For many newcomers to Paris, living in the 18th arrondissement on the world-famous Montmartre hill is a dream come true. The combination of quintessential cobbled streets, art history, and extraordinary views are really unlike anywhere else in the world.
Elsewhere, the 18th features beautiful, quiet residential areas, and bustling regional markets. There’s an almost unbeatable range of cafés, bars, and restaurants, and a seemingly endless lineup of concerts and other entertainment to enjoy.
All of this stimulation can also be overwhelming. And if you’re looking primarily for a quiet, secure neighborhood with few disturbances, you may be happier elsewhere.
This article explores the very best parts of life in the 18th, and a few good reasons why it doesn’t suit everyone.
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The 18th arrondissement is best known for Montmartre, the city’s highest natural point (excluding buildings, of course). Tourists and locals flock here to explore the quaint, hilly streets, discover its artistic past, and to take photos of the entire city from this unique vantage point.
This historic area looks and feels exactly like the movies. In fact, it’s the very area where Amélie lives (in the film of the same name), and you can visit Café des 2 Moulins daily, just like her. It also features prominently in John Wick: Chapter 4, if that’s more your thing.
But there’s much more to this neighborhood than Montmartre. The 18th also includes the famous Moulin Rouge and Paris’ red light district, the Goutte d’Or area with a rich abundance of African culture and food, and the up-and-coming residential area on the back (northern) side of Montmartre, between the Jules Joffrin and Guy Môquet metro stations.
The 18th arrondissement is framed by the following borders:
The 18th is popular with both tourists and local Parisians, with a wide array of attractions:
There’s an incredible array of attractions and amusements in the 18th. Here are just a select few:
For many newcomers to Paris, the idea of waking up every day in Montmartre and strolling its historic streets is a dream. Provided you can handle the hill itself—very steep in sections—it’s a quite extraordinary place to live.
The artistic roots run deep, with former residents including Picasso, Braque, Dalida, and Modigliani. You’ll see murals and homages all around, and Place du Tertre is full of painters selling their work and delivering real-time caricatures for tourists.
Aside from its history and vibe, Montmartre also has wonderful modern cafés and restaurants, excellent boulangeries and fromageries, and plenty of great shops. It manages to be both a window to a bygone era, and a high-functioning, convenient place to live today.
We’ve previously described the 9th arrondissement as Paris’ social center. Well, the 18th is literally across the road, and just as lively in the evenings and on weekends. There are lines down the street to watch international touring artists at La Cigale and Le Trianon. The pubs on Boulevard de Clichy are packed for every major rugby or football game. And you’ll find people stumbling out of clubs and late-night bars in the wee hours of every morning.
The 18th, along with the 9th, the 11th, and Le Marais, is one of those parts of Paris where you can head with no real plan, and just see where the night takes you.
The 18th is utterly overflowing with great food and coffee. For French cuisine, there are the traditional tourist brasseries around Place du Tertre or Abbesses, where vacationers stop for crêpes and escargot. Rue des Abbesses has a whole range of less stereotypical but also classically French bistros and restaurants, many of which are good.
And we can’t forget Bouillon Pigalle, an undeniably touristy bistro on Boulevard de Clichy, that’s secretly also very popular with Parisians. (It’s one of the places you take your out-of-town friends for a fun, cheap meal.)
There are also hipster-friendly brunch places like Hardware Societé or Sweet Rawmance, excellent coffee at The Beans On Fire, Café Pimpin, and Alba, and exquisite pastries at Sucré Coeur, Land&Monkeys (vegan), and La Manufacture de Sans Gluten (gluten free).
Montmartre also has the best concentration of Italian restaurants in the city—Al Caratello probably the most popular among them. You’ll find Greek, Mexican, Turkish, and Indian cuisine, and of course a wide range of North and Sub-Saharan African options near Goutte d’Or. The diversity of eating and drinking opportunities in the 18th is truly hard to beat.
There was a time when living on Montmartre was actually cheap—probably because of the effort to climb the hill. That’s no longer the case, but the wider 18th is generally an affordable arrondissement, and far less competitive than others.
In fact, the northern 18th (behind Montmartre) has become a key area for first home buyers and solo renters. Properties are in the bottom five arrondissements for average price, similar to outer neighborhoods like the 12th, 13th, and 20th.
You get a lot for your money as a result of being “far away” from the central city—but in reality the neighborhood is quite accessible. And you’re very close to so much entertainment, which is a major advantage.
Many of the same reasons why people love this area turn others off. These are the chief reasons why some people choose not to live in the 18th.
There’s a definite downside to living in Montmartre—other than climbing the hill everyday. This area is always busy, no matter the weather or time of year. If you don’t like crowds, noise, and tour groups, this is not the area for you. And the same goes for Pigalle and Blanche, near the Moulin Rouge.
But the tourist traffic concentrates around these areas, and much of the 18th isn’t touristy at all. In fact, the areas around Jules Joffrin and Épinettes are calm, residential, and quite pretty.
So while the 18th can certainly be crowded in key places, not everywhere is like this.
On top of tourists, there are also the aforementioned clubs, bars, and general social spirit. These are wonderful when you’re in the mood, but can be a real issue at other times. If you move here, do your due diligence on the particular street and building you’re moving to.
Again, there are quiet and residential parts of the 18th, but much of the arrondissement is geared towards entertainment.
Pigalle is an undeniably fun and interesting part of the city to walk through in the early evening. But the mix of suggestive cheek and full-on eroticism can be confronting. And it may become too much for some people to deal with day in, day out.
Again, this is fairly concentrated to a few main streets. You can easily live in the 18th and rarely encounter the red light area. It’s just something to be aware of—not to say that the area is dangerous at all, but it’s not to everyone’s taste.
Aside from the red light district, there are a few other stretches of the 18th where some can feel unsafe. Château Rouge, Barbès, and La Chapelle are all lower socio-economic neighborhoods, and are seen by many to be less welcoming—perhaps even a bit unsafe.
Whether you feel safe is largely subjective. Paris is generally considered a safe city, and expats need to be more concerned with minor issues like pickpocketing and scammers rather than their physical safety. But you should expect to feel less secure in these neighborhoods, particularly alone at night, and plan accordingly.
It’s worth repeating once again that Montmartre is a steep hill. For able-bodied, fit people, this isn’t a major concern. But its old streets aren’t particularly suitable for those in wheelchairs, and may cause extra stress to families pushing strollers.
There is metro access and a funicular that takes people up to Sacré Coeur, but you’ll still have to get around between these, and they can be frustrating in a hurry. It’s a great place to visit, and the steep roads may be fine once in a while, but you should not live in and around Montmartre if mobility is a major challenge.
The 18th arrondissement is one of the most dynamic, diverse, and culturally rich areas in Paris. It offers historic charm, affordable rent (for the most part), and an exciting food and nightlife scene. And for many moving to the City of Lights, it provides the colorful, social lifestyle they’ve dreamed of.
It is also crowded, noisy, and a bit rough in certain areas. Its steep, cobbled streets can also make it hard to get around for some. It’s probably best for young professionals, creatives, and expats who enjoy city life rather than those seeking peace and quiet.
If you love artistic neighborhoods with character and don’t mind a bit of urban grit, the 18th could be an amazing place to call home. If that sounds interesting, here are the best apartments to rent in the 18th right now.