Convention-Vaugirard: Paris condensed
Tired of the crowds and traffic when visiting Paris? Looking for a change of pace and a taste of Parisian life that does not involve lining up at a major museum or landmark? Bienvenue to the 15th arrondissement, one of the largest and most densely populated areas in the French capital. A favorite section of mine is Convention-Vaugirard. Parisians have known this area as one of the best-kept secrets in town since the 19th century, when they started moving here, attracted by the peaceful life in the Vaugirard hamlet. They built small houses with pretty gardens in quiet residential neighborhoods. Soon, des commerces de proximité (convenience stores) appeared, and the neighborhood thrived.
Convention-Vaugirard: Paris condensed.
I always thought that if a visitor only had a couple of hours to spend in Paris, and wanted to understand what daily life is like for the average Parisian, they should hop on Métro line 12, and step off at Convention. As soon as you arrive, what makes Parisian – and French – life so special, surrounds you. On the Geneviève De Gaulle-Anthonioz square (a De Gaulle family member always seems to be mentioned in French town centers,) around the recognizable Métro entrance, several iconic landmarks in the Parisian cityscape are displayed in strategic locations, and the small square feels instantly familiar. Illustration:
La fontaine Wallace, Charles Auguste Lebourg, 1872.
Le kiosque à journaux (newsstand)
Across the street, more familiar sights greet you:
la boulangerie
la pâtisserie
le manège, popular with neighborhood kids on the way home from school
This idyllic scene would not be complete without a market, and a café terrace (or two.)
Le Marché. Rue de la Convention, (runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays)
Let’s stroll!
I am sure of it: Only Asterix and Obelix (and a handful of hobbits?) enjoyed a more peaceful village life than les Parisiens who have chosen Convention-Vaugirard as their home base. Since there aren’t major museums to visit here, we are left with one option: strolling. If you walk east from le Métro Convention, and head towards nearby 14th arrondissement (Métro Plaisance,) there is much to explore along the way.
La Rûche (the beehive)
Artists have elected to live in this neighborhood early on. La Rûche, (Passage Dantzig,) was once a thriving artist community created in 1902 by French painter and sculptor Alfred Boucher, where the likes of Apollinaire, Modigliani or Marc Chagall lived and worked. It’s evolved and survived until today. I have stopped by several times but have never been able to sneak in. Still, the view from the street is pretty special, even on a cold day.
La Rûche, main entrance
“Minou, minou, please let me in!”
Square Georges Brassens:
The Convention-Vaugirard neighborhood is anchored by a park often overshadowed by the expansive Parc André-Citroën, located further west in the 15th arrondissement. Fans of the late singer/songwriter Georges Brassens, (and outdoors enthusiasts) love spending time at quaint square Georges Brassens. He lived nearby for many years. This is one Parisian garden where I guarantee you will not meet many tourists! There is a vineyard there; and it’s a far cry from the former Périchot vineyard in the old Vaugirard hamlet. Still, grapes are harvested every year. There is a beehive, and a vegetable garden where local school children get their hands dirty, a merry-go-round, and marionnette (puppet) shows. On weekends, visitors browse used books at the Marché du Livre Ancien. It is quite unique in Europe and sits under old pavilions built in the 19th century in the Baltard style (that was also used to house the former wholesale food market in les Halles, 1st arrondissement.)
Square Georges Brassens, on a cold winter day
Marché du Livre Ancien, where the old horse slaughterhouses used to stand
The old pavilions
You are getting hungry. It is goûter time. Cross the street and browse the pastry selection at Max Poilâne. Everything looks good, yet to me, un flan parisien often looks better.
Along the tracks
It’s still cold outside. More strolling is de rigueur. How about a walk along a section of la petite ceinture, the old railroad tracks inaugurated during the Second Empire that used to surround Paris, transporting passengers until the 1930s? You’d need to leave Convention-Vaugirard and head west, to 101 rue Olivier de Serres to find the entrance. I’ve done it, it’s great fun.
La Petite Ceinture beckons
Your walk, if you decide to go…
Convention-Vaugirard: {truly} secret Paris
Let’s stay around Convention-Vaugirard, where a couple more discoveries await. Who’s in to visit hidden passageways? Check out tiny Impasse du Labrador (a dead-end street.) Time has stopped there.
Impasse du Labrador, Paris
Who lives there?
We have one last stop: la Villa Santos-Dumont, without a doubt the prettiest, quaintest and most bucolic dead-end street in the 15th arrondissement. Built in 1926, it harbors a community of happy-fews who have won big at the Paris real estate lottery. Colorful façades covered in Boston ivy, lofts, private gardens tucked away behind heavy gates, cobbled stones: It’s hard to not envy those who live here, just a few streets away from lively rue de la Convention.
Villa Santos-Dumont
Villa Santos-Dumont
Ville ou campagne?
Do you remember singer/songwriter Georges Brassens, the local park is named after? Originally from Sète, southern France, he lived here from the late 1960s to his death. It seems fitting to let him wrap up this story. A toi, Georges ! (Take it away!)
A bientôt.
Georges Brassens, “Les Copains d’Abord” (Friends first.)
Georges Brassens, Square Georges Brassens, Paris
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It was so fun and interesting to read about Convention Vaugirard, I could imagine myself there with you getting a private tour:) Excellent review and beautiful photos, as always. I love flan too.
Coco says hi, smile. Happy new year and may it be everything you desire,
Bonjour Cherie. Thank you for the enthusiastic feedback and vote of confidence, as always. I promise you will be among the first people to know about upcoming FGIS tours if/when they do happen! Big hug to you, Steve, and Mademoiselle Coco, of course. Happy New Year!
Loved your article and photos! A companion/compliment to your writing could be Oliver Gee’s 20 Days of Christmas, the 15th Arr. where he shows the Square Georges Brassens, the vineyard, and sights in the area. Now, I need to go back and watch the replay along with your article!
Bonjour Deborah. I had no idea Monsieur Gee had explored the 15th arrondissement this month. He does get around, doesn’t he? 😉 Now I will have to go and watch the video too if I can find it. Bon weekend!
Bonjour Véronique, Merci de me convier à vos promenades dans Paris. Il se trouve que je demeure dans le quinzième ( Porte de Versailles) , et n’ignore pas grand chose de ce quartier. Ce serait un plaisir de vous connaître . Mais quand effectuerez vous cette sortie? Bonne fin d’année
Rémy Clauvel
Bonjour Rémy. Merci de votre visite. Vous avez certainement reconnu les coins montrés dans ces photos, en tant que résident du 15eme. Si j’y retourne, je vous ferai signe. A bientôt! Bonne année !
Absolutely beautiful and inviting neighborhoods that I never visited nor knew much about. Yet another introduction to a fabulous corner of Paris. Thank you for your travelogues that continue to keep Paris alive!
Avec plaisir Diane. I enjoy taking my readers off the beaten travel path, as you know. I don’t care for crowds, and those are the areas where I spend most of my time while in Paris anyway. It seems only natural to bring you all along 🙂
What a wonderful article! Loved the pictures and the travelogue. Winter is definitely in the air!
Merci Joyce. I am glad you enjoyed this travelogue. Winter is in the air indeed. It’s been pretty cold in Paris this week. Good thing I brought my trusted travel sidekicks with me (clothing, shoes, scarves and gloves!)
I love This! Thank you for sharing. From the lovely photos, it looks miles from Paris, and so French. The quietness is inspiring. A beautiful area, it seems it offers much. The history is interesting. Loved the video! The old train tracks caught my eye. How fun it would be to explore This! I think I would like to live in the pretty little house. I so appreciate all you show to your followers and the
education gained is fabulous. So much to see and do. I never tire of this. Thanks so much!!???
Bonjour Debra. You are very kind. I know you are one of my faithful readers and you never fail to leave a detailed comment after each new blogpost. Your enthusiasm – and support – are very much appreciated.
Thanks much. I so enjoy.
Veronique, thank you so much for taking us to 15th arrondissement. As always it was very interesting, illustrated with beautiful pictures. Can’t wait for your next post
Merci beaucoup. Stay tuned! I have a lot of photos and stories to share thanks to my travels around France this fall.
The residents really did win big. The neighborhood is postcard perfect. As much time as I’ve spent in Paris, I don’t think I’ve been to the 15th, even though my treks to various tango milongas used to take me out to unlikely neighborhoods. You do such a good job of conveying the soul of the quartier.
I think my favorite Brassens song is “Les amoureux des banc publics.” What a brilliant lyricist.
Merci, Catherine, for the appreciative comment and the reminder: “Les amoureux des bancs publics” is indeed another great Brassens song!
Hello Veronique, I enjoyed the article. It reminded me of so many out-of-the-way places here in New Orleans where only locals venture. Looking forward to your next post!
Bonjour Del. Are you based in New Orleans? It’s one of my favorite American cities, and I have not been back in years! If I ever make it there again, I will be sure to reach out and ask about these places locals go to. Exploring them is always the best way to get to know a place beyond the surface in my opinion. Thank you for stopping by!
Veronique, thank you for this wonderful article! I enjoyed it very much. Your photos are beautiful and the next time I go to Paris I hope to visit the 15th. I’m looking forward to your next post.
Avec plaisir Teresa. The next post is being typed up as we speak. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Brava, brava! J’y ai habité les mois d’avril et mai 2014, rue du Théâtre, et j’ai baladé ici. Il y a aussi une librairie merveilleuse, Le Divan! 🙂
Ah, une connaisseuse! 😉 Merci de votre visite Sara.
I am sure I flit away too much time reading and enjoying various French blogs and sites…but this story today, is by far the best I have ever read. It was the first to really transport me to that location. J’adore !
I am a Francophile, but not necessarily for Paris, so this story came as a surprise to me in terms of it’s impact. Merci, merci, merci !
Well that is a big compliment, Terri, merci beaucoup! 🙂 The second part of your comment is… refreshing. So many visitors never leave Paris (even if I try to convince them to “spread their {francophile} wings.”) Glad to hear you appreciate (and know) other areas of France as well. Check out the “Destinations” section on the blog if you have not already. There are many stories there inspired by la province. A bientôt.
Most guidebooks & even blogs dismiss the 15th as bourgeois & boring but as with so many quarters of Paris, there is much more going on here than you would ever imagine. I had to go to the Lost Property office in rue des Morillons once and was pleasantly surprised by the street market and shops around Convention Métro station. Thank you for illuminating this little-known corner of the city.
“Bourgeois and boring” must translate into “authentic and uncrowded,” methinks. 😉 Let guidebooks steer tourist crowds away. Special places remain special that way…
I read your beautiful song to Vaugirard and the 15th arr. two years ago. Through blessings I don’t yet understand, I found myself in a place and deep determined to buy a little piece of Paris for my retirement. And through the darkness of COVID, this quest saved my heart. The hurdles were many, the I kept my eye on the prize. We looked everywhere in Paris, focusing mostly on the left bank and the areas around the 5th and 14th, and of course the 15th. I knew the area around Metro Vaugirard well as it was were I first landed in Paris, so I always had it in the back of my mind. And then I found your article. We found the perfect fixer where Rue de la Convention and Rue de Vouille meet. We did everything remotely, including a vast and lengthy renovation. My husband was starting to have doubts about everything, especially Paris. We finally landed in the capital three weeks ago, and while the renovations to our apartment surprised and delighted, it was really the long strolls through this magical village that made everything feel complete. We always thought, or fantasize, that we would want to live in the 5th. But there is just so much more in the 15th. From the village feel of Convention-Vaugirard to the grand boulevards at Pasture to the chic shops at Commerce. And it’s all a stroll away. Thank you for the inspiration and the elegant prose.
I read this beautiful song to Vaugirard and the 15th arr. two years ago. Through blessings I don’t yet understand, I found myself determined to buy a little piece of Paris for my retirement. Through the darkness of COVID, this quest saved my heart. A determination I have rarely felt came over me and said let’s do this. The hurdles were many, the I kept my eye on the prize. We looked everywhere in Paris, focusing mostly on the left bank and the areas around the 5th and 14th, and of course the 15th. I knew the area around Metro Vaugirard well as it was were I first landed in Paris, so I always had it in the back of my mind. And then I found your article. We found the perfect fixer where Rue de la Convention and Rue de Vouille meet. We did everything remotely, including a vast and lengthy renovation. My husband was starting to have doubts about everything, especially Paris. We finally landed in the capital three weeks ago, and while the renovations to our apartment surprised and delighted, it was really the long strolls through this magical village that made everything feel complete. We always thought, or fantasize, that we would want to live in the 5th. But there is just so much more in the 15th! From the village feel of Convention-Vaugirard to the grand boulevards at Pasture to the chic shops at Commerce. And it’s all a stroll away. Thank you for the inspiration and the elegant
Bonjour. Thank you for the kind words about this story, and for sharing your own. I am very happy you were able to make your Parisian dream come true. Enjoy your new Paris life! PS: I’d go for the 15th over the 5th any day too 😉 — A bientôt.