in short
- What's there: The Butte Wo Kai neighborhood, Chinatown, the Tapestry Factory, the National Library and Street Art.
- Location: The Left Bank, south of the 5th District.
- Tickets: Almost everything is free to enter, and only the Gobelins requires a guided tour by prior arrangement.
- Food markets: Seven, including an evening market that operates on Fridays until 20:30 PM.
- Restaurants: I have no recommendations in this district as of today.
- Who is it for: For those looking for Asian food, street art, and cheap accommodation.
- Itineraries: Two routes pass through the district, and neither route takes place entirely within it.
The 13th arrondissement is the arrondissement that doesn't try to please anyone, and that's exactly what makes it interesting. On one side are concrete towers from the 70s, on the other a neighborhood of low-rise houses that looks like a village, and in the middle is Europe's largest Chinatown.
In terms of markets, this is the richest district I've come across so far, with seven food markets, including one that only operates in the evening. In terms of restaurants, however, I don't have a single recommendation yet, and I'm saying that openly instead of filling in the blank with something I haven't checked out.
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 food markets with the days and hours, and finally the itineraries.
Recommended hotels in the 13th arrondissement of Paris
The 13th arrondissement is one of the cheapest places to stay in Paris, and with line 14 and the RER the center is within fifteen minutes. 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 13th 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 13th arrondissement page.
Recommended apartments in the 13th arrondissement of Paris
With seven markets and an entire Chinatown, an apartment with a kitchen in this district is the logical choice. Here too, you can let me choose:
My personal recommendation
Which apartment in the 13th 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 13th arrondissement page.
Attractions in the 13th arrondissement of Paris
These are the sites I recommend in the 13th arrondissement, and two of them are entire neighborhoods and not buildings that you enter into them.
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Free entrance
Butte-aux-Cailles neighborhood
A neighborhood that looks like a village in the heart of Paris, and in the eyes of the surprising corner of the district.
The neighborhood was built on a hill above the Biabar River, and its soft soil did not allow for tall buildings. That's why low houses from the late 19th century remain here, along with cobblestone streets and graffiti on every corner. Note the public pool from 1924 that is still in operation, and the fountain in the square from which spring water is refilled for free.
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Free entrance
Paris' Chinatown
The largest Asian quarter in Europe, and the place to eat at prices you won't find in the center.
The neighborhood was created in the 70s, when the concrete towers built here were left empty and inhabited by immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The interesting center is the Tang Frères supermarket, which is an experience in itself, and is surrounded by small noodle restaurants. In February, the big Chinese New Year parade in Paris takes place here.
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By appointment
The Gobelins Factory (Manufacture des Gobelins)
The workshop was opened by order of Louis XIV, and to this day, they weave by hand.
Colbert, Louis XIV's finance minister, realized that France was losing money on imported carpets, and established a royal manufactory to produce them locally. The method has not changed since: an experienced weaver completes a few square centimeters in a day's work, and one carpet takes years. Entry to the workshops is by guided tour only, and it is advisable to book in advance.
Other attractions in the 13th 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? |
|---|---|---|
| National Library (BnF François-Mitterrand) | Quai François Mauriac | Four towers shaped like open books, with a sunken forest in the center that can be seen but not entered. |
| The Open Street Art Gallery | Boulevard Vincent Auriol | Dozens of huge murals on building facades, from an ongoing urban project |
| Piscine Joséphine Baker | Quai François Mauriac | A floating pool on the Seine with a retractable roof, and in the summer you can swim right above the river. |
| Les Frigos | 19 rue des Frédérick Lemaître | An abandoned refrigeration building that has been transformed into one hundred and fifty artist workshops. Open to the public on limited open days. |
| La Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital | 47 Hospital Boulevard | The Louis XIV complex with a domed church. Formerly a women's mental asylum, where Schreck worked |
| Place d'Italie | Place d'Italie | The central square of the district, from which it branches off into neighborhoods and markets |
| Station F | 5 forecourt Alan Turing | A huge train depot from 1929 that has become the world's largest startup center. The building is worth a look from the outside |
Tours and activities in the 13th 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.
Restaurants in the 13th arrondissement of Paris
I'll say it openly: As of today, I don't have a single restaurant recommendation in the 13th arrondissement, and I'd rather say that than fill the space with names I haven't checked out myself. What I can say with confidence: the district's Chinatown is one of the best places in Paris for reasonably priced Asian food, and in the triangular space between the three streets there are dozens of restaurants to choose from.
Looking for recommended restaurants in other neighborhoods? My recommended restaurants page is organized by cuisine type and by neighborhood, and the neighboring 5th and 12th neighborhoods are close by metro.
The food markets of the 13th arrondissement in Paris
Seven markets, more than any other district I've covered so far. The exception is the Paris Ribeauvillé market, which operates on Fridays from 10 a.m. until evening, convenient for those who can't get up at 7 a.m. The data is from the 13th arrondissement municipality website.
| The market | Address | Days and hours | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auguste-Blanqui Market (Marché Auguste-Blanqui) | Boulevard Auguste Blanqui, between Place d'Italie and rue Barrault | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 13:30, Sunday 07:00 to 14:30 | Corvisart or Place d'Italie |
| Jeanne d'Arc Market | Place Joan of Arc | Thursday 07:00 to 13:30, Sunday 07:00 to 14:30 | National or Olympiades |
| Blanche Food Market (Marché Maison-Blanche) | Avenue d'Italie, between rue du Tage and rue du Moulin de la Pointe | Thursday 07:00 to 13:30, Sunday 07:00 to 14:30 | White House |
| Vincent-Auriol Market | Boulevard Vincent Auriol, from number 64 to rue Jeanne d'Arc | Wednesday 07:00 to 13:30, Saturday 07:00 to 14:30 | Chevaleret or Nationale |
| Bobillot Market (Marché Bobillot) | Rue Bobillot, between place de Rungis and rue de la Colonie | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 13:30 | Tolbiac |
| Salpêtrière Market | Boulevard de l'Hôpital, along square Marie Curie | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 14:30 | Saint-Marcel |
| Paris Rive Gauche Market | Rue Jean Anouilh | Friday only, 10:00 PM to 20:30 PM | Francois Mitterrand Library |
On my markets page you will find recommended markets in the other neighborhoods of the city.
Itineraries in the 13th arrondissement of Paris
In this district, I don't have a route that takes place entirely within it, and two routes pass through it.
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 13th arrondissement is large and sprawling, so it's worth choosing between two routes: the Boulogne-Billancourt and the Gobelins in the west, or Chinatown and the National Library in the east. To the north, the Latin Quarter and the 5th arrondissement await.
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 raise your head and look at the walls for me.
Zvi, thank you very much for your wonderful website. We spend a lot of time in France (our daughter lives in Lyon). On our last trip, we had to get there through Paris, so we decided to spend a few days here, but we wanted a different perspective, not the same tourist attractions.
Thanks to your website, we discovered the 13th arrondissement, and for that, we are very grateful. We are enjoying every moment, both the stroll through the arrondissement, the restaurants, and now on our way to the Tapestry Museum.
Hi Gloria. Glad to hear the site was helpful to you 🙂