In short
- What’s there: Tour Montparnasse, the Grenelle market, Parc André Citroën, Aqua Boulevard and Île aux Cygnes with the Statue of Liberty.
- Location: the Left Bank, from the Eiffel Tower in the north to Porte de Versailles in the south.
- Good to know: Tour Montparnasse stands in the 15th arrondissement, not in the 14th.
- Food markets: seven, including one that runs three days a week and one that runs only in the afternoon.
- Restaurants: I have no recommendations in this arrondissement as of today.
- Who it suits: families, and anyone who wants to be close to the Eiffel Tower at a reasonable price.
- Walking itineraries: one itinerary passes through the arrondissement, in the footsteps of Patrick Modiano.
The 15th is the most populated arrondissement of Paris and also, relatively speaking, the least visited, and that’s no coincidence. It’s a well-off residential arrondissement without big monuments, and whoever comes here comes for something specific: a view, a park or a market.
For markets it’s one of the richest in the city, with seven food markets, and two of them are unusual: one runs three days a week, and one only in the afternoon. For restaurants I don’t have recommendations here yet, and I’m saying so openly.
So before we set off, here is what you’ll find on this page: first the hotels and apartments I recommend in the arrondissement, then the attractions one by one, the seven food markets with their days and hours, and finally the walking itinerary.
Recommended Hotels in the 15th Arrondissement of Paris
The 15th is a good choice if you want to stay close to the Eiffel Tower at the price of a residential arrondissement, or if you’re arriving by train at Montparnasse. If you’re not sure what suits you, answer three questions and I’ll pick from my recommendations:
My personal pick
Which hotel in the 15th arrondissement suits you?
One short question, and I will pick out of the places I already checked and wrote about on the site the ones that fit the trip you are planning.
One moment, I am going over my recommendations to find what fits you…
Prefer to go through all my recommendations yourself, with photos and details on every hotel? Here is my page of recommended hotels in the 15th.
Recommended Apartments in the 15th Arrondissement of Paris
With seven markets and no restaurant recommendations, an apartment with a kitchen is the most practical idea in this arrondissement. Here too, you can let me choose:
My personal pick
Which apartment in the 15th arrondissement suits you?
One question about the area, and I will filter the apartments I checked and wrote about on the site. The apartments I recommend directly get booked very fast, so I added excellent Booking.com apartments that I hand-picked for my readers.
One moment, I am going over my recommendations to find what fits you…
Want to see all the apartments I recommend, with photos and details? Here is my page of recommended apartments in the 15th.
Attractions in the 15th Arrondissement of Paris
These are the sights I recommend in the 15th, and two of them are completely free.
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My pick for a view
Tour Montparnasse
To me the most sensible viewpoint in Paris, for a very simple reason.
The reason is simple: from Tour Montparnasse you see the Eiffel Tower, and from the Eiffel Tower you see Tour Montparnasse. The tower was completed in 1973 and is so ugly that after it, the city decided to limit building heights in central Paris, which is why it still stands out on the skyline. Note that the tower is in the 15th arrondissement and not in the 14th, even though the neighborhood around it is called Montparnasse.
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Free entry
The Grenelle Market (Marché Grenelle)
The market under the elevated metro line, on Wednesdays and Sundays.
What makes this market special is the setting: the stalls stand on the central strip of the boulevard, under Line 6, which runs above ground here. From the eastern end of the market you can see the Eiffel Tower between the pillars, and that is one of the truly Parisian pictures. I wrote about this market separately.
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Free entry
Parc André Citroën
A modern park on the grounds of the old Citroën factory, with greenhouses and fountains.
The park opened in 1992 on the site of the car factory of André Citroën (1878–1935), and its design is geometric and cool, the complete opposite of a classic French garden. In summer the jumping fountains are full of kids, and a tethered hot-air balloon rises from the park to a height of about 150 meters. The balloon costs money, the park doesn’t.
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Good with kids
Aqua Boulevard
The largest water park in Paris, and the answer to a rainy day with kids.
It’s not exactly what you come to Paris to see, but anyone spending a week in the city with kids understands the value of a place like this on a rainy day. There are slides, wave pools and a heated outdoor area, and it’s open in winter too. Check the age limits for the slides before you promise anything.
More Attractions in the 15th Worth Knowing About
These are places I haven’t written a separate article about yet, but if you’re wandering around the arrondissement, it’s good to know they’re there:
| Place | Address | Why stop there |
|---|---|---|
| Île aux Cygnes and the Statue of Liberty | Between the Pont de Bir-Hakeim and the Pont de Grenelle | A narrow artificial island in the middle of the Seine, with a replica of the Statue of Liberty at its tip, looking toward New York |
| Musée Bourdelle | 18 Rue Antoine Bourdelle | The home and studio of the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861–1929), a student of Auguste Rodin (1840–1917). The permanent collection is free |
| Parc Georges Brassens | 2 Place Jacques Marette | A park named after Georges Brassens (1921–1981), on the site of an old slaughterhouse, with an urban vineyard and a preserved clock tower |
| The Brassens secondhand book market | 104 Rue Brancion | A market for old and used books on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., in the pavilions of the old slaughterhouse |
| Musée Pasteur | 25 Rue du Docteur Roux | The apartment and tomb of Louis Pasteur (1822–1895), kept as they were. By appointment |
| Beaugrenelle | 12 Rue Linois | A big shopping center on the river, and from the restaurant rooftop you get a view of the city |
Tours and Activities in the 15th That Might Interest You
Show me more activities in Paris
And if you’re looking for attractions in other parts of the city, my Paris attractions page brings them all together in one place.
Restaurants in the 15th Arrondissement of Paris
I’ll say it openly: as of today I don’t have a single restaurant recommendation in the 15th, and I’d rather tell you that than fill the section with names I haven’t checked. What I can recommend: Rue du Commerce is full of bistros and food shops that aren’t aimed at tourists, and at the Grenelle market on Wednesdays and Sundays you can buy food and eat it in the park.
Looking for recommended restaurants in other arrondissements? My page of recommended restaurants is organized by type of cuisine and by arrondissement, and the neighboring 14th and 7th are a short metro ride away.
Food Markets in the 15th Arrondissement of Paris
Seven food markets, and two of them are unusual: the Convention market runs three days a week, and the Georges Brassens market runs on Fridays from noon until eight in the evening. The details come from the website of the 15th arrondissement town hall.
| Market | Address | Days and hours | Métro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marché Grenelle | Boulevard de Grenelle, between Rue de Lourmel and Rue du Commerce | Wednesday and Sunday 7:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. | La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle |
| Marché Convention | Rue de la Convention | Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 7:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. | Convention |
| Marché Saint-Charles | Rue Saint-Charles, between Rue de Javel and the Saint-Charles roundabout | Tuesday and Friday 7:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. | Charles Michels |
| Marché Lecourbe | Rue Lecourbe, between Rue Vasco de Gama and Rue Leblanc | Wednesday 7:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Saturday 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. | Balard or Lourmel |
| Marché Lefebvre | Boulevard Lefebvre, between Rue Olivier de Serres and Rue Dantzig | Wednesday and Saturday 7:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. | Porte de Versailles |
| Marché Cervantès | Place Wassily-Kandinsky, 60 Rue Bargue | Wednesday and Saturday 7:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Volontaires |
| Marché Georges Brassens | Place Jacques Marette | Friday only, 12:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. | Bus 89 |
The Cervantès market is the smallest of them, with only about ten stalls, and the Saint-Charles market has about forty stalls, some of them organic. On my markets page you’ll find the recommended markets in the rest of the city.
Walking Itineraries in the 15th Arrondissement of Paris
I don’t have an itinerary that takes place entirely in this arrondissement, but one of my itineraries passes through it.
Want all the itineraries I’ve written, by arrondissement and by theme? My page of walking itineraries in Paris brings them all together.
The Next Step in Your Trip
The 15th is very big, so I recommend picking one end: the tower and the Musée Bourdelle in the east, or the parks and the river in the west. To the north, the Eiffel Tower and the 7th arrondissement are waiting, and to the east, Montparnasse and the 14th arrondissement.
And if you want to be ready for every scenario ahead of time, my complete Paris guide brings together everything I’ve learned. Have a wonderful trip, and don’t forget to go up to the viewpoint for me.
