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Municipal arrondissement in Île-de-France, France
Photo: (WT-en) Mark at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The 12th arrondissement of Paris is one of the largest of the city's districts even without the 2,460 acre Bois de Vincennes, which more than doubles its size. Gare de Lyon in the 12th will likely be your arrival point if you are coming from Switzerland, Italy, or the south of France.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Nestled in the centre of the Parc Bercy (below) is a lovely, and truly peaceful, garden with several waterworks and other high-quality landscape-art pieces. If you are one of the many people visiting the 12th on business it would be well worth an hour of your time between meetings and dinner to explore the mound, the fountain, and the bridges, and to watch children play in complete peace, much like the peace to which the garden's namesake dedicated his life.
For a taste of the French countryside, a visit to Bercy Village brings to life the spirit of market shopping inside Paris.
An indoor sports arena that seats around 17,000 for sports and slightly over 20,000 for major concerts; formerly known as Palais des Omnisports de Paris-Bercy and Bercy Arena. Home to numerous concerts and major sporting events, most notably the Paris Masters tournament on the ATP World Tour in men's tennis.
One of the truly great venues for the performing arts anywhere in the world, Paris' new opera house actually managed to inspire some neighborhood protest during its planning and construction. Pretty much everybody is a believer nowadays though. Check out the website for upcoming shows, it might even make sense to plan a trip to Paris around one.
Coulée verte René-Dumont
If you were a city planner in one of the great cities of our Earth and you discovered that a railroad right-of-way had been abandoned and would never be used again what might you do? Perhaps if you knew your stuff you'd convert it into a 4 mile long park, about half of which is elevated above street level on the old rail viaduct. This long narrow park pretty much allows the visitor to walk in carfree bliss from Place de Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes.
Between the River Seine and the rail yards attached to Gare de Lyon and Gare de Bercy is a green space which would seem pretty huge if the 12th weren't also the home of the Bois de Vincennes. The park is a good place to hang out waiting for the line to form for sporting events and concerts at AccorHotels Arena.
There are many beautiful footpaths, a Buddhist Temple, and a lake with rowboats available for rental (about €10 as of 2009). The lake has many different kinds of birds, and islands accessible by footbridge.
Cimetière de Picpus
A must for anyone interested in the history of the American Revolution. This small cemetery includes three mass graves from the French Revolution, plus a section that includes many of France's most noble families that lost members during the French Revolution and consequently have a continuing right to be buried there. In the farthest right hand corner is the tomb of General Lafayette, the friend and fellow soldier of George Washington. Beside him is his beloved wife plus other members of her family, the de Noailles, who were almost completely wiped out during the French Revolution because of their closeness to the Court. Since 1834 the American flag has apparently flown continuously over his grave, even during the German occupation of Paris during World War II. Well worthy of a visit.
A former fortress and royal residence at the edge of the city, alongside the Bois de Vincennes. It was largely built between 1361 and 1369, and was a preferred residence, after the Palais de la Cité, of French kings in the 14th to 16th century. It is particularly known for its "donjon" or keep, a fortified central tower, the tallest in Europe, built in the 14th century, and for the chapel, Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes, begun in 1379 but not completed until 1552, which is an exceptional example of Flamboyant Gothic architecture. Most of the building is now open to the public.
Housed in an amazing Art Deco building, purpose-built for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition, featuring an elaborate frieze across the front facade that depicts the achievement of French overseas territories. It houses an Aquarium and an Immigration Museum. The aquarium can be seen in about an hour and is popular with families with small children.
La Cinémathèque française
Housed in modern building designed by Frank Gehry, contains a cinema showing French & international films, temporary exhibitions lasting about 6 months, Museum dedicated to the history of cinema. Exhibitions are fairly visual.
A typical restaurant of the bo-bo (bourgeois - bohème) population of this district. Good traditional cooking with mid-range prices.
This charming storefront bistro offers an adventurous take on traditional French cooking, and with a couple of good selections for vegetarians, including a €12 vegetarian menu. The indoor vineyard decor appeals for its artsy clutter; the only indications that the owner and chef is a former rugby star being the newspaper clipping on the wall and the almost hidden world championship medal behind the bar.
Serves haute cuisine in amazing surroundings. Reservations strongly recommended
An excellent find in a quiet back street. Good value food, with a selection wide enough to offer a good choice whilst allowing the chef to concentrate on perfecting a small number of dishes. Warm, friendly welcome and faultless service.
An alternative bar at the end of the Rue de la Roquette, punk, rock, metal, goth.
Popular English brew-pub with a French twist. Open terrace at each end. Check the beer menu for current selection of beers brewed on the premises. Interesting range of snacks and more filling dishes.
Located very close to Gare de Lyon and a short walk from Bastille, it is a decent budget hotel with single, double, triple and quadruple rooms. Convenient to visit Disneyland as well as to the sights of Paris.
This hostel, within a block of the Gare de Lyon station, has bunk beds in shared rooms sleeping 4-6 people. Some rooms have showers and toilets. A basic breakfast of pastries and hot drinks is included in the price.
Hotel Le Quartier Bercy Square, located in the 12th arrondissement, is right between Metro stations Dugommier and Daumesnil (Lines 6 and 8). It has easy access to Palais Omnisports at Bercy, Cours St. Emillon with its lively area of shops, restaurants, and bars, and train stations Gare de Bercy and Gare de Lyon. And with Line 14 at Bercy station just down the road, the rest of Paris is only minutes from you.
Auberge Internationale des Jeunes
Some sites (including their own) says they are a youth-only hostel, but there do not enforce any age restrictions. Wifi and a small non-buffet continental breakfast is included. Each room has a sink, but the top sheet for each bunk is not included and will cost extra if you don't just want the blanket. No alcohol is allowed in the hostel. The hostel is 24 hr but the rooms close between 11:00-15:00 for cleaning.
Having opened its doors at the beginning of the 20th century The Grand Hotel Doré has been owned and operated by the same family ever since, giving the place plenty of character and quite a bit of charm. Guests tend to be a pretty even mix of business and pleasure travellers.
This branch of the Ibis chain is a bit more comfortable than most, especially worthwhile if you have just arrived at Gare de Lyon. The website has current price information, and links to their 650 sister hotels across Europe. Breakfast (€10, until 10:00) is the pretty ordinary buffet fare.
This nice little hotel is around the right price and probably has the closest possible access to the Air France airport buses.
formerly Sofitel Paris Bercy
The former Sofitel was demoted to Pullman, but has since been afforded a thorough renovation (finished in autumn of 2013) to bring it up to current Pullman brand standards along with other Pullman hotels in Paris. Friendly and helpful staff.
This is just one example out of the many computer shops in the immediate area, included here to help you find them all. Check the prices here, next door, and across the street. When you find the lowest bidder plunge forward and add them here please!
The cheapest open air market in Paris, on Rue d'Aligre. There's produce, carpets, clothes, antiques. Covered market, Marche Beauvau, is adjacent. North African influence, many food shops surround it.
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