The 15th arrondissement: calm, vast, overlooked
Despite being Paris’s largest and most populous arrondissement, the 15th has a reputation for being rather quiet, some might even say dull. And yet, there’s more than enough to do, and a few genuinely lovely corners to prove the skeptics wrong.
Home to 230,000 people (the equivalent of Bordeaux’s population) the 15th still struggles to attract anyone beyond young families who couldn’t quite swing the rent in the 16th. Given the choice of an equally large and affordable place elsewhere in Paris, few would willingly settle here. Curiously, however, it remains popular with tourists, many of whom unsuspectingly book one of the countless hotels with ‘Eiffel Tower’ in the name (which, spoiler, more often than not don’t come with that coveted Eiffel Tower view).
The perfect place to experience everyday Parisian life
The 15th’s snoozeville reputation is both deserved and unfair. Granted, nightlife is thin on the ground. But calm, it turns out, has its advantages: lively streets, overlooked restaurants, and expanses of green claimed almost exclusively by locals, as tourists rush north to the usual attractions.
The arrondissement splits into four neighborhoods: Grenelle and Necker to the north, Saint-Lambert and Javel to the south. Between Grenelle and Javel, Beaugrenelle stands out with its high-rises and shopping complex. Rue du Commerce is another magnet for spending, lined with popular fashion chains and home to one of the city’s most stunning restaurants, Café du Commerce – though don’t get your hopes up for the food.
The main green spaces
One of the largest of the arrondissement’s 40-plus parks and squares is Parc Georges Brassens, named for the singer who once lived nearby. Set on the site of a former slaughterhouse, it now hosts a popular weekend used-book market.
Nearby, Parc André-Citroën’s tethered balloon offers wide city views, and the Petite Ceinture traces an old rail line now reclaimed as a green promenade. At the tip of the Île aux Cygnes, a small island in the Seine, a replica of the Statue of Liberty faces the water – one of six scattered across Paris.
Is the 15th the right place for you?
So, should you visit, or even stay, in the 15th? It depends. If you want to be in the thick of the action, walking to every hotspot and nightlife on your doorstep, this isn’t your arrondissement. But if you’re curious about real, slow Parisian life, the kind locals actually live, you’ll feel right at home.
Need help planning your trip?
One of Paris’s greatest joys, and its biggest curse if your time is short, is that there’s too much to see and do. Don’t get lost in planning: let us locals craft a custom itinerary so you can make the most of every minute.
