Along with the 7th arrondissement, the 16th is among the most prestigious and classy neighborhoods in Paris. Its grand avenues and clean streets are in sharp contrast to some of the more hectic and noisy parts of the inner city.
It is first and foremost a calm, clean, and grand arrondissement. It’s also wealthy, well appointed, and fairly exclusive.
But there are also many attractions to this neighborhood, most famously the incredible Eiffel Tower views from Trocadero. There’s an abundance of galleries and museums across many genres, and some of the best green spaces in the whole city.
Keep reading to learn about life in the alluring 16th arrondissement.
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About the 16th arrondissement
The 16th arrondissement is the closest you can get to elegant suburbia without actually living in the Paris suburbs. It has much in common with Neuilly-sur-Seine and Levallois-Perret, both upper-class, comfortable suburbs very nearby.
You can expect to see expensive cars, fancy clothes, exclusive brasseries full of elegant clientele, stately apartment buildings and private mansions.
Famous residents have included Brigitte Bardot, Serge Gainsbourg, Marcel Proust, and even Benjamin Franklin. Today, Carla Bruni and Nicolas Sarkozy, Celine Dion, and Lenny Kravitz all have residences in the 16th.
Among plenty of other distinguished residents, the 16th hosts a number of embassies, and the Organization for Economic Development. The arrondissement is therefore home to many international expats, despite being in many ways a highly traditional neighborhood.
Tour Eiffel
Where is the 16th arrondissement?
The 16th falls within the following borders:
- Porte de Saint-Cloud, the outer Seine river, and the edges of the Bois de Boulogne to the west.
- Avenue de la Grande Armée to the north, from the Périphérique to the Arc de Triomphe.
- Avenue Marceau to the east.
- The banks of the Seine to the south.
What are the main highlights of the 16th arrondissement?
- Despite being a largely residential neighborhood, the 16th includes the following cultural and historical attractions:
- Part of the Arc de Triomphe, also shared with the 8th and 17th arrondissements.
- The Museum of Modern Art with its free 20th century collection, and Palais de Tokyo, a contemporary gallery featuring new installations each season.
- The Louis Vuitton Foundation gallery and the Jardin d'Acclimatation, both in the Bois de Boulogne.
- The huge Bois de Boulogne itself.
- Parc des Princes, home of the Paris Saint-Germain football team, and Roland-Garros stadium, where the French Open takes place every year.
- Trocadero, with its unbeatable views and selfies with the Eiffel Tower.
- A wide range of more niche galleries and museums, including Fondation Le Corbusier, the Musée Guimet and Musée d'Ennery (Asian art), Musée Arménien de France, Musée d'Art Dentaire Pierre Fauchard (dental history), Musée Baccarat (glassware), Musée de la Contrefaçon (counterfeit goods), Musée Galliera (fashion), Musée de l'Homme (anthropology), and Musée Marmottan Monet (dedicated to Monet).
Arc de Triomphe
The best reasons to live in the 16th arrondissement
The 16th is a huge desirable arrondissement, for a host of good reasons:
The Bois de Boulogne
This enormous wooded park on Paris’ western edge deserves its own section here. It was gifted to the city by Emperor Napoleon III—appropriate given its size and grandeur. Bois de Boulogne is the second-largest park in Paris, more than twice the size of New York’s Central Park.
The Bois includes a classic English garden, several lakes, a waterfall, the Château de Bagatelle, a zoo and amusement park in the Jardin d'Acclimatation, the Louis Vuitton Foundation art museum, the Hippodrome de Longchamp and the Auteuil Hippodrome Roland Garros Stadium, Villa Windsor (home to British king Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson), and other attractions.
On top of these destinations, the Bois is simply an extraordinary place to walk, run, cycle, picnic, and explore. Living in a major capital city, you couldn’t ask for better access to the outdoors.
The beauty and grandeur
The level of ornate architecture and wide, clean roads is hard to match elsewhere in Paris. And with the Bois de Boulogne, Jardin du Ranelagh and Parc de Passy, there is also a leafy, green feeling to much of the arrondissement.
Parts of this area almost have that regal feeling you find around Hyde Park in London, or the Upper West Side in New York.
The peace and quiet
Other than the international organizations and a few corporate headquarters, the 16th isn’t a business district. And once you get away from Trocadero and the Arc de Triomphe, it’s also not particularly touristy. In the right areas, you’re in a very calm, residential part of the city.
The downside is a real lack of nightlife—more on this shortly. But if you’re most interested in a peaceful, easy, and safe lifestyle, the 16th certainly offers this.
The amazing art and culture
As you can see from the list above, the 16th is almost overflowing with interesting cultural sites.
Some are more focused on curiosities and fun histories, like Musée d'Art Dentaire Pierre Fauchard (dentistry) and Musée de la Contrefaçon (counterfeit goods). Others feature show-stopping temporary exhibitions, like the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and Palais de Tokyo.
Not to mention the range of monuments, statues, historic gardens, and other sites to explore. You even have a large replica of the Statue of Liberty on Île aux Cygnes in the Seine.
The excellent family living
Peaceful suburbs with outdoor access are obviously great for families. Couple that with the wide range of educational opportunities and cultural sites, and the 16th makes for an ideal family home base.
The 16th’s excellent international and bilingual schools include Lycée Janson de Sailly, École Jeannine Manuel, and the International School of Paris. There are also good hospitals, English-speaking doctors and pediatricians, and apartments also tend to be large and well suited to expat families.
The best reasons not to live in the 16th arrondissement
The 16th is certainly not for everyone. Here are a few very good reasons not to move to this neighborhood.
Pricey housing and amenities
The 16th is a mid-priced neighborhood for average property prices, behind the central eight arrondissements. But compared with other residential areas out of the city center, it’s easily the most expensive.
The broader cost of living is elevated too. Of course, nowhere in Paris is truly cheap, but you won’t find many discounted stores or low-cost supermarkets in this neighborhood. You can expect to see select boutiques, fine fruit sellers and chocolatiers, and elevated bars and restaurants. If cost of living is a concern, you’re probably better off elsewhere.
Lack of social activity
As noted above, the 16th has very little in the way of nightlife or exciting social events. This is Paris, so of course there are friendly neighborhood bars and bistros. But these tend to be a bit pricier and attract a more docile crowd. And much of the arrondissement feels asleep at night and on the weekends.
Again, this might be exactly what you’re looking for. But if you enjoy meeting friends and partying away your evenings, you can expect to travel to other arrondissements for this.
Upper-class attitudes
It would be unfair to say that the 16th is snobbish—you can find difficult people and attitudes anywhere in the world. But there is certainly more of a bourgeois or upper-class demeanor here than any of the other high-numbered residential arrondissements (13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20). You do not come to the 16th looking for discount stores and cheap eats.
And while many parts of the city are noticeably heterogenous and diversifying, the 16th retains a chic spirit that appeals most to an exclusive few.
Old fashioned feeling
Connected to the previous point, the 16th hasn’t evolved into a cosmopolitan, global neighborhood in line with Paris as a city. There are fewer examples of interesting international cuisine—despite the global citizens living here—and also fewer instances of world cultures.
You’ll notice less diversity than Le Marais, the 18th, 19th, or 20th. And you’ll also meet far fewer young people, particularly those in their 20s or 30s. This is one of the better locations for retired people and families (assuming they can afford it), but not a great fit for the young and alternative.
The chic suburban life Paris
The 16th is a desirable, attractive arrondissement to live in, with good reason. It’s perfect for those looking for a quiet and safe neighborhood with green spaces, elegant architecture, and a family-friendly atmosphere. It has very good, if expensive, brasseries and other amenities.
But for some, it may feel too quiet. It’s also certainly too expensive for many, and for others too traditional and old fashioned.
If you value calm, culture, and luxurious living, the 16th could be an excellent fit. But if you crave energy and excitement, you might want to explore other parts of the city.
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