The 10th arrondissement of Paris, also known as the arrondissement of Entrepôt, is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. The arrondissement contains two of Paris’s six main railway stations: the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l’Est. Built during the 19th century, these two termini are among the busiest in Europe. Situated on the right bank of the River Seine, the 10th arrondissement also contains a large portion of the Canal Saint-Martin, linking the northeastern parts of Paris with the River Seine.
Hectic, cosmopolitan and unusual, surprising in many ways, the 10th Arrondissement is where 90,000 of Parisians live, work, and shop. The 10th is the land of welcome for several communities from all over the world. Traditions, cultures, art of living and gastronomy come together, thus offering a unique cosmopolitan imprint.
The district is also known for hosting all of the open-air part of the Saint-Martin canal, and therefore all of the footbridges that span it. The streets lining the canal become car-free for cycling and strolling pleasure. The historic Place de la République in the far south of the arrondissement, its many bars, restaurants and cafés. Enjoyed the benefits of both the booming nightlife scene in the neighbouring 11th, as well as the Parisian cycling and roller-blading boom.
There is a particularly dense and more bustling side to the cosmopolitan 10th arrondissement, as it is the location of two primary entry / exit points for the city, in the form of the two great train stations Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, the first station in Europe in terms of traffic, and second in the world for its passenger capacity. A significant part of the railway tracks that serve these two stations was added.
At the bends of the streets of many architectural curiosities, the 10th arrondissement of Paris draws visitors with its lively streets, performance halls and shops. The major works of the Second Empire under the Third Republic, particular to the south, the redevelopment of the Place de la République, the construction of the Bourse du Travail de Paris and the arrondissement town hall, and to the north the creation of metro line, and its viaducts. To the north, the rise of the railroads is transformed the landscape of the borough.
Among the other specificities of the district, the presence of two covered markets, the Saint-Quentin market and the Saint-Martin market. Two of the last covered markets in Paris, and one of them is the largest market in the city. Covered markets that still exist in a few spots in Paris. Marché St-Quentin is the largest and busiest of those. And it has everything. Several butchers, two florists, fishmongers, lots of vegetable sellers, poultry specialists, and ethnic & regional foods. There’s even a shoemaker and a beer boutique. And there are a surprising number of restaurants that receive a nod from Michelin.
Administrative quarters
Like all Parisian arrondissements, the 10th arrondissement is divided into four administrative districts.
Quartier of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul
The Saint-Vincent-de-Paul district is the 37th administrative district of Paris located in the 10th arrondissement. It is named in honor of Vincent de Paul, on the site of the Saint-Lazare enclosure where he had set up the motherhouse of the order he had founded, the Congregation of the Mission. The Gare de l’ Est and Gare du Nord are in the area, as are the Lariboisière and Fernand-Widal hospitals.
Quartier of Porte-Saint-Denis
The Porte-Saint-Denis district is the 38th administrative district of Paris, located in the 10th arrondissement, so named because of its proximity to the Porte Saint-Denis. The immediate proximity of the two railway stations, North and East, gives the district very great transport facilities, on an urban, national and international scale.
The oldest plot (rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis) is made up of long narrow plots perpendicular to the streets. In the north of the district, the most recent streets were created at the end of the 18th century, subdivided and built mainly from 1821. more rarely in iron and brick, buildings of varying heights and from various eras separated by courtyards. The majority of this building was built between 1850 and 1950 approximately.
The dominant road network, north-south, is made up parallel to the streets of Faubourg Saint-Denis and Faubourg Poissonnière, very old radial or even “cardinal” Parisian streets, of two other more recent roads, the rue d’Hauteville (end of the 18th century and Boulevard de Strasbourg (middle of the 19th century, created by Haussmann). These four lanes are, especially during the day, but also at the beginning of the night, very busy with motor vehicles as well as pedestrians and bicycles.
They are cut or intersected by quieter east-west streets, parallel to the boulevards of Bonne Nouvelle and Saint-Denis, laid out on the site of the former medieval enclosure of the King of France Charles V. Among these, the liveliest, rue des Petites Ecuries, which runs through the middle of the whole district (called rue du Château d’eau, between rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis and boulevard de Strasbourg, before to join Place de la République to the east) was opened in 1780 on the route of the large ring sewer.
Quartier of Porte-Saint-Martin
The Porte-Saint-Martin district is the 39th administrative district of Paris located in the 10th arrondissement. The district was called in the 18th century “Saint-Martin-des-Champs district” because of its proximity to the Saint-Martin-des-Champs priory, whose lands extended beyond the limits of Paris at the time., north of the Porte Saint-Martin.
Quartier of Hôpital-Saint-Louis
The Hôpital-Saint-Louis district is the 40th administrative district of Paris located in the 10th arrondissement. It takes its name from the Saint-Louis hospital which occupies a large area within it.
Main Attractions
Nestled between the Grands Boulevards, the Gare du Nord and the Place de la République, the 10th is rich in curiosities and architectural surprises. The 10th arrondissement is very dynamic, a popular district mix with boho-ized tends and strong identity as a melting pot. Discover different Paris by wander around on every street corne, strolling along the canal, cafés on the terraces of Place Saint-Marthe, exploring the garden of the Françoise Sagan media library.
Boulevard Magenta, with the elegant Louxor, a cinema completely restored in 2013 and listed as a Historic Monument. This art deco building built in 1921 catches the eye with its beautiful facade decorated with blue and gold mosaics in the Egyptian Revival style. This enthusiasm for ancient Egypt can also be found in the interior decoration of the cinema, which mixes hieroglyphs, lotuses, scarabs and the vibrant colors of Egyptian blue and gold.
The Gares de l’Est and Gare du Nord are admirable masterpieces that welcome visitors from all over France and Europe. With its neoclassical facade adorned with beautiful windows and 23 statues, the Gare du Nord, built in 1865, is reinvented every day to become a modern and welcoming center of activity. The Gare de l’Est, inaugurated by Napoleon III in 1850, is the oldest of the Parisian stations. In fine weather, an ephemeral bar is set up on its rooftop very close to the Eiffel rose window. Model-making enthusiasts can admire three miniature railway networks preciously preserved in the station, with steam locomotive, wagons, convoys…
The former prison of the Saint-Lazare hospital now houses the magnificent Françoise Sagan media library and its Mediterranean cloister. The former Récollets convent, transformed into accommodation for researchers and artists, has a festive and welcoming terrace, Café A, and offers an artistic program open to all (reading, documentary, installation, performance, etc.).
Le Manoir de Paris, a veritable immersive haunted house, offers the scariest interactive shows. In another register, the museum of moldings of the Saint-Louis hospital brings together nearly 5,000 wax moldings of dermatological diseases since the 19th century.
The brand new artisanal city La Villa du Lavoir, located at 70 rue René Boulanger, hosts a dozen workshops dedicated to crafts such as intaglio engraving, the creation of jewelry, stained glass or ceramics…
Porte Saint-Martin
The Porte Saint-Martin is a Parisian monument located at the site of one of the gates of the now-destroyed fortifications of Paris. It is located at the crossing of Rue Saint-Martin, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin and the grands boulevards Boulevard Saint-Martin and Boulevard Saint-Denis. The current monument, fourth of the name, is a triumphal arch 18 meters high, built in vermiculated limestone; the attic is in marble. The spandrels are occupied by four allegories in bas-reliefs.
Porte Saint-Martin is a monument in Paris, located on the site of a gate of the former enclosure of Charles V. It was erected in 1674 by order of Louis XIV, in honor of his victories on the Rhine and in Franche-Comté, by the architect Pierre Bullet, a pupil of François Blondel, architect of the nearby Porte Saint-Denis. The adjacent walls have since been destroyed. Porte Saint-Martin is classified as a historical monument by the list of 1862. Restoration work was undertaken in 1988.
Palace of mirrors
The Palais des Glaces is a Parisian theater built in 1876 at 37 rue du Faubourg-du-Temple, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. The establishment, which specializes in café-theatre and has been directed since 2002 by Jean-Pierre Bigard, also director of the Comédie de Paris, comprises two halls: the main one with five hundred seats (divided between orchestra and balcony) and the Petit Palais des ice cream.
Canal Saint-Martin
The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6 km long canal in Paris, connecting the Canal de l’Ourcq to the river Seine. Over nearly half its length (2,069 metres), between the Rue du Faubourg du Temple and the Place de la Bastille. It is a small canal originally intended for the conveyance of drinking water in the capital. Inaugurated in 1825, it has nine locksand two swing bridges for a total height difference of 25 m. In the mid-19th century, to create wide boulevards and public spaces on the surface.
Today, the canal is a popular destination for Parisians and tourists. Some take cruises on the canal in passenger boats. Others watch the barges and other boats navigate the series of locks and pass under the attractive cast-iron footbridges. There are many popular restaurants and bars along the open part of the canal, which is also popular with students.
It is unquestionably the charming asset, the very lively Canal Saint-Martin appreciated for its canteens, trendy bars and pretty shops also surprises with its famous Récollets lock which allows you to navigate on the canal. The footbridges of the Grange aux Belles and Bichat which frame it make it possible to observe its mechanism, a real attraction for walkers. People come here to have a drink at the water’s edge, have a picnic, or simply to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Culture Space
Culture takes center stage in the 10th arrondissement, there are many theaters offer an eclectic program of one-man shows to vaudeville and the great pieces of the classical repertoire. The shows make the big difference between one man show, humor, classical theatre. Notable Place included Théâtre du Gymnase, the Palais des Glaces, Le Splendid, the Porte Saint-Martin theatre, the Antoine theatre, the Renaissance theatre, the Marie Bell Gymnasium theatre, the Bouffes du Nord, the Palais des Glaces, Le Comédia …
The mythical cinema Le Louxor, Palais du Cinéma, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2021. Lovers of contemporary art, photography and crafts like to get lost in the Martel gallery, the space Beaurepaire or the Showers of the Gallery.
This New Morning rue des Petites Ecuries in the capital has been welcoming the big names in jazz and blues for decades. Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Nina Simone, Michel Petrucciani and Prince gave memorable concerts there. The stage of the Alhambra Théâtre Music-Hall lives to the rhythms of concerts of rock, jazz, electro, French and international variety and world music.
Choco-Story is a chocolate museum located at Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, which reveals all the secrets of cocoa and offers tastings and workshops for young and old.
Streets and squares
Place Sainte-Marthe and its adjacent streets also worth discovering, located between the Canal Saint-Martin and the Hôpital Saint-Louis. A former 19th century working-class town, this popular and friendly micro-district with colorful storefronts brings together local shops, small restaurants, bistros, artists’ and craftsmen’s studios.
Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis is a road in the 10th arrondissement of Paris located in the extension of rue Saint-Denis to the south; it leads to the basilica of Saint-Denis to the north. It is an extension of the rue Saint-Denis to the faubourg or area outside Paris’s walls (as marked today by the Porte Saint-Denis). It also marked the eastern boundary of the enclos (later prison) Saint-Lazare. Historically, this street was an extremely upper-class area, occupied by jewellers and textile merchants, since it was part of the king’s processional route to the Basilica of Saint Denis. After the French Revolution the street briefly bore the name rue du Faubourg Franciade in 1793 (with the portion between rue Saint-Laurent and place de la Chapelle being renamed rue du faubourg Saint-Lazare and rue du faubourg de Gloire).
Boulevard de Strasbourg is located in the 10th arrondissement of Paris.Its name is that of the Alsatian capital, Strasbourg. It is due to the proximity of the Gare de l’Est, called at the time “Strasbourg railway pier”. The boulevard Strasbourg is, in particular towards the crossroads with the rue du Château-d’Eau, the heart of one of the two African districts of Paris. It is dominated by shops, beauty salons and restaurants of Afro – Caribbean and sub-Saharan immigrants. In the middle of the 19th century, paris had a very sufficient number of parallel arteries, but there was lack of roads perpendicular to the river. There was urgent need to create wide weirs at the wharf stations to facilitate the instantaneous flow of the crowd and spread it in the heart of Paris. The Boulevard de Strasbourg came from the creating idea of a main road which, unmasking the magnificent pier of Strasbourg, would end at the boulevard Saint-Denis, and could, later, be continued to Place du Chatelet.
The Saint-Martin and Saint-Denis gates located respectively on boulevard Saint-Martin and boulevard Saint-Denis are eye-catching. Its triumphal arches were erected to the glory of Louis XIV and his victorious battles. They symbolize the former enclosure of Charles V limiting the city. The narrowest house in Paris at 39 rue du Château d’Eau.
Shopping
The Saint Quentin market is the largest covered market in Paris. There are fresh fruits and vegetables but also catering corners that highlight a certain know-how and a certain quality. Marché St-Quentin was built during the expansion of Paris by Baron Haussmann in the 1860s. It employs the same materials, construction techniques, and even design elements use by architect Victor Baltard in his famous (and now defunct) Les Halles commercial food market in central Paris, built at the same time. That is to say — the use of thin iron frames to create high ceilings and an expanse of windows to let in lots of natural light and provide ventilation.
The second covered market in the 10th arrondissement is equally as well-known. Although it was first established in 1859 (as Marché Saint-Laurent), it’s in a more modern space than Saint-Quentin, or perhaps the word for the space is “eclectic”, since it appears that pieces of the building were added and improved over the years.
There is the usual range of food stalls with quality meats, produce, and cheese. But there are also some unique offerings at Marché Saint-Martin such as a German grocery store stocking smoked hams and dozens of German beer brands. Open Tuesday to Saturday from morning till night as well as Sunday mornings.
The Boulevard de Strasbourg, between Place de la République and Gare de l’Est, is known for supporting the coiffure or hairdressing trade, with dozens of shops selling hairdressing equipment and supplies. Interestingly the African hairdressers of Paris have set up shop right alongside their suppliers.
Meanwhile rue de Marseille has a number of trendy clothing shops. Another good spot to explore the slightly dilapidated Passage Brady. It’s full of Indian and Pakistani restaurants, for which it’s sometimes called “le Petit Bombay”. Stop in at the Bazaar Velan for incense, spices, and kitsch souvenirs.
The stretch of Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis between Gare du Nord and La Chapelle metro station is home to several Asian grocers, clothes/jewellery shops, Bollywood DVD shops and even a mithai (Indian confectionary) shop. VS.CO Cash and Carry has the largest range of food products from India.
Cuisine
Gastronomy is omnipresent, canteens are also springing up to satisfy the many dynamic young people who work in the borough. All cuisines and the new generation of chefs is investing heavily in the 10th arrondissement. The 10th arrondissement is also becoming a paradise for vegans. More and more vegetarian, vegan or even gluten-free addresses are opening to adapt to customer demand.
Some notable restaurant included Les Arlots, Hôtel du Nord, La Fidélité, Indian Chez Marcel, the Grand Amour, “bobo”, the 52 and the Richet also highlight the quality of the products. Tasted real African braids at Château d’Eau, eat the best Indian dishes in the North, taste crazy kebabs in Strasbourg Saint Denis…
The bars of the 10th arrondissement are also one of its strong points. With its central location, it is easy to find yourself in one of the best addresses in the area. Some notable Bar include Chez Prune, Point Éphémère, Colonie de Chez Jeannette or even Le Fantôme.