Chinatown(s) in Paris
Posted on April 19, 2014 by Susie Hollands
Image: Passion Leica
Where to go if you wanting to discover Paris’ most Asian-influenced areas – restaurants and shops to fill your stomachs and pantries with the best of the East.
Nouveau Chinatown:
The 3rd; an area with many Chinese wholesalers, a micro Chinatown on the edge of a hip area, the Marais and close to Centre Pompidou. The prices for flats in this area rose steeply but the savvy international buyer will still steer clear as there are still a lot of unattractive storefronts, loading and unloading at all hours etc. Some Parisian Mansion buildings (Hotel Particuliers) are hiding behind grand 18th century doorways. There has been an influx of young galleries, around rue Chapon.
The streets to look out for are: Rue au Maire, Rue Volta , Rue du temple , Rue Michel Le Comte
Traditional Chinatown:
The 13th was colonised by Asian immigrants in the 70s. It is a work and day place, great for eating and shopping Asian. The area is clustered around Place d’Italie, rue de Tolbiac.
Northern Chinatown:
Around the Belleville Métro is melting pot Paris with a strong Asian influence, a mix of Chinese, Vietnamese as well as North African and Jewish. This is Hipsterville with a burgeoning art scene and a large artist population seeking cheap rents and industrial workspaces. Gentrifying at pace.
