Meet our property hunters in Paris 13th arrondissement

Perle Rare has finalised 15 flat purchases in this arrondissement since 2005. High-quality apartments in this neighbourhood go for €10 to €13,000/m² (excluding notary fees), while the official average price is €9,480/m².*

Located in the south-east corner of Paris, on the Left Bank of the Seine, the 13^th arrondissement is one of the areas which were officially attached to Paris in the late 19^th century. Originally an industrial, working-class district, the 13th underwent a major transformation in the late 20^th century and is still a living laboratory of urban development initiatives. A lively quarter full of surprises.

8 districts:
– Olympiades – Choisy
– Bièvre Sud – Tolbiac
– Patay – Masséna
– Bibliothèque – Dunois – Jeanne d’Arc
– Croulebarbe
– Salpétrière – Austerlitz
– Butte-aux-Cailles
– Nationale – Deux Moulins

Architectural diversity

The 13^th arrondissement is home to a number of historic institutions. The first among them, and standard-bearer for the area’s industrial heritage, is the Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins, founded by Louis XIV in a district which had already been at the heart of the textile industry for centuries. This magnificent building and exhibition space on the Avenue des Gobelins is a fine example of classical architecture, and now houses two museums. The Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière (Boulevard de l’Hôpital) is another of the arrondissement’s emblematic institutions, an immense medical complex whose oldest buildings date back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The rest of the arrondissement has undergone substantial changes, focused on regenerating the space left behind by the decline of industry in the city. The Esplanade des Olympiades on Rue de Tolbiac was at the forefront of this transformation in the 1970s. Surrounded by tower blocks containing some 3000 apartments, this immense concrete square is very much a product of the urban design philosophy of its era, but it is also much-loved by its residents. Just ask any resident – the view from the upper floors is breath-taking! Last but not least, the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand (Quai François Mauriac) and the new buildings of Projet Rive Gauche (especially on Rue Thomas Mann) reflect the 13^th arrondissement’s recently renewed sense of ambition.

A district bursting with character

The 13^th arrondissement is a place of multiple identities. For some, this is Paris’s Chinatown. The area is still home to a sizeable East-Asian community, particularly in the streets between Boulevard Masséna and Rue de Tolbiac. The Chinese grocery stores and restaurants are a firm favourite with both locals and students. For others, the 13^th is Paris’s university district. This is no surprise, since it is home to the Pierre Mendès-France campus (Université Paris I), the École Supérieure de Journalisme (on Rue de Tolbiac) and the Paris School of Business (Rue Nationale). The Bibliothèque Nationale, on Quai François Mauriac, also attracts students and researchers from all over the world. For other locals, the 13^th is all about the narrow streets of Butte-aux-Cailles. This unique corner of Paris is a village of small buildings and charming squares, in stark contrast with the skyscrapers and towers that dominate the south of the arrondissement. And as any resident of the 13^th arrondissement will tell you, what with the ring road, the tram, the Gare d’Austerlitz (for local and national trains) and the Métro, this is one of the best-connected parts of Paris.
Without renouncing its industrial, working-class heritage, the 13^th arrondissement has stridden into the 21^st century stronger and more attractive than ever, thanks to a host of innovative urban development projects and the thorough regeneration of the riverside quays. And local residents are understandably proud of the dynamic district they call home.

* Source: Chambre des Notaires – 4^th quarter of 2022. These are “net vendor” prices and not market prices (which are generally 4% higher)