This former working-class district overflows with small apartments, calm streets and small cobblestone courtyards. Long considered among the least expensive districts of Paris, large scale modernisation and improved transport links with Meteor, the recent automated subway line, is rapidly changing this point of view. The 13th is mainly a residential and business district. New investments and development continues producing buildings such as the extremely modern Bibliotheque Nationale de France.
Around Tolbiac is Paris’ china town with an incredible number of Chinese and Asian restaurants and shops and massive Oriental super stores.
The northwest maintains some of the charm of the Latin Quarter, while the outer areas give way to modern sky-rise blocks and industry. One of the most animated areas is the Place d’Italie and the avenue des Gobelins that joins the 5th arrondissement.
The 13th is relatively calm with plenty of green areas, good local commerce and reasonably priced properties, which makes it especially sought-after by families. It has a broad range of apartments from traditional to modern. Its location offers good access to the east and southern suburbs, as well as central Paris.
More traditional architecture is to be found to the north and more modern blocks to the southeast, which offer excellent views of the city which makes up for their lack of charm.
The picturesque area of La Butte aux Cailles, a little hill laced with narrow streets has become a little Montmartre for executives, with many older buildings that rarely exceed four stories.
