Paris by the Numbers – 11th and 12th

My Paris by the Numbers series continues this week with the 11th and 12th arrondissements. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, there are 20 arrondissements in Paris and I’m covering each and every one over the next few months. The landmarks I have chosen in each neighborhood are the ones that appealed to us, so this won’t be an inclusive list of sites for each neighborhood.

The 11th arrondissement is located on the right bank of the River Seine and is one of the most densely populated of the neighborhoods, with an approximate population of 144,000 in 2020. Paris’ first zero-waste liquids store, the Naked Shop, is located in this neighborhood, along with other eco-friendly shops.

In the 11th you’ll also find Place de la Bastille (which overlaps with the 3rd and 10th arrondissements) Place de la République, along with lots of shopping and restaurants. Place de la Bastille was once the home of the fortress and prison which was destroyed during the French Revolution. The square is now a popular venue for concerts and other activities, and is the location of the colonne de Juillet commemorating the July Revolution. At the top of the column is Génie de la Bastille, signifying freedom.

Located at the intersection of the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements, in Place de la République is the famous monument, Monument à la République. This bronze statue standing 31 feet (9.5 meters) sits on a 49 foot (15 meter) pedestal and is the focal point of Place de la République. The pedestal includes three smaller statues representing the French motto, liberty, equality and fraternity.

The 11th is an interesting place to wander and snap photos or stop in a café or bistro for a drink and a quick sketch.

The 12th arrondissement, also located on the right bank of the River Seine, is the largest of Paris’ neighborhoods by area. This neighborhood is known for its many green spaces including Bois de Vincennes, one of our favorite parks in the city. Created by Napoleon III between 1855 and 1866, it is the largest park in the city. It contains a zoo, a botanical garden, four lakes, an arboretum, an English garden, just to name a few of its features.

This 2400 acre (995 hectare) park is a tranquil and inviting place to linger. We spent several hours here but easily could have brought a picnic and spent the day.

Also in the 12th is Bercy Village which was once the largest wine market in the world. Here you’ll find shops, restaurants, museums and concerts every Thursday evening during the summer. Meg at Grand Misadventures posted a wonderful blog about one of the museums in the village; here’s the link:

Pavilions de Bercy – Musée des arts Forains

We enjoyed strolling through the village which seems to be a popular space that attracts lots of visitors.

So what do you think of these two arrondissements? Paris is always wonderful regardless of the neighborhood one visits, but we found the outer arrondissements to be very appealing with much to offer and fewer crowds.

As always, I would love to hear from you, so feel free to leave a message if you’re so inclined.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia