A few minutes from the Bois de Boulogne, this district (the largest and greenest in Paris) is divided between the 16th South and the 16th North. Covering the west of Paris, starting from Neuilly to Etoile and running along the banks of the Seine to Porte de Saint-Cloud, this Paris of the “Right Bank” is ideally located close to Paris’ big green lungs. On the edge of the ring road, it’s also very easy to escape from Paris for a weekend break. Large families know this and for generations have made their homes between Chaillot, Passy-Muette, Auteuil and Dauphine.
Some figures :
Average annual income : €42,600
Population density : 10,030 inhabitants/m2
Nurseries, Schools and High Schools : 22.8 per inhabitant
Shops : 14.5 every 100m
Doctors : 1 for 600 inhabitants
Burglaries : 5.6/1,000 inhabitants
CHAILLOT
Location :
This is the most tourist district of the 16th arrondissement because it’s close to the Champs-Elysées. Bordered by Avenue Marceau to the Arc de Triomphe, it goes down to Quai de New-York, encompasses part of the Trocadero and goes up Avenue Raymond Poincaré to Avenue Victor Hugo. With its many museums and historical monuments, it’s a very cosmopolitan district. Many embassies and international companies have set up their headquarters here. With prestigious addresses and many offices (it’s still a major business centre) this district, which is lively during the week and in the evenings, becomes peaceful and quiet again at weekends. The few private mansions have been snapped up by the Qataris, but there are still some great apartments on Avenue Foch and Avenue Pierre Ier de Serbie, with stunning views of the Eiffel Tower.
Atmosphere :
Despite the presence of numerous foreign families who often only stay for a few months or years and many holiday homes that are rarely occupied, the quality of life in the district is very pleasant and still family-oriented. If you like the mix of people, this chic Paris location blithely mixes tourists, businessmen, celebrities and more classic families of the 16th arrondissement. Above all, the cultural life is rich for young and old alike (Palais de Tokyo, Musée de l’Homme, etc.) and there are plenty of café terraces where you can enjoy watching the merry back and forth of Parisians and other tourists!
Practical life :
For food shops, head to Rue de Chaillot, which mixes old institutions such as the Malitourne chocolatier and new places like Cyril Lignac’spâtisserie. The market on Avenue du Président Wilson is also very popular with all the locals! JoëlThiébaud sells his fruit and veg to all the great chefs you’ll come across if you get up early on Wednesdays or Saturdays. Otherwise, go to Rue Saint-Didier with its shopping centre and covered market that sells fresh produce. In terms of clothes shopping, everything happens on Avenue Victor-Hugo and around Place de Mexico.
School life :
In the far north of the district, it’s not the best place for schools for children, especially young children. There are of course excellent private schools such as Saint-Honoréd’Eylau (and its church, with that of Saint-Pierre de Chaillot), Institut de l’Assomption and the EurEcole bilingual school or famous public schools like Janson-de-Sailly. But it’s true that the so-called “classic” families generally prefer to move closer to Passy and Trocadero.
Transport :
It’s one of the areas of Paris best served by the metro, buses and the RER. Line 1 serves Paris from West to East and you can be at the Bastille in less than half an hour. This is a major luxury these days when we know that the roads are closed or permanently gridlocked… A hotspot: Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile station serving lines 1, 2, 6 and many buses. And as it’s a tourist area, you can walk around safely, because plain-clothed police officers work discreetly in this area to protect our fellow citizens and foreign visitors.
Property :
Of course, this is one of the most sought-after corners of Paris and the 16th arrondissement. The stunning Haussmannian buildings remain popular for their strategic location. Foreigners really like the “flooring-moulding-chimney” and the beautiful high ceilings. You’ll easily find very large living areas, while living areas of less than 100m2 are rarer, apart from sumptuous holiday homes with one or two bedrooms. Above all, many of them have views over: the Eiffel Tower, the Trocédéro Gardens, PalaisGalliéra, Square des Etats-Unis, etc.
PASSY-MUETTE
Location :
The Passy area extends from Trocadéro to Rue du Ranelagh, encompassing the top of Avenue Mozart and Rue de la Pompe. This is certainly one of the pleasanter places to live for families, because it concentrates the best schools, large green spaces such as the Ranelagh Garden (founded by an Englishman!), magnificent buildings or opulent mansions and local shops.
Atmosphere :
Forget your Hermés squares and your pearl necklace! Yes, you’ll still see people wearing biker blouses and skinny jeans, but the times of posh old-fashioned clothing are over! Women dress like their daughters and happily mix big brands and little bargains from Monoprix! It’s also a popular district for the Jewish community, and now boho-chic and hipster fashion is arriving with trendier “Left Bank” styles.
Practical life :
It’s hard to overlook Rue de Passy, in the heart of the bustle of this district. You’ll find absolutely everyone there, every weekend! As the schools of St-Louis de Gonzague and St Jean de Passy close, hordes of young girls go on shopping missions, while their parents queue to buy a “Merveilleux” for lunch on the way out of Mass. The best addresses of traders are spread by word of mouth, and the little shops of Sentierare all there, gathered in the few small streets of Passy, mixed with major international retailers.
School life :
As you can see, the best schools are there, not far away from each other. But your offspring will have to toe the line and not fear the pressure to integrate these incubators of our future French elites! Your integration into Parisian life will be ensured by your choice of school for your children, which is an essential social criterion if you want to be accepted by the people of Passy-Muette! The choice is multiple and complicated, so ask your Parisian friends for more information!
Transport :
The overhead railway is very nice, you can also take the bus or use the inevitable bikes! Mopeds are not always well regarded, otherwise opt for a Mini Cooper like 90% of the female drivers in this neighbourhood! On the other hand, in the evenings, the image of rich ghettos still persists and the children of this beautiful neighbourhood are often robbed by gangs from Seine-Saint-Denis (we also know how to caricature!). So people there use Uber as much as possible to go rallying…
Property :
As you can see, everything that’s rare is expensive. Good luck in finding your 150m2 apartment with 4 bedrooms, which corresponds to 80% of the demand in the area! The beautiful art deco or stone buildings are always a safe bet. And some of the quiet streets have superb mansions with garden courtyards. What are the most popular places? Chaussée de la Muette, the OECD, Avenue Paul Doumer and all the small streets up to Raynouard.
AUTEUIL
Location :
This area, which is located south of La Maison de la Radio, begins just after Boulevard Exelmans, goes up Rue Michel Ange and crosses Rue Molitor and Rue d’Auteuil, before going down to the bottom of Avenue Mozart. It’s a bit like the countryside within Paris, with charming streets and flourishing gardens on the Jasmin side, breaking with the major arteries such as Avenue de Versailles and the Quais that head back to the heart of Paris.
Atmosphere :
They’re slightly looked down on by people from the “upper” 16th arrondissement, but the locals are perhaps a little less posh but equally as nice! Many dynamic executives and large families have settled here and wouldn’t leave this bucolic and “live happy, live hidden” setting for anything! However, the calm rhythm of this village is interrupted during the Roland-Garros tournament and during international races at the Auteuil or Longchamp racecourses.
Practical life :
Auteuil Village is a bit like Passy Village, the beating heart of the district! It’s just a stone’s throw away from the Church of Our Lady of Auteuil and the Reformed Church of Auteuil. And between the Auteuil market, the Gros-La Fontaine market (formerly Avenue de Versailles) and the Porte Molitor market (formerly Exelmans), you’ll find absolutely everything for eating organic, buying green and living healthy, all without the boho-chic side of some other districts. On the other hand, there’s not a great choice for clothing, so you’re better off crossing the Seine and going to the new Beaugrenelle shopping centre.
School life :
The school map really revolves around the Jean-Baptiste Say public high school, which has an excellent reputation and is challenged by private institutions like Notre-Dame-des-Oiseaux or Lamazou for the youngest children. Although they’re slightly less popular than schools in the 16th arrondissement on the side of Providence, the Tower, Gerson, etc., the schools aren’t bad at all and benefit from the proximity of many sports complexes such as Stade Jean-Bouin and green areas in the immediate vicinity, such as Parc de Bagatelle and especially the Bois de Boulogne!
Transport :
Be careful! This district becomes impassable on match days at the Parc des Princes and during the two weeks of Roland Garros! But don’t worry, lines 9 and 10 of the metro easily serve the district’s various stations to quickly reach the entire Left Bank of Paris or the department stores to the north of the Seine. And the inhabitants can rely on buses 22, 32, 52,62 and 72 for easy access to the rest of Paris!
Property :
There are still some great deals and bargains to be found! The slightly ageing population of this Parisian neighbourhood is gradually giving way to younger families. Prices are a little more affordable than in the Passy or Chaillot districts of the 16th arrondissement, especially if you’re not put off by renovation and works. For those who want life to be “like London”, a few private impasses such as Villa Molitor, where many well-known figures from French and foreign public life hide away in sumptuous houses surrounded by its green park, remain very popular.