The 12th district of Paris has always been apart from the rest of Paris, along with the 20th district. Lesser visited by tourists because of its lack of historical monuments, it also used to be a poor district in Paris. But it has recently attracted many Parisians because of the boom in prices in all the other districts.
Since then, it has become more classy but it still has this “popular” vibe that makes all its charm.
If you are looking for historical monuments and history, the 12th district is not the place to go: this area of Paris is more dedicated to enjoying life (there are more restaurants and shops than anywhere else in paris).
If are visiting Paris, and the 12th district more particularly, you should first try to avoid the expensive Parisian hotels and try to stay in local apartments.
With real estate being at its highest level, many Parisians rent their apartment or B&B through online platforms like Wimdu. It is cheaper than hotels, often of better quality, and you will often get good tips from your hosts on where to go and what to see.
One of the big characteristic of the 12th district is the presence of a strong Italian community and therefore a very high density of Italian restaurants in the area. One of the best ones is Assaporare, a little Italian restaurant located near the Bastille (7 rue Saint Nicolas). It is the restaurant of Giuseppe Lo Casale, an architect who loved to cook so much that it became a half-time job. He created this cosy restaurant with two of his friends, and it is now fully booked every night of the week.
And, because good food never comes without good products, he brings back personally the food from Naples! He also created another little Italian bar not far from there (75 avenue Ledru-Rollin), where you can have a glass of Italian wine (selected by Eric Beaumard, the world’s best Sommelier) and some Italian cheese and charcuterie.
As the 12th district is all about enjoying life, you should also go through the Marche d’Aligre, one of the exciting outdoor markets in this area. It is always very crowded, but you always get to taste free food even if you do not buy!
Also, you will have noticed that there are not a lot of green spaces in Paris. Well, the 12th district is one of the only places where there actually are some. The “Bois de Vincennes” is the most popular one, mainly because of its lake: there, you can rent a boat and go for a little trip on the water. A lot of locals love to come here to escape from the stressful Parisian life.
And most of all, there are only very few tourists in the 12th district, so it is an opportunity to discover what living in Paris really feels like!
Photo credit: © Maurice Rougemont
This post was provided by Wimdu. For sponsorship and advertising opportunities, see our work with us and advertising pages.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
