in short
- What's there: Bastille Square, Atelier des Lumières, Edith Piaf Museum and Sainte-Marguerite Church.
- Location: The Right Bank, from the Bastille in the south to Belleville in the north.
- What to know in advance: The Edith Piaf Museum is open by appointment only.
- Food markets: Five, and the Bastille Market is one of the largest in the city, on Thursdays and Sundays.
- Restaurants: Seven recommendations, from a classic bistro to a Michelin-starred restaurant.
- Who is it for: For those looking for food and nightlife, not for those looking for monuments.
- Itineraries: One route passes through the district and continues east.
The 11th arrondissement is the most populated district in Paris, and this is evident when it comes to food and nightlife. Instead of monumental attractions, there are five food markets and seven restaurants here that I recommend.
What is there historically is the Place de la Bastille, which is where it all began in 1789 and there is nothing to see there, because not a stone remains of the fortress. For those who still come to see art, there is the disciplinary place in Paris for digital exhibitions.
So just before we get going, let's talk about what you'll find on this page: first the hotels and apartments I recommend in the district, then the attractions one by one, the seven restaurants I send people to, the fifty food markets with the days and hours, and finally the itineraries.
Recommended hotels in the 11th arrondissement of Paris
The 11th arrondissement is a good choice for those who want to be where Parisians actually live, and less so for those who need to go to bed early. If you're not sure what's right for you, answer three questions and I'll choose from my recommendations:
My personal recommendation
Which hotel in the 11th arrondissement is right for you?
One short question, and I'll filter for you from the accommodations I've already checked and written about on the site what's suitable for the vacation you're planning.
Just a moment, I'll go through my recommendations and look for what suits you...
Prefer to go through all the recommendations yourself, with photos and details about each hotel? Go to my recommended hotels in the 11th arrondissement page.
Recommended apartments in the 11th arrondissement of Paris
With five markets in one district, an apartment with a kitchen here is just what you need. Here too, you can let me choose:
My personal recommendation
Which apartment in the 11th district is right for you?
One question about the area, and I'm sifting through the apartments I've reviewed and written about on the site. Up until now, I've recommended Udi's apartments directly here, but they're snapped up very quickly, so I've also included some great apartments from Booking.com that I handpicked for my readers.
Just a moment, I'll go through my recommendations and look for what suits you...
Want to go through all the apartments I recommend, with photos and details? Go to my recommended apartments in the 11th arrondissement page.
Attractions in the 11th arrondissement of Paris
These are the sites I recommend in the 11th arrondissement. Note that one of them is only open by appointment, and this is not the place to go without checking.
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A must visit
Atelier des Lumieres
The first digital art center in Paris, in a preserved foundry.
Housed in a 19th-century foundry, the original walls and floor are just what you need for a projection screen. The exhibits rotate and focus on a different artist each time, so it’s worth checking out what’s on before you buy a ticket. I find this works really well with kids, who don’t have to stand still in front of a frame.
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By appointment only
Edith Piaf Museum
A small private apartment that has been turned into a museum, and entry is by prior arrangement only.
This is not a museum in the usual sense, but a private collection in a fan's apartment, with dresses, photographs and Piaf's belongings. Visits are only possible by appointment and in very small groups, so don't plan on just stopping by. Piaf herself was born not far from here and is buried in Père Lachaise, and you can connect them with a single walking trail.
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Free entrance
Bastille Square (Place de la Bastille)
The place where the revolution began, and today not a single stone remains.
The fortress was completely demolished in the two years after 1789, and its stones were sold as souvenirs. What remains is a line of stones in the floor marking the site of the wall, and a remnant of the foundations is displayed inside the metro station itself, on line 1. The column in the center of the square is not from the 1789 revolution but from 1830.
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Free entrance
Sainte-Marguerite Church
A fairly quiet church, and in its courtyard is a tomb over which historians have been arguing for a hundred and fifty years.
According to tradition, Louis XVII, the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who died at the age of ten in the Temple Prison, was buried in the churchyard. The question of whether it was really him has haunted scientists and historians for generations, and a DNA test of the heart preserved in Saint-Denis has settled the matter. I wrote about the full story separately.
Other attractions in the 11th District worth exploring
These are places that I haven't written a separate article about yet, but if you're walking around the neighborhood it's worth knowing that they're there:
| the place | Address | Why stop there? |
|---|---|---|
| July Column (Colonne de Juillet) | In the center of Bastille Square | A monument to the revolution of 1830, not 1789, and at its base a mass grave |
| Opéra Bastille | Place de la Bastille | The modern opera house from 1989, which presents the major productions of Paris |
| Viaduct Street (Rue de Lappe and Rue de la Roquette) | West of Bastille Square | The center of the district's nightlife, streets of bars and restaurants until the wee hours |
| Rue Oberkampf | Rue Oberkampf | The street that gave the district its current reputation, with small bars and graffiti |
| Viaduct of the Arts (Viaduc des Arts) | On the border of the 12th arrondissement, avenue Daumesnil | Old railway arches that have been turned into artists' workshops, topped by the Coke Vert |
| Saint-Ambroise Church | 71 bis boulevard Voltaire | A 19th-century church with two towers, in the heart of a commercial area with no tourists |
Tours and activities in the 11th Arrondissement that might interest you
And if you're looking for attractions in other neighborhoods of the city, my Paris attractions page brings them all together in one place.
My recommended restaurants in the 11th arrondissement of Paris
This is the district where a lot is happening culinary-wise, and my list here is particularly diverse: from classic bistros to Michelin-starred, including a cat cafe.
| the restaurant | Type | Address | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chez Paul | French classic | 13 Rue de Charonne | A bistro that hasn't changed in a long time, and anyone who comes for meat comes here |
| The Painter's Bistro | French classic | 116 Av. Ledru Rollin | An Art Nouveau bar from 1902, and the design alone is worth the visit |
| Origins | איטלקי | 85 Rue de Charonne | A small Italian on a street full of restaurants, yet still stands out among them |
| Alluma | Israeli chef | 151 Rue Saint-Maur | Contemporary Israeli cuisine in Paris, and it's not as obvious as it sounds |
| The Cat Cafe | coffee shop | 9 Rue Sedaine | Cat cafe, works with children and requires advance booking |
| Santa Carne | On the radar | 3 Bd Richard-Lenoir | A meat place that entered my radar, next to the Bastille Market |
| AMÂLIA | On the radar | 32 Rue de la Fontaine au Roi | Michelin-starred, so it's worth booking weeks in advance |
Looking for restaurants in other neighborhoods? My recommended restaurants page is organized by cuisine type and neighborhood.
The food markets of the 11th arrondissement in Paris
Five food markets in one arrondissement, second in number after the 12th arrondissement, including the Bastille Market, which is one of the largest in the city with about a hundred stalls. Note that on Sundays, part of the Bastille Market becomes organic. Data from the 11th arrondissement municipality website.
| The market | Address | Days and hours | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bastille Market (Marché Bastille) | Boulevard Richard Lenoir, between rue Amelot and rue Saint-Sabin | Thursday 07:00 to 14:30, Sunday 07:00 to 15:00 | Bastille |
| Charonne Market | Between 129 bd de Charonne and rue Alexandre Dumas | Wednesday 07:00 to 14:30, Saturday 07:00 to 15:00 | Alexandre Dumas |
| Pere Lachaise Market | Boulevard de Ménilmontant | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 14:30 | Ménilmontant |
| Popincourt Market (Marché Popincourt) | Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, between rue Oberkampf and rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 14:30 | Oberkampf |
| Belleville Market (Marché Belleville) | Belleville Boulevard | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 14:30 | Wreaths |
Belleville Market is the cheapest in Paris and oriental in nature, and in my opinion it is worth a visit for exactly that reason. In addition to these five, the district also has Le Food Market, a street food market that takes place twice a month on Boulevard Belleville on Thursdays. The dates change from month to month, so it is worth checking before you go. On my markets page you will find recommended markets in other neighborhoods of the city.
Itineraries in the 11th arrondissement of Paris
In this district, I don't have a route that takes place entirely within it, and one route passes through it and continues east.
Want all the itineraries I've written, by district and by theme? My Paris itineraries page has them all.
The next step in your trip
The 11th arrondissement stretches from Bastille in the south to Belleville in the north, making it easy to combine with its neighbors. To the west lies the Marais and the 4th arrondissement , and to the east lies Pere Lachaise and Belleville.
And if you want to be prepared for any scenario, my comprehensive Paris guide brings together all the knowledge I've accumulated for you. Have an amazing trip, and don't forget to stand up for me.
