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A romantic temple on a cliff above a lake, a science city and a great concert hall, canal quays for walking and summer swimming, and a hidden hilltop village — the 19th is the green, cultural, easygoing north-east of Paris.
Two huge parks, a world-class concert hall, a science city and miles of canal — the 19th is made for slow days outdoors and big culture indoors. A hand-picked selection, most with free cancellation.
Climb to the Temple de la Sibylle on its island cliff, cross the suspension bridge and wander the lake and grotto of Paris's most romantic park.
Europe's largest science museum at La Villette — hands-on exhibits, a planetarium, a submarine and the mirrored Géode dome cinema. Great for families.
Jean Nouvel's spectacular concert hall — world-class orchestras, the Musée de la musique, and rooftop views over the park. Check the season's programme.
Stroll or cruise the Bassin de la Villette and Canal de l'Ourcq — café terraces, an open-air cinema in summer, and boat trips down to the Canal Saint-Martin.
A collection of over a thousand instruments and art objects at the Philharmonie — from Baroque lutes to a Stradivarius and Frank Zappa's guitar.
Wander the cobbled lanes and flower-filled "villas" of the Mouzaïa, a hidden quarter of tiny low houses — one of the most surprising corners of Paris.
The 19th is built around two of the city's biggest green spaces — the romantic Buttes-Chaumont and the cultural Parc de la Villette — laced together by the Bassin de la Villette and the Canal de l'Ourcq. Add hilltop villages and a buzzing food and music scene and you have one of Paris's most easygoing arrondissements.
Cliffs, a lake, a grotto with a waterfall and the Temple de la Sibylle on its island — Paris's most dramatic and romantic park, built on a former quarry in 1867.
The largest park in Paris — themed gardens and red follies, a science city, a concert hall and an open-air cinema in summer. Culture and lawns side by side.
Jean Nouvel's silvery concert hall, home to world-class orchestras and the Musée de la musique, with a rooftop terrace overlooking the park.
The Bassin de la Villette — the largest lake in Paris — and the Canal de l'Ourcq: quays for walking and cycling, café terraces, boat trips and summer swimming.
A surprising hidden village of cobbled lanes and flower-filled "villas" of tiny low houses, on the heights between the Buttes-Chaumont and Place des Fêtes.
The Cité des Sciences — Europe's largest science museum — with the mirrored Géode dome, a planetarium, a real submarine and the children's Cité des Enfants.
From a guinguette in the park to a canalside brewery and a historic meat-market brasserie, the 19th eats like a relaxed, local Paris — terraces, world flavours and waterside drinks, well off the tourist trail.
A beloved open-air guinguette inside the park — Mediterranean tapas, pizza and drinks, with concerts, DJs and dancing. A true Parisian institution.
A historic grill-brasserie of the old La Villette cattle market — superb steaks, a côte de bœuf carved at the table and a timeless Parisian dining room.
A warm neighbourhood bistro by the Buttes-Chaumont, blending Parisian brasserie classics with refined French-style pizza. A reliable local favourite.
A craft micro-brewery on the Bassin de la Villette, with a floating terrace right on the water — house beers, sharing plates and one of the best canal sunsets.
A stylish brasserie on the Villette plaza, facing the Philharmonie — a handy, buzzing spot for a meal or a drink before a concert or a film.
A leafy terrace tucked among the trees of the Buttes-Chaumont — tapas, cocktails and a festive après-park atmosphere in warm weather.
A romantic park temple, a science city, a great concert hall and a canal basin — the places that give the green, cultural 19th its character.
One of Paris's largest and most dramatic parks — cliffs, a lake, a grotto with a waterfall and the Temple de la Sibylle perched on an island. Open daily.
Europe's largest science museum at La Villette, with hands-on galleries, a planetarium, a submarine and the mirrored Géode dome cinema.
Jean Nouvel's landmark concert hall, home to the Orchestre de Paris and the Musée de la musique, with a rooftop walk above the park.
The biggest park in Paris — red follies, themed gardens, the Zénith, the Grande Halle and an open-air film festival on the great lawn each summer.
The largest artificial lake in Paris, lined with cinemas, café terraces and boat trips, and a supervised swimming spot in summer during Paris Plages.
Over a thousand instruments and art objects at the Philharmonie, from a Stradivarius to electric guitars, with daily mini-concerts among the displays.
The parks, cultural venues, canals and tables of the north-east. Click a marker — or a list item — to see what's there.
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements that spiral outward clockwise from the centre, like a snail. The 19th is in the north-east, on the Right Bank, wrapping from the Buttes-Chaumont up to La Villette and the ring road at Porte de Pantin, Porte de la Villette and Porte des Lilas.
It is a large, green, working-class and cosmopolitan arrondissement, beloved by Parisian families and famously free of tourist crowds — all parks, canals and culture, with a lively food and nightlife scene around Jourdain and the Ourcq.
Since 2025 the system has been simplified: paper tickets are gone, replaced by the contactless Navigo Easy card or your phone. A single Métro/RER ticket is now a flat fare, and a day pass quickly pays for itself if you ride often.
For door-to-door directions, the Bonjour RATP and Citymapper apps are the most reliable companions.
Metro lines 5 and 7 frame the arrondissement, line 7bis loops around the Buttes-Chaumont, and the tram T3b runs along the outer boulevards. Here are the essentials.
A few practical essentials to make your visit to the 19th arrondissement smooth and stress-free.
The parks and canals are loveliest spring to early autumn, with open-air cinema, swimming and guinguettes in summer. The Cité des Sciences and Philharmonie are great year-round, and quietest on weekday afternoons.
The 19th is residential, well-priced and well-connected — a relaxed, authentic base by the parks and canals, a short metro ride from the centre and Gare du Nord.
Philharmonie concerts and the Cité des Sciences (especially the Géode and Cité des Enfants) sell timed tickets — reserve online. The parks and canal quays are free.
Cards are accepted almost everywhere; small kiosks may prefer cash. Service is included by law; rounding up for great service is appreciated, never expected.
The Buttes-Chaumont and La Villette are made for kids — lawns, playgrounds, puppet shows, the Cité des Enfants and the Géode. Bring a picnic and make a day of it.
Parks open daily from morning to dusk; most museums close on Mondays. Guinguettes and canal bars are often weekend- or season-dependent — check before you go.
Compare stays, tours and experiences across the platforms travellers know best.
Each Paris arrondissement has its own guide. Hover the map to reveal a district's name, then click to open its dedicated site — you are currently in the 19th.