PERNETY

A small district of the 14th arrondissement nestled on the outskirts of the Montparnasse train station, Pernety has retained its intimate character.

Essentially made up of streets and pedestrian lanes beautifully decorated with flowers, the Pernety district breaks away from the purely Haussmannian style and reveals charming brick buildings. With its commercial and authentic character, it is easy to immerse yourself in its unique atmosphere.

In the Rue des Thermopyles, you can wander between the old workers’ houses, the overflowing wisteria and some works of street artists, which make this place one of the most colourful in the capital. In Place de Séoul, we discover the architectural complex designed by Ricardo Bofill in 1985. A veritable glass amphitheatre, the place contrasts with the neighbourhood’s universe, imposing its monumental style in all discretion. The district is also subject to an ecological project, with the City of Paris planning to plant an urban micro-forest on the Place de Catalogne by 2024.

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BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT

Nestled on the outskirts of the capital, Boulogne-Billancourt is a city with many assets, also called the 21st arrondissement of Paris.

Located in the southwest of the capital, Boulogne-Billancourt is surrounded on one side by the Bois de Boulogne and on the other by the Seine. Divided into two distinct communities, Boulogne-Sur-Seine is residential and Billancourt is working class, the former being the historic stronghold of the Renault factories.

Within the small town itself, several neighborhoods can be identified. Parchamp-Albert Kahn, known as the historic heart of the city, is home to beautiful century-old buildings and many places of interest such as the Paul Belmondo Museum and the Théâtre de l’Ouest Parisien. Enjoying many green spaces, we particularly appreciate the Edmond-de-Rotschild park offering nice walks in the alleys of its French gardens.

In the North-East of Boulogne, the Princes-Marmottan district, with its bourgeois buildings in a pure Haussmann style, is the city’s chic sector. It is very appreciated for its proximity to the Bois de Boulogne, the Hippodrome de Longchamps and the Roland-Garros tennis courts. But you can also stop there to discover Le Corbusier’s apartment-workshop, where the architect lived and worked between 1934 and 1965. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, this light-filled apartment was a place of experimentation and creation for Le Corbusier.

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GOBELINS

Familiar, commercial and with strong cultural accents, the Gobelins district is a true haven of peace in the heart of Paris.

A former industrial city, the district is still home to the incredible Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins, which has been making tapestries for French palaces for over four centuries. This world-famous institution is also home to the Mobilier National, built by Auguste Perret in 1934, where the greatest craftsmen collaborate with artists such as Fernand Léger, Alexandre Calder, Sonia Delaunay and the new guard of contemporary designers, giving birth to original woven works.

Not far away, on Boulevard Arago, lies the extraordinary secret garden of the Cité Fleurie. A former collection of artists’ studios built in the middle of lush vegetation at the end of the 19th century for the Universal Exhibition, this place conveys the soul of its illustrious residents, from Paul Gauguin to Amedeo Modigliani.

The Gobelins district is very pleasant to live in and offers many cultural spaces, local shops and green spaces to its residents. Its Haussmannian buildings stand side by side with small houses lining green and flowery alleys.

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VAL-DE-GRÂCE

Located near the Luxembourg Gardens, the Val-de-Grâce is a student and cultural district.

A former religious stronghold of the capital, the district owes its name to the Val-de-Grâce abbey located on the Place Alphonse Laveran. A rare Parisian building in the Baroque style, this church was built by François Mansart on the orders of Queen Anne of Austria for the birth of Louis XIV. During the Revolution, the abbey became a military hospital, which has now been converted into a museum for the Army Medical Corps.

This district is also home to numerous university sites and research institutes such as the Curie Institute, one of the most important in France. Rue d’Ulm is home to the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs, which has held a prominent place in the history of creation and design in France for many years. Restructured by the famous architects Philippe Starck and Luc Arsène-Henry in 2004, the building has a strong identity with its white Carrara marble façade.

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HÔTEL DE VILLE

Lieu historique et animé du Marais, le quartier de l’Hôtel de Ville se dessine comme le cœur de la capitale.

Home to municipal institutions since 1357, the splendid Hôtel de Ville building reigns supreme in the Marais district. Bordered by the rue de Rivoli on one side and the Seine on the other, its ideal location offers Parisians a spectacular meeting place. Its immense square regularly hosts events, evolving with the seasons and unveiling magical settings for each occasion.

Opposite the Hôtel de Ville monument is the BHV Marais, a former bazaar, this department stores’ made up of several buildings in a pure Haussmann style is a must for Parisians. Adorned with original shops, the district is also characterised by the famous rue de Rivoli, one of the most commercial streets in Paris.

Finally, located between the Pont Neuf and the Pont de Notre-Dame, the Quais des Gesvres and the Quais de la Mégisserie invite you to take a nice walk along the Seine. During the summer, the famous Paris Plages is held in the district, which then takes on the air of a Mediterranean coast, where sunbeds and games of pétanque are invited.

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SAINT-THOMAS D’AQUIN

The heart of Parisian life, Saint-Thomas d'Aquin is a multi-faceted district where the atmosphere of the city reigns supreme.

Full of mythical places and symbolic streets, the Saint-Thomas d’Aquin district is a must in the 7th arrondissement. Crossed by the rue de Sèvre, the rue du Bac and the boulevard Saint-Germain, it is difficult to escape the typically Parisian atmosphere of the area.

In front of the Sèvre-Babylone metro exit, you will come face to face with the first department stores’ to be built: the Bon Marché. Founded in 1838, this refined and singular place with its cutting-edge selection and top-of-the-range services is a reference on the Left Bank. Designed by the architect Louis-Charles Boileau and the engineer Gustave Eiffel, its building combines non-conformism and elegance. Dressed inside with sublime Art Deco windows, you can’t escape its dazzling escalator, sublimated at every opportunity by artists of all kinds.

A joyful mix of genres, Saint-Thomas d’Aquin is also home to the Sciences Po school, the Hôtel Matignon, the Ministry of National Education, and numerous embassies and universities, adding to its student and political character.

Of course, there is no shortage of good places to go, with prestigious restaurants, excellent food shops and fantastic bookshops offering an incomparable quality of life.

 

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MAIRIE

Located in the very chic 8th arrondissement, the Mairie district is distinguished by its bourgeois and family atmosphere.

Crossed by the famous boulevards Malesherbes and Haussmann, the Mairie district is surrounded by numerous green spaces and is particularly popular with families. There are excellent schools such as the Lycée Chaptal or Fénelon, as well as fine food shops and grocery shops.

The town hall of the 8th arrondissement, also called “Hôtel Cali”
in homage to its former owner, the industrialist
Jean-François Cali, is an old private mansion listed as a Historic Monument. Completed in 1865, its interior still features the magnificent sculpted decorations of Pierre-Édouard Charrier, who also worked for the Louvre Palace.

The Marcel Pagnol square offers residents a little green space, with its pretty fountain with flowering basins and the bronze statue of the poet Paul Déroulède built by the sculptor Landowski. In the background is the imposing Saint-Augustin church, whose originality lies in its eclectic style, inspired by Roman and Byzantine art, as well as in its majestic dome.

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LES ARCHIVES

Located in the Marais, the Archives district has preserved the Parisian history while combining tradition and innovation.

The name of this district comes from the presence of the National Archives in its heart. The Archives Museum and its magnificent garden have become a real escape from the stress of daily life. It offers more than 10 million digitized images tracing the history of Paris and its inhabitants.

Culture has an important place which is illustrated by the presence of galleries each asserting their styles such as Thaddaeus Ropac, Emmanuel Perrotin or Polka. On weekends, we like to stroll in its small pedestrian streets and its unsuspected places.

This district, enjoying a unique vitality, offers a living environment with multiple assets, including a singular architecture, in which skillfully cohabit private mansions, museums, shopping streets and green spaces. The Hôtel de la Soubise, built by the architect Pierre-Alexis Delamair, and the Hôtel Salé, which houses the famous Picasso Museum, are examples of the district’s must-see buildings.

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SAINTE-AVOYE

Between Beaubourg and the rue des Archives, the charming Sainte-Avoye district of the 3rd arrondissement of Paris offers a vibrant setting in the heart of the right bank.

Sainte-Avoye, a veritable sanctuary for artists and art dealers, is home to a large number of galleries such as Marian Goodman and Templon. In this colorful and artistic district, you will be surprised by all kinds of works of art. During a walk, you can stroll through the splendid alleys of the Jardin d’Anne Frank or discover the flowery and green passage of Ancre-Royale, still unknown to the general public. In architecture, the characterful flats with exposed beams are extremely popular, particularly for their privileged location in the historic heart of Paris. The cultural, touristic and commercial appeal of this district offers a light, lively and attractive atmosphere for the inhabitants.

It is quite natural that ARCHIK has set up its Parisian offices on rue de Montmorency, surrounded by galleries, food shops and brasseries. A house where we would be happy to welcome you for a coffee!

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ENFANTS-ROUGES

Between the Place de la République and the Rue des Archives is the friendly neighborhood of Enfants-Rouges.

Crossed by the rue de Bretagne, this former Temple district has dozens of concept stores and food shops in an old Parisian decor.  Passers-by will find happiness in the designer boutiques, thrift shops and cultural spaces that enliven the neighborhood.

Among the places not to be missed is the Marché des Enfants-Rouges, considered the oldest covered market in Paris. It offers dishes with international flavors in a light and family atmosphere. On Sundays, we also like to meet with friends for a tasty brunch.

The Carreau du Temple is also an unmissable address. Rehabilitated by the architect Jean-François Milou, its impressive metal structure is revealed against a monochrome and luminous oak wood background. A true place of life and multidisciplinary experiments, this place welcomes and hosts artists and creators of all kinds, highlighting the intellectual and aesthetic contemporary trends.

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