Authentic Paris without the tourists: Here's the 15th arrondissement

Welcome back to “The 20 Kingdoms” season, where I’ll visit each of the 20 arrondissements and introduce you to someone who truly loves it.

In this episode for the 15th district, it’s content creator Gaby Hafner who lives in the 15eme and absolutely loves it.

I asked her: Where shall we meet? She introduced me to Sang Bong Lo, a Korean brunch spot on rue Viala. We then sat in a the Place du Commerce park and talked about the district and how it may be overlooked by visitors to Paris, but could just be the perfect Paris district for a local.

Listen to it below, on Spotify, on iTunes, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Gaby Hafner’s Socials

Find Gaby on Instagram here and TikTok here.

Also: Special shoutout to the Australian ambassador to France, Lynette Wood, who is a local resident too, and who recommended the twice-weekly Marché Grenelle under the raised Metro line by Dupleix.

There’s plenty to do in this un-touristy area, here are 15 things to seek out. Some of these were mentioned in this week’s episode, others I’ve found in previous explorations of the district.

We can already tick off the Sang Bong Lo brunch spot recommended by Gaby and the Dupleix markets recommended by the ambassador. Here come 13 more things, in rapid succession.

If it’s summer, you can swim in the Seine at Grenelle for the Paris Plages. There’s space for 200 swimmers (!) and you’ll have views of the Eiffel Tower from the water! I did it right after recording this episode, I found it to be wonderful.

For a coffee, the Good News Cafe (pictured below), O’Coffeeshop, and Onoul are all excellent.

To eat: The Café du Commerce is a local institution, with charming waiters, a fun interior stretched over three levels, and steeped in local history. For your daily bread, Poilâne has at least two great bakeries in this neighbourhood.

Shopping is great along most of rue du Commerce, or if you want a mall, head to Beaugrenelle, which even includes a cinema.

A top place for a drink is Le Ciel de Paris Restaurant. You’d be mad to come here expecting world-class cocktails, but that view is spectacular (see below).

For a lovely walk, head to the man-made island Île aux Cygnes where, at the western edge, you can find the biggest statue of liberty in Paris. Or, another green walk is in the Parc Georges Brassens, just a stone’s throw from the Vanves Flea Market (which is in the 14th arrondissement, so we’ll save that for later).

If it’s not a windy day, you can soar above the city in the Ballon de Paris, or, if the weather isn’t great, head inside the Musée Bourdelle for a sculpture museum showcasing the work of Antoine Bourdelle.

That’ll do for the 15th, but if you want to continue your explorations in Paris elsewhere, join The Earful Tower for a walking tour in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. The Monday morning tours for September have already started to sell out, don’t leave it too late!

Oliver