Studying in Paris: A Guide to the 13th arrondissement

Synonymous with entrepreneurship, multiculturalism and creativity, the 13th arrondissement is a well-kept secret among Parisians and you will undoubtedly learn to love the area as you unravel its mysteries.

Here is an overview of the 13th district’s many perks and hidden gems so you don’t miss out on anything!

Universities in the 13th arrondissement

While exploring the 13th arrondissement, you will no doubt see plenty of fellow students strolling down the streets, chatting, fooling around and seating at Parisian cafés.

The district is indeed home to plenty of established schools and universities, including Arts et Métiers ParisTech, Télécom ParisTech, the Cité de la Mode et du Design, Paris Diderot University (aka Paris 7), Tolbiac (an annex to University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne), Gobelin and of course our very own Paris School of Business.

From business to fashion, the 13th arrondissement has become a beacon of excellence attracting students from every corner of France… and beyond.

 

A business district in the making

While La Défense remained for years the main economic center in the French capital, the 13th district has recently become a strong contender!

A growing number of international companies have (re)located their headquarters to the up-and-coming 13th arrondissement, among which Accor, Ubisoft, Accenture, Natixis, The Walt Disney Company France… and the lists goes on.

The rising business district, named Paris Rive Gauche, was also chosen by star entrepreneur Xavier Niel as the location for his highly publicized business incubator, Station F. The innovative business campus is now home to hundreds of promising startups as well as noteworthy corporate partners including Facebook and Microsoft.

Does it come as a surprise then that our Parisian business school chose precisely the 13th arrondissement to train and shape tomorrow’s decision makers and entrepreneurs?

Station F

Sights & must-sees in the 13th arrondissement

While the 13th arrondissement may not be on every tourist’s bucket list in Paris, it will no doubt delight art enthusiasts, architecture amateurs, book-lovers… and more broadly anyone who wants to get off the beaten tracks and experience an authentic, less touristic side of the French capital. Here are a few of the district’s highlights.

An open-sky museum
 

Crédits photo : Flickr | Tom Hilton

Crédits photo : Flickr | Tom Hilton

Didn’t we say that the 13th arrondissement was synonymous with creativity? The district is a vast playground for bold and innovative street artists. A total of 35 of the area’s buildings feature vibrant and colorful murals from some of the most renowned street artists in the world (including Conor Harrington, OBEY, Pantónio, C215 and D*Face).

Take a trip down metro line 6: most of the murals are located along Boulevard Vincent Auriol, between metro stations Quai de la Gare and Place d’Italie. And if this first overview of the district has sparked your curiosity, why not embark on a walking tour of the murals? You’ll find here a map of all the murals in the area.

If that still isn’t enough, you can always get your hands dirty and join a street art workshop during which street artists will teach you how to design your very own piece of street art.

Going back in time in the Butte-aux-Cailles

Crédits photo : Flickr | Tom Hilton

Crédits photo :  Flickr| Tom Hilton

Located east of the 13th arrondissement, The Butte-aux-Cailles (‘quail hill’ in English) is a picture-postcard village-like area right in the center of Paris. Uncanny!

With its picturesque streets lined up with quaint houses and buildings, the hilltop neighborhood is quite a unique sight in the French capital… and heaven on earth for Instagram-lovers.

Brimming with small bars and restaurants, the area has also become a trendy hotspot, loved by tourists and Parisians alike for its vibrant atmosphere and festive nightlife.

Bibliothèque François Mitterrand

Crédits photo : Flickr | Tom Hilton

Crédits photo : Flickr | Alain Stoll

Attention, all book-lovers! Built in the 1990’s, the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand is one of the biggest and most modern libraries in the world.

Awarded with the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture in 1996, it is home to the vast majority of the collections of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (the French National Library, aka the BnF), created in the 14th century. It gathers a total of roughly 14 million books, as well as countless printed and multimedia documents, maps, photographs, cartoons, drawings, theatre costumes and sets…

The Bibliothèque François Mitterrand is open to anyone with a need to use the collections… So, what are you waiting for? Little detail that you may miss, the four buildings of the Bibliothèque François Mitterand are shaped like books.

Other sights and must-sees in the 13th arrondissement include:

  • The Goblins Manufactory
  • Paris’s main Asian district, the Quartier Asiatique
  • Art Ludique - le Musée

Sport activities in the 13th arrondissement

Looking to blow off some steam after class? Here is a list of various sport activities within a few blocks of our business school!

 

Swimming pools in the 13th arrondissement

 

The area is home to not one, but two of the trendiest swimming pools in Paris.

  • Piscine Joséphine Baker: located right on the Seine, Quai François Mauriac, this floating pool is undoubtedly one of the most peculiar sights in the French capital. In the summertime, the pool’s roof opens so that visitors can enjoy a swim in the open air. The complex also features a small relaxation pool, a solarium area, a fitness area, two saunas, a hammam and a whirlpool bath… What better way to relax on a lazy Sunday afternoon?
  • Piscine de la Butte-aux-Cailles: located in an Art-nouveau building in the picture-postcard Butte-aux-Cailles neighbourhood, it is one of the oldest swimming pools in Paris. The complex features an indoor pool and two outdoor pools as well as an outdoor Finnish spa open year-round.
Crédits photo : Flickr | m3galo

Crédits photo : Flickr | m3galo

 

Tennis courts in the 13th arrondissement

The 13th arrondissement is heaven on earth for tennis lovers! The district is home to plenty of tennis courts where you’ll be able to freely practise your forehand and backhand:

  • Gymnase Georges Carpentier (81 boulevard Masséna, 75013 Paris)
  • Tennis Moureu Baudricourt (17 Avenue Edison, 75013 Paris)
  • Gymnase Château des Rentiers (184 rue du Château des Rentiers, 75013)
  • Tennis Dunois (70 Rue Dunois, 75013 Paris)
  • Tennis de la Poterne des Peupliers (1 Rue Max Jacob, 75013 Paris) - Tennis Cordelières (35 Rue des Cordelières, 75013 Paris) To book municipal tennis courts, simply subscribe on paris.fr. <class="text-BlueSky">Futsal in the 13th arrondissement

To book municipal tennis courts, simply subscribe on paris.fr

 

Futsal in the 13th arrondissement

You will soon realize that French people are true football aficionados… need we remind you that we won two World Cups?

If you share France’s love for football or simply want to discover what the hype is all about, why not try futsal, indoor football? Cherry on top: you’ll find a futsal complex only a few minutes away from Paris School of Business (Le Five, 9 Avenue de la Porte de Choisy, 75013 Paris).

 

Gyms in the 13th arrondissement

The bad news is you’ll have no more excuses to skip a workout session. The good news is you’ll find quite a few gyms only a few steps away from Paris School of Business!

From private gyms to public fitness centers, the options are numerous and you can pick what works best for you depending on your budget and needs:

- Private gyms :

  • Basic-Fit Paris Choisy (63 Avenue de Choisy, 75013 Paris)
  • Fitness Park – Paris Porte de Choisy (13 Avenue de Choisy, 75013 Paris)
  • Cercle de la Forme Olympiades (20 rue Albert, 75013 Paris)
  • Crossfit Rive Gauche (105 Rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris)

- Public fitness centres :

  • Espace-forme de la Butte aux Cailles (Piscine de la Butte aux Cailles, 5 Place Paul Verlaine, 75013 Paris)
  • Espace-forme de Charlety (171 Avenue Pierre de Coubertin, 75013 Paris)

 

Other sport activities

If none of the options above inspire you, we advise you to have a look at the list of the sports associations in the 13th arrondissement, which you’ll find on the city hall’s website here.

Acrobatics, aikido, basketball, boxing, fencing… the options are endless and you will certainly find what you’re looking for!

 

Restaurants & nightlife in the 13th arrondissement

The 13th arrondissement counts quite a few restaurants that will no doubt satisfy even the most demanding foodies. Here are a few of the district’s top spots:

  • Chez Gladines (30 Rue des cinq Diamants, 75013 Paris): specialties from the Southwest of France
  • Le Verbalon (198 bis Rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris): authentic Parisian “bistrot”
  • Sellae (18 Rue des Wallons, 75013 Paris): seasonal and gastronomic delights
  • Pho 14 Restaurant Pho Banh Cuon (129 Avenue de Choisy, 75013 Paris): Vietnamese specialties
  • Chez Lili et Marcel (1 Quai d’Austerlitz, 75013 Paris): generous and understated “brasserie”
  • La Felicità (5 Parvis Alan Turing, 75013 Paris): Italian specialties and cosmopolitan atmosphere

At nightime, the 13th arrondissement turns into a trendy and festive hotspot for tourists and Parisians alike. Here are some of the top bars, concert venues and clubs in the area:

  • Les Nuits Blanches (18 rue paul klee /, 1-2 place Augusta Holmes, 75013 Paris)
  • Le Wanderlust (32 Quai d’Austerlitz, 75013 Paris)
  • La Nuba (36 Quai d’Austerlitz, 75013 Paris)
  • Le Bateau Phare (11 Quai François Mauriac, 75013 Paris)
  • L’EP7 (133 Avenue de France, 75013 Paris)
  • Le Prétexte (111 Rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris)
  • La Marquise (86 Rue Nationale, 75013 Paris)

And if you want to experience Paris like a local, head for the Quais de Seine (Quai François Mauriac, 75013 Paris) as soon as the sun comes out: you’ll find plenty of Parisians chilling out and making the most of long summer nights in the capital.

Crédits photos : Flickr | Laurent PCB

Crédits photos : Flickr | Laurent PCB

Shopping in the 13th arrondissement

While it may not have the flair of the more central arrondissements in the capital, the 13th district still counts quite a few areas where to freely indulge in a shopping spree. Shops and boutiques are gathered in:

  • Italie Deux Shopping Centre (30 Avenue d’Italie, 75013 Paris)
  • Avenue de France
  • La Galerie — Masséna Shopping Centre (96 Boulevard Masséna, 75013 Paris)

In the neighboring 12th arrondissement, very close to our school, shopaholics will no doubt find their heart’s desire in Bercy Village, a shopping centre located at Cour Saint-Emilion metro station.

 

Daily life near Paris School of Business

Post Office: 19 Rue Simone Weil, 75013

Paris ATMs:

  • BNP Paribas | 67-69 Rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris
  • Caisse d’Épargne | 3 Rue des Frères d'Astier de la Vigerie, 75013 Paris
  • La Banque Postale | 9 Rue des Frères d'Astier de la Vigerie, 75013 Paris
  • Crédit Mutuel | 55 Rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris

Grocery shops: 

  • Franprix | Centre Commercial Mercure, 109 Rue de Tolbiac 95, 75013 Paris
  • Carrefour City | 72 76 Rue du Château des Rentiers, 75013 Paris
  • Naturalia | 71 Rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris
  • Lidl | 66 Avenue d’Ivry, 75013 Paris

Printers:

  • Corep Paris | 89 Rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris
  • Hexamedia | 90 rue Nationale, 75013 Paris

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