry works, weaving since the 17th century, with a gallery and guided tours of the looms. The namesake of the Gobelins quarter.
The lime-green Cité de la Mode et du Design on the Seine, the floating Joséphine-Baker pool and the modern riverside quarter rising around the BnF.
Every village street, mural, market and table of the 13th on one interactive map. Filter by category, or click a place to locate it and open its links.
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements that spiral outward clockwise from the centre, like a snail. The 13th is the south-eastern corner of the Left Bank, running from the Manufacture des Gobelins and Place d'Italie down to the Seine and the BnF.
It's a big, contrast-filled arrondissement — a hilltop village, a Chinatown and a modern riverfront — but Place d'Italie and metro line 14 connect it quickly to the rest of the city.
Since 2025 the system has been simplified: paper tickets are gone, replaced by the contactless Navigo Easy card or your phone. A single Métro/RER ticket is now a flat fare, and a day pass quickly pays for itself if you ride often.
For door-to-door directions, the Bonjour RATP and Citymapper apps are the most reliable companions.
Place d'Italie is the hub, with the driverless line 14 and RER C linking the riverside library district to the rest of Paris. Here are the essentials.
A few practical essentials to make your visit to the 13th arrondissement smooth and stress-free.
The Butte-aux-Cailles is loveliest in spring and on warm evenings when terraces fill up. For Chinatown, time your trip with the Chinese New Year parade (late January or February) for the full spectacle.
Walk Boulevard Vincent-Auriol on foot, and look up — many murals cover whole buildings. Line 6 runs overground here, so the metro itself offers great mural views.
Cards are accepted almost everywhere; some Chinatown spots and small bars prefer cash. Service is included by law; rounding up for great service is appreciated, never expected.
Pho, dim sum and bubble tea in Chinatown; hearty Basque and bistro fare on the Butte. Both are excellent value — and the queues usually mean it's worth it.
Many Butte shops close Sunday and Monday; the swimming pool and Manufacture des Gobelins keep set hours — check before you go. Chinatown restaurants run late.
The magic of the 13th is in its side streets — Petite Alsace, the Cité Florale and the Bièvre's bronze pavement plaques reward the curious wanderer.
Compare stays, tours and experiences across the platforms travellers know best.
Each Paris arrondissement has its own guide. Hover the map to reveal a district's name, then click to open its dedicated site — you are currently in the 13th.
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