Escape Paris Crowds In This Quaint Cobblestone 'Village' Full Of Quirky Shops Favored By Locals

Paris is one of those places that every traveler should experience at least once in their lifetime. However, there's nothing that can temper the magic of Paris like having to fight tons of crowds. If you're interested in truly soaking in real French life but want to avoid tourist traps like the Eiffel Tower, you might want to consider accommodations in a less touristy area, like the hyper-local Paris neighborhood of Batignolles. This little slice of the 17th arrondissement is full of cobblestone streets, trendy bars and restaurants, and, most importantly, more opportunities to simply live like a Parisian.

The Batignolles neighborhood is generally understood to be between Place de Clichy and Parc Moneau on the south side, with its northern "border" along the Boulevard Berthier. It is also next to the slightly more well-known neighborhood of Montmartre, where you can find the famous Moulin Rouge. Batignolles is often described as having the feel of a small, quaint French village while still being within the city of Paris.

Part of the reason for this is likely because the area was only designated to be part of the city as recently as the 1860s, so it seems like it has retained a little bit of its individuality. The major Metro stations in Batignolles are Rome, La Fourche, and Villiers. While it lacks major tourist attractions, Batignolles certainly makes up for it by being a quiet, laid-back, and interesting neighborhood with shopping, tranquil green spaces, and art galleries.

Even if you spend a lot of your time visiting places like the Louvre or Notre Dame (which is now open to the public after the 2019 fire), you can rest assured that if you're in need of a slower-paced day full of shopping, eating, and people-watching, you can definitely get your fill of it in Batignolles. The area is particularly known for its excellent bakeries, restaurants, hip bars, and classic cafés — all complete with pleasant outdoor seating when the weather is good.

There are so many great spots to sit, eat, and drink it might even be difficult to decide where to go. But if you walk down Rue Brochant (the main "restaurant" street in the area), you'll find plenty of French bistros, easygoing bars, cheese shops, and more. And it isn't exclusive to just French cuisine; you can find food from all over the globe in this area. One highly recommended restaurant is Le Costaud des Batignolles, which is also an art gallery full of brightly colored decor and modern artwork on the walls to enjoy while you eat.

You can work up an appetite by exploring the area's various shops, especially along Rue Legendre but also throughout the neighborhood. Shops range from trendy clothing stores like Petite Mendigote and Cuisse de Grenouille to quirky home decor and antique establishments. Although you won't find major international stores here, you will be able to browse unique vintage finds and modern home goods, accessories, jewelry, and gifts from singular boutiques that are high on design.

Eating delicious food and shopping until you drop are certainly great reasons to visit Paris, but while in Batignolles, you should also take some time to breathe, read a book, or take a leisurely walk in the neighborhood's parks. Paris has a ton of amazing green spaces, and Batignolles is home to two lovely areas for spending some time outside. The Square des Batignolles is the smaller park in the neighborhood, but still full of natural greenery, benches, pathways, ponds, and other water features, along with a few cafés and restaurants just across the street.

The larger park is Parc Clichy-Batignolles, also known as Parc Martin Luther King. This 25-acre park is a little newer, with a more manicured landscape but the same beauty as Square des Batignolles. It also has a skate park, basketball courts, and even a bowling alley.

Despite the neighborhood being quiet and slightly out of the way, you can still enjoy the major attractions of Paris while basing yourself in Batignolles. Square des Batignolles is about 20 minutes via bus to the Arc de Triomphe, less than 20 minutes via the Metro to the Louvre, and bout 30 minutes on the Metro to Notre Dame Cathedral. This way, you can get the best of Paris by experiencing it both as a tourist and as a local. If you're planning a trip to the City of Light, be sure to avoid the expensive mistake tourists make when taking the Paris Metro.