in short
- What's there: Louis Vuitton Museum, Marmottan Monet, Yves Saint Laurent, Museum of Man, Wine Museum, Aquarium, Trocadero and Bois de Boulogne.
- Location: West Paris, from the Trocadero in the east to the Bois de Boulogne in the west.
- What to know in advance: Most museums here are closed on Mondays, and the Wine Museum is also closed on Sunday.
- Food markets: Eight, and two of them are indoor and open almost all week.
- Restaurants: Only three recommendations, and that reflects the character of the neighborhood.
- Who is it for: For those who love museums without lines and are looking for peace.
- Itineraries: Four routes pass through the district, and no route takes place entirely within it.
The 16th arrondissement is the largest of the Paris districts after the 12th, and to my mind the least understood of them all. It is a quiet bourgeois district that most visitors to Paris skip, and it is precisely in it that a number of museums are concentrated that are unlike any other district.
What's interesting about this district is the combination: four major art museums, eight food markets, two of which are indoor, and a huge forest on the western edge. In terms of restaurants, my list is small, only three.
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 museums and attractions one by one, the restaurants I send people to, the eight food markets with the days and hours, and finally the itineraries.
Recommended hotels in the 16th arrondissement of Paris
The 16th arrondissement is suitable for those looking for peace and quiet and for those who are coming to Roland Grosse or Parc des Princes, and less so for those who want to go out and find a bistro. 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 16th 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 16th arrondissement page.
Recommended apartments in the 16th arrondissement of Paris
With eight markets and two indoor markets open all week, an apartment with a kitchen in this district is a logical choice. Here too, you can let me choose:
My personal recommendation
Which apartment in the 16th 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 16th arrondissement page.
Museums and attractions in the 16th arrondissement of Paris
These are the sites I recommend in the 16th arrondissement. Note that most museums here are closed on Mondays, and sometimes on Sundays as well.
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My recommendation
Louis Vuitton Museum (Fondation Louis Vuitton)
Frank Gehry's structure is in the heart of the forest, and the building itself is more impressive than the view.
The structure opened in 2014 and consists of twelve glass sails that wrap around the body of the building. What you should know in advance: The balconies and rooftops are half the visit, and from them you can see the forest and the city. The museum is closed on Tuesdays, and it is worth checking what is on display before buying a ticket, because the exhibits change.
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Impressionism
Musée Marmottan Monet
The world's largest collection of Monet's works, in a private house near the forest.
The museum holds about a hundred works by Monet, including the painting “Impression, Sunrise” that gave the entire movement its name. The painting was stolen from here in 1985 and returned a few years later. To me, this is a museum where you can work for an hour and a half at leisure, without the crowds of D’Orsay.
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Fashion
Musée Yves Saint Laurent
His own fashion house, with the original workshop preserved as it was.
The museum is housed in the building where Saint Laurent worked for thirty years, and the most exciting part of it is the workshop itself, which has been left with the workbench, pencils, and drawing board. The museum is small, an hour is enough, and the exhibits change according to theme.
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The view of the tower
Museum of Man (Musée de l'Homme)
The Anthropology Museum in the Trocadero wing, with the Eiffel Tower visible from its windows.
The museum is about one question: where we came from, who we are, and where we are going. The main hall was renovated and reopened in 2015, and works well with school-age children. An unspoken bonus: From the restaurant and balconies, you have one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower, without the crowds of the square.
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Closed Monday and Sunday
The Wine Museum (Le M. Musée du Vin)
A museum inside the cellars of a 15th-century monastery, with a tasting at the end.
The museum is housed in limestone quarries that were carved between the 13th and 18th centuries, and later served as the wine cellar of the monks of the Pess Monastery. The collection includes over two thousand items related to wine and winemaking, and there is also a restaurant on site. Please note: The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 18:00 PM and closed on Mondays and Sundays.
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Works with children
Aquarium de Paris
An aquarium inside the hill below the Trocadero, and a good solution for a rainy day.
The aquarium is located in an abandoned quarry beneath the Trocadero Gardens, and has been operating in various incarnations since the mid-19th century. What works especially well with children is the touch pool and shark passage. I wrote about the place separately, with information on tickets and hours.
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Free entrance
Trocadéro Gardens
The space from which the Eiffel Tower is photographed, and the gardens below it.
Most visitors go up to the plaza, take pictures and return, and miss what's below: entire gardens with fountains, statues from the 1937 World's Fair and an artificial cave. What is worth knowing: The best side for taking pictures is the eastern steps, not the center of the plaza. I wrote about the gardens separately.
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Free entrance
Boulogne Forest (Bois de Boulogne)
The western forest of Paris, two and a half times the size of Central Park.
The forest was a royal hunting ground and Napoleon III turned it into a public park inspired by Hyde Park in London. Inside it are the Louis Vuitton Museum, the Botanical Garden, a children's playground and two horse racing tracks. In my opinion, it is worth coming there with a specific destination and not just wandering around, because it is huge.
Other attractions in the 16th 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? |
|---|---|---|
| Palais de Tokyo | 13 avenue du Président Wilson | The largest contemporary art center in Europe, open until late in the evening |
| Paris Museum of Modern Art | 11 avenue du Président Wilson | In the same building, and the permanent collection is free. There is the Matisse wall. |
| Guimet Museum | 6 Place d’Iéna | Europe's largest collection of Asian art, and its rotunda library is beautiful |
| Balzac House (Maison de Balzac) | 47 Raynouard street | The house where Balzac wrote and fled from the Nazis. Municipal museum, permanent collection, free admission |
| Palais Galliera Fashion Museum | 10 avenue Pierre 1er Serbia | Paris City Fashion Museum, temporary exhibitions only |
| Roland Gross and Parc de France | Southwest end of the district | Paris Tennis Stadium and Football Stadium, both with guided tours |
Tours and activities in the 16th 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 16th arrondissement of Paris
In the 16th arrondissement, my list is small, three recommendations, and that reflects the neighborhood: few restaurants that target visitors, and many places that cater to neighborhood residents and close early.
| the restaurant | Type | Address | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| The White Sheep | French classic | 40 Rue d'Auteuil | An old auberge in the heart of Auteuil, where, according to tradition, Molière and Racine ate |
| Substance | On the radar | 18 Rue de Chaillot | A Michelin-starred restaurant that's on my radar, and it's worth booking weeks in advance. |
| Bistrot Le 90 | French classic | 90 Tower Street | A neighborhood bistro in the Psi area. I couldn't find an active official website for it. |
Looking for restaurants in other neighborhoods? My recommended restaurants page is organized by cuisine type and neighborhood.
The food markets of the 16th arrondissement in Paris
Eight food markets, which is the highest number I've come across so far. Two of them are open indoors and open almost all week, and the most interesting of them to me is the President Wilson market, which is considered one of the best in Paris and where chefs shop. The data is from the 16th arrondissement municipality website.
| The market | Address | Days and hours | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| President Wilson Market (Marché Président Wilson) | Avenue du Président Wilson, between rue Debrousse and square Iéna | Wednesday 07:00 to 13:30, Saturday 07:00 to 14:30 | Alma-Marceau or Iéna |
| Auteuil Market | Rue d'Auteuil, place Jean Lorrain | Wednesday 07:00 to 13:30, Saturday 07:00 to 14:30 | Michel-Ange-Auteuil |
| Marché Amiral Bruix | Boulevard de l'Amiral Bruix, between rue Weber and rue Marbeau | Wednesday 07:00 to 13:30, Saturday 07:00 to 14:30 | Porte Maillot |
| Gros-La Fontaine Market | Rue Gros and rue Jean de La Fontaine | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 13:30 | Ranelagh |
| Point du Jour Market | Avenue de Versailles, from rue Le Marois to rue Gudin | Tuesday and Thursday 07:00 to 13:30, Sunday 07:00 to 14:30 | Exelmans |
| Porte Molitor Market | Boulevard Murat, Porte Molitor Square | Tuesday and Friday 07:00 to 13:30 | Auteuil gate |
| Passy Covered Market (Marché couvert de Passy) | Corner of rue Duban and rue Bois-le-Vent | Tuesday to Saturday 08:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 19:00, Sunday 08:00 to 13:00 | The Mute |
| Saint-Didier Covered Market (Marché couvert Saint-Didier) | 23-25 rue Mesnil | Monday to Friday 08:00 to 19:30, Saturday 08:00 to 13:00 | Victor Hugo |
The Saint-Didier market is one of the only two indoor markets in Paris that are also open on Mondays. On my markets page you will find recommended markets in other neighborhoods of the city.
Itineraries in the 16th arrondissement of Paris
In this district, I don't have a route that takes place entirely within it, and four 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 16th arrondissement is too big for one day, so I recommend choosing: the Trocadero and the museums around it in the east, or the forest and the Louis Vuitton Museum in the west. To the east, the Arc de Triomphe and the 8th arrondissement await , and to the south, the 15th arrondissement.
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 come down from the plaza to the gardens for me.
