Paris' 15th arr. -- what can you tell me about it?
 

My wife and I are planning a two-week stay in Paris' 15th arr. and we would like to pick your brains about what we should do, where we might eat, and what we should not miss. Yes, we've been to Paris several times, but this is the first time we have time to spare, want to explore on foot, and generally soak in the ambience. Being in our 70s, night life is only a rumor.

Hi USNR,

Where will you be in the 15th?

Have you looked up Paris under "destinations"?

How much walking can you do?

Are you interested in daytrips?

((I))

Hi, ira

We will be near the Charles Michel metro stop. We're great walkers -- helps keep us young. I am 78 and my wife is 75.

Day trips? Yes, so long as it is on public transportation. We've been to Rouen, Versailles, Fontainbleau, and Chartres on earlier day trips. Never been to Chantilly, Beauvais, Reims, etc. Have explored far afield in Brittany and Normandy. I must do all the driving, so I've come to realize that the train or bus might be more relaxing for us. Any suggestions would be most welcome. I've sifted through all the Paris bits under "destinations," but the filter seems poor on this web site. Besides, it gets out of date -- we will be in Paris in late October, early November. So many of the summertime places either might be closed or out of season?

Two weeks in Paris in late October? How lovely! Other day trip options include Angers (90 minutes from Paris by TGV) or Brugge (2.5 hours by train; you could also do guided bus tour, would not recommend driving to either). Both should still be lively and attractive as ever at that time of year.

I remember that Christina posted some comments in the past about the St Charles location... here are some copy/pastes:

Author: Christina
Date: 10/31/2004, 11:53 am
I would guess the Sofitel is a nicer hotel, also, but I would choose the Novotel for the location. I've stayed near there and, as others have said, it's not far at all from the Charles Michel metro stop. Also, I think that Monoprix is a nice one (one of the better ones, actually) and don't know how would could miss the metro if one was near that Monoprix as it's only about a block away. I know lots of good restaurants around there -- several on rue St Charles, ave Emile Zola, rue des Entrepreneurs, etc.

I don't like the Bercy area at all, myself. At least the area around St Charles is a regular residential neighborhood, and there are tons of great small food shops on rue St Charles (a couple excellent boulangeries, in particular).

Author: Christina
Date: 01/03/2005, 02:06 pm
sure, although I can't remember them all so maybe have some notes at home.

One of my favorite bistros in Paris is Bistro Champetre on rue St Charles (a couple blocks south of the metro stop Charles Michels--I think address is 107 rue St-Charles, it's on the east side of street). They have excellent prix fixe dinners for 31 euro (that includes everything, even wine and dessert).

There is also a decent typical French restaurant almost across the street from them (I think Chez Francois or something).

Le Tire Bouchon at 62 rue des Entrepreneurs is very good (doesn't look like much from outside -- has been reviewed by P. Wells in IHT if you want to search their archives) and has prix fixe for around 35 euro, and Le Petit Plat at 49 ave Emile Zola is also good.

For Vietnamese, Kim Anh at 15 rue de l'Eglise is very good.

Just curious, why the 15th? You can put the addresss in pagesjaunes.fr and see where you will be in relation to places. There is also a site that you can find all the restaurants around an area. I'll see if I can find that note of mine.

yeah, I still recommend those restaurants -- I was just at Bistro Champetre in July, I always go once every trip.

The 15th is a large arrondisement, a nice place to live, it's too large to characterize easily. Of course, it's not as "old" as the sections near the Seine and doesn't have that type of very old buildings and architecture. I'd suggest you get the book "Guide des Promeneurs" on the 15th arrondisement which lists a lot of local, specific information on the area and things to see. They used to have that in the large newstand at place Charles Michels. rue St Charles is a very good market street, with several good bakeries and specialty food shops of all kinds. There is also a very large Monoprix not far away on rue Linois (to the west a block or so). That's near a kind of modern shopping center which has a movie theater complex in it which does have some VO movies, if you want.

I also like the area around square St-Lambert very much, and there is an excellent arty film movie theater there (the St Lambert, as I recall). There are good restaurants if you want in-between there and the west, just discover things yourself. Square Violet is a very nice little park just a bit wewst of Felix Faure metro stop.

Hi USNR,

Your stop is on the no 10 Metro.

You can visit the Musee Marmottan (2, rue Louis-Boilly) for the Monet's by taking the metro direction St. Cloud to either Michel Ange stop and transferring to the no. 9 to Ranleigh.

www.ratp.fr will give you directions to anywhere in the city.

I am told that the Saturday market from Place de Breteuil along Ave. Saxe is very good. 09:00 – 13:00 Metro Duroc line 10

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

Thank you! You've given us plenty of tips. Actually, we are renting an apartment and will have the time to do a lot of exploring. Post-trip report? Of course!

The 15ième is shock-full of art nouveau buildings. Just off the rue des Entrepreneurs there is a whole complex from around 1910. You can't miss it if you keep your eyes open. Keep on waqlking down to the end of the street, and you will come acorss the very nice square St. Lambert. A couple of clock before it, on the left side of the street, there is a great grocery store--expensive, but with wonderful fruit. On the other side of the sqaure St. Lambert is the mairie of the 15ième. If you can, go see the murals in its salle des fêtes. Continue to the rue de Vaugirard, make a left and an immediate right in the square Vergennes (it looks like a private street). Admire the building at the end, a recently restored Robert Mallet-Stevens house. In another direction, toward the Seine, there is the square Bela Bartok, which is a jewel among the modern buildings. It would be on the way to the Eiffel tower from the Charles-Michel métro stop. Walking up the rue St. Charles, there is an excellent bakery on the left side of the street. You can't miss it as it is advertised as "un meilleur ouvrier de France."

If you like poking around antiques ,,try Village Suisse on Ave de Suffern, #38-78..open Thursdays thru Mondays

Thirza Vallois has a series of books about arrondissements. I suggest you get her Paris the 13th-20th arrondissements" book.

She has an overview of the history of each and then a number of walking tours.

She has books for the 1st -7h and the 8th -12th as well.

Enjoy!

I you enjoy walking and are looking for a day trip I strongly recommend Senlis, one of the most charming towns in France, with a fine ensemble of 16th-18th century architecture on cobbled streets, about an hour and 15 minutes from Paris by train from the Gare du Nord to Chantilly and then bus from Chantilly to Senlis. You could also visit the Chantilly chateau on this trip, and it's well worth it.

The 15e holds two records in Paris :

1) It's the most populated arrondissement, I think over 200,000 inhabitants

2) It's the only Paris arrondissement withouth any major monument, apart from the houses that Michael has cited.

Personnally, I find it very boring and out of the way, but you'll be safe all right. Nasty people in Paris say that it is where people who can't afford to live in the 16th (supposedly the most exclusive area) come to live. It's a bit like being in the provinces in Paris!

Do go to Chantilly and Senlis. I think you would enjoy both. Check on the horse performances at Chantilly for that time of the year.

I'm a denizen of the vibrant 11th arrondissement, but I don't agree with Art about the 15th. Too me, it's normal rather than boring. It IS a quite a haul to some parts of the arrondissement from the center of the city, but I think this distance has contributed to the large and varied commerce of the 15th. I especially like the area around the Convention Metro, lively with plenty of shops.

http://www.ratp.info/Proxi/proxi.php...7311%262427021

I don't know if that link will work but it is from www.ratp.fr then go to "plan de quartier" and put in your apartment address. A lot of things will come up. The bus lines nearby. There is a button you can click and get a list of restaurants, etc. It is particularly good for bus lines because it shows the stop for the right direction--not always "just across the street".

For more Art Nouveau, Castel Beranger (Guimard) is at 41 Rue LaFontaine.

See also http://tinyurl.com/exgos

((I))

I agree with Dave, also, it just seems like a nice normal residential area to me (if it's where people who can't afford the 16th live, that's hardly a bad thing). Sure, it doesn't have major monuments, so what? I think it is a nicer area to stay than many neighborhoods on the Right Bank, actually, I just prefer Left Bank better, even in terms of the non-touristy arrondisements (although Dave might disagree since he lives in the 12th, but I much prefer the 15th to the 12th).

The area around Convention metro is nice, but I stayed very near rue St Charles and Convention, and liked that area, also. Convention is a major shopping street (more around Convention metro), but it still has some shops way on the west -- like a Dallyou's pastry, Mephisto shop, etc.

Ave Emile Zola is worth strolling for restaurants, also.

This is my old neighbourhood and unlike the rest of the 15th it is very well connected. At least 3 buses and 2 metros and the river! Yes, there is the 2 story monoprix there and Zola colour which has house supplies, paints etc. The hotel Nikko (? spelling) on the river used to allow non-guests to swim in their pool.

btw: the comment that people live in the 15th only because they cannot afford to live in the 16th made me laugh. The 15th is mostly middle class but so are many other areas of Paris... many residents of the 15th could not afford to live in the same size apartments in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th OR 16th ;)