Walk from Butte aux Cailles to Indochinatown
Set off through the streets of the 13th arrondissement of Paris on an architectural and cultural discovery.
From wide avenues to the village of Butte aux Cailles with its small streets, charming squares and villas, you will be exposed to many different aspects of the neighbourhood.
Continue your journey to the heart of the Indochina district and discover the mysteries of this place which echoes the history of refugees from Southeast Asia who came here in the 70s and 80s. Discover unusual places of worship and also shops selling exotic fruit and products with mysterious names, meet the Asian community... and you will know everything there is to know about this district. And of course, take the time to try out some typical Asian dishes!
Discovering street art and monuments in the 13th arrondissement
The 13th arrondissement is also a must for street art lovers.
Discover the capital’s emblematic phenomenon through the biggest Parisian frescoes and many works by world-renowned French and international street artists (Obey, C215, Miss Tic, Seth etc.).
Many artists have chosen to express their talent in Butte aux Cailles, an island of greenery and cobbled streets in the heart of the city.
Tall buildings around Place d'Italie create a very different panorama. This is where the city hall of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, in collaboration with Galerie Itinerrance, has allowed a hundred world-renowned artists to cover huge walls, creating a true open-air museum dedicated to modern street art and neo-muralism. Work on this gigantic site is still in progress, all along metro line 6 above ground.
Follow a guided tour of the 13th arrondissement to find out all about street art and its different techniques such as graffiti, stencil, collage, installations, yarn bombing, eco-graffiti...
Around Parc de Bercy and the BnF
Enjoy a guided walk on the theme of street art to discover these unusual districts around the Seine.
These districts are the result of two operations to rehabilitate former industrial sites and are still changing and giving a new image to the capital. Parc de Bercy in the 12th arrondissement is notably home to the French Finance Ministry, the Palais Omnisports Paris-Bercy (AccorHotels Arena) and the Cinémathèque française. On the other side of the Seine, in the 13th arrondissement, the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), can be discovered during a guided tour.
There are other unusual hidden sites, such as the former Moulins de Paris, which have been converted into a university, Bétonsalon, a contemporary art centre, the 3 Abbé-Pierre gardens and of course the series of buildings that mark out avenue de France, up to Porte d’Ivry - including a project by Ricciotti (the architect for MUCEM in Marseille).
Cultural and cosmopolitan walks in the south of the 13th arrondissement of Paris
Upon arriving in Ivry-sur-Seine, continue your journey off the beaten track and take a fresh look at Grand Paris thanks to the Passeurs de cultures (“culture smugglers”).
With life stories, cultural exchanges, and historical and heritage itineraries based on migration, these “culture smugglers” invite you to meet the locals and discover the towns of Val-de-Marne from a different angle, that of immigration past and present.
During the walks, these amateur guides tell the story of their city by recounting personal stories and by speaking to the men and women they meet along the way, who, through their involvement locally, contribute to the character of their neighbourhoods. These discussions reveal the cultural, heritage, social and economic wealth from migration that makes up Val-de-Marne. More than a simple tour, it is a life course that is unveiled to visitors...
Four guided walks to listen to and experience are on offer: Stories of exile in Fontenay-sous-Bois, Left Bank Right Bank in Choisy-le-Roi, Female exile in Ivry-sur-Seine, The “Castors” of the Jardin parisien in L'Haÿ-les-Roses.
So, are you ready for a trip to the lesser-known parts of Grand Paris?
All the walks presented here and many others besides can be booked at https://www.tourisme-valdemarne.com/explore-paris