The 14th arrondissement is a part of Paris you don’t truly understand or appreciate until you’ve lived here. There are very few specific attractions, and most tourists won’t make the journey to this southern edge of the left bank.
But for residents, there’s a quiet magnetism to the 14th. It’s known for a real village spirit, focused around a few pockets of social activity. These are cosy streets with local boutiques and boulangeries, where people stop by their local fishmonger or butcher on the way home.
Once settled, people tend to feel at home here. And that’s helped by affordable housing, great parks, and less touristy cultural curiosities.
This article takes you inside life in the 14th, and offers the best reasons to move here—or not.
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During the first half of the 20th century, the 14th was a frequent haunt for artists. Pablo Picasso and Yves Klei spent significant time here, as did sculptor Alberto Giacometti, and photographers Eugène Atget and Man-Ray.
Today, you’ll still find many small art studios, galleries, and stores, plus a few of more significance (detailed below).
The 14th is also known as “arrondissement of the Observatory,” as the Paris Observatory is here. No longer open for public visits, the dome is still a noteworthy part of the local skyline.
The borders of the 14th aren’t quite as clean and uniform as other arrondissements, but the rough outlines are:
There aren’t too many popular tourist sites in the 14th, but there’s still plenty to visit:
Tour Montparnasse
As mentioned, once people have settled into life in the 14th, they tend to love it. Here are the key reasons.
The key reason most people move to the 14th is for its peaceful, tranquil atmosphere. It’s simply one of the best neighborhoods in the city for families and for those who want a calm, residential atmosphere.
Along with the neighboring 15th, the 14th manages to maintain the beautiful architecture and quintessential Paris vibe that the busier central arrondissements are known for. But you get that without the crowds of tourists, the all-night parties, and the constant noise and mess.
Compared to more central arrondissements, the 14th generally offers larger apartments at more affordable prices. Strictly speaking, the 14th is the 12th most expensive arrondissement in the city (out of 20), so it’s just below the middle in average property prices.
It’s also likely to be less competitive than more central arrondissements, and you’ll get more for your money when you rent or buy. It’s an attractive choice for families, professionals, and expats looking for more living space while staying within Paris proper.
Easy access to green space is far from guaranteed in a big city like Paris. That’s one of the key reasons people move to the Paris suburbs, or to entirely different cities altogether. So to have a lovely, lush park like Montsouris in the neighborhood is a major advantage. You also have plenty of small but inviting parks and squares dotted around, and Cimetière du Montparnasse is also a large and open space to explore.
Truthfully, the 14th is probably not in the top five neighborhoods for green space, but it’s not far behind. If green space is your number one priority, the 12th, 16th, or 19th arrondissements may be better. But it’s a far better choice than most.
Reading that list of sites above, you might think that there are very few real attractions in the 14th. Many tourists visit the Catacombs, but that may be it. Well first, the Catacombs are indeed a real draw. It pays to arrive incredibly earlier, which is much easier if you live nearby.
But the Cartier Foundation is also an incredible space, having featured celebrated exhibitions from Damien Hurst, David Lynch, Jean Giraud, and many of the world’s most exciting contemporary artists. The Paris Observatory is the oldest observatory in the world, and the Paroisse Notre-Dame-du-Travail is an incredible iron and wood church near Gare Montparnasse.
Take that general feeling of peace and calm mentioned above, and add a real village vibe in certain streets, particularly in the early evening. The district is dotted with historic cafés, such as La Coupole and Le Dôme, as well as quaint bakeries, cheese shops, and wine stores. An after-work stroll down Rue Daguerre or Rue Mouton Duvernet is just lovely.
There’s also the market at Edgar-Quinet on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which is smaller than the major ones like Bastille, but just as nice.
The Montparnasse neighborhood was once home to Hemingway, Picasso, and other artists of the early 20th century. Perhaps that has something to do with it.
Parts of the 14th are certainly quite far from the central city. But the arrondissement is well connected by metro lines 4, 6, 13, and RER B. That RER line is particularly helpful to get to both major airports, and to cross the city in a hurry.
There’s also Gare Montparnasse, one of Paris’ major train stations, to take you west towards the Atlantic. If you’re making the trip to Brittany or Bordeaux regularly, it pays to live near this station.
The 14th is well-connected with metro lines 4, 6, 13, and the RER B, making it easy to get to central Paris, Gare Montparnasse, and Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Some of this depends on where you need to go regularly, and who you plan to see. But particularly if you have friends or work on the right bank of the Seine (the northern arrondissements), the 14th can feel very far away.
Unless your friends live in and around the 14th and 15th arrondissements, you can expect to go into central Paris whenever you want to catch up.
There are a few popular bars and nightclubs around the Denfert-Rochereau area. But the 14th has nothing like the nightlife or social activity of Le Marais (3rd and 4th), SoPi (the 9th), or Oberkampf and Bastille (11th).
If you're a regular partygoer—or just want to spend most evenings at afterwork drinks and with friends—you're unlikely to do so in the 14th.
It’s virtually impossible to find anywhere in Paris with no good places to eat and drink. But unlike other neighborhoods, the 14th isn’t known as a place to discover new chefs or try a different restaurant every night.
In fact, other than the classic brasseries and creperies around Montparnasse—which are popular but also touristy—the 14th isn’t really famous for cuisine at all.
Living near Montparnasse is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s great to have a major train station so nearby. But on the other hand, there’s almost always traffic, construction, and general chaos in this segment of the arrondissement.
This portion of the 14th is where much of the energy and entertainment is. But it can quickly become overwhelming and a little too hectic for many people.
The 14th arrondissement is an obvious choice for expats—particularly those with families—who want a quieter, more life in Paris. While still well-connected to the rest of the city, the 14th and 15th can feel a world away.
With beautiful parks, larger apartments for rent, and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s an ideal balance between city life and comfort. The only real downside is being a bit far from the action. If you’re looking for non-stop excitement, trendy nightlife, or a central location, you might find the 14th a bit too quiet.
But if peace and calm is a priority—still in one of the busiest and most famous cities in the world—the 14th may be just the place.