Chinatown
The largest Chinatown in Europe, just 5 minutes on foot from the hotel. A culinary and cultural journey shaped by decades of history.
A trip to Asia without leaving Paris
Nestled in the triangle formed by Avenue d'Ivry, Avenue de Choisy and Boulevard Masséna, the Chinatown of the 13th arrondissement is the largest in Europe. Born in the 1970s-80s, this cosmopolitan neighbourhood brings together Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian communities — mainly Chaozhou refugees and Boat People who fled the conflicts in Southeast Asia.
From steaming dim sum stalls to giant Asian supermarkets like Tang Frères (opened in 1981 on Avenue d'Ivry, now Europe's #1 Asian grocery), hidden Buddhist temples tucked away in tower blocks, and the spectacular Chinese New Year celebrations, every street holds a discovery. It is one of the most authentic and exotic neighbourhoods in Paris.
The birth of Parisian Chinatown
The story of this neighbourhood is intimately linked to Opération Italie 13, a vast urban planning project approved in 1966 by the Paris Council: 87 hectares between Place d'Italie and the outer boulevards, designed to house 16,400 modern apartments in concrete towers. These flats, deemed too expensive or too modern by Parisians at the time, remained largely unoccupied.
From the 1970s onwards, a great wave of Southeast Asian refugees — the Boat People, fleeing the fall of South Vietnam (1975) and conflicts in Cambodia and Laos — found affordable housing in these empty towers of the 13th. Among them were the Chaozhou, originally from southeastern China, who had first emigrated to Vietnam. With their qualifications unrecognised in France, they turned to commerce and transformed the neighbourhood.
The first Tang Frères shop opened on Avenue d'Ivry in 1981. By 1996, it was already Europe's #1 Asian grocery. Today, the neighbourhood is a vibrant meeting point for all communities of Chinese and Indochinese culture — a living heritage of Paris.
Neighbourhood highlights
Asian cuisine
Vietnamese phở, Cantonese dim sum, Cambodian bobun, Japanese ramen… Hundreds of authentic restaurants at affordable prices, far from tourist traps. Paris's first Chinese restaurants opened near Gare de Lyon in the 1920s.
Supermarkets & groceries
Tang Frères (since 1981) and Paristore are the two largest Asian supermarkets in Paris. With revenues exceeding €140 million, Tang Frères is a true empire of Asian grocery in Europe.
Chinese New Year
Every February, the neighbourhood comes alive with the Chinese New Year parade: dragons, dancing lions, firecrackers and traditional costumes through the streets of the 13th. A colourful spectacle attracting thousands of visitors.
Temples & culture
Discover Buddhist temples hidden in the tower blocks, including the Teochew Association Temple. Chaozhou communities keep their traditions alive through cultural associations, art galleries and year-round events.
Our recommendations
Tang Frères
48 avenue d'Ivry
Asian supermarketParistore
44 avenue d'Ivry
Asian supermarketPhở 14
129 avenue de Choisy
Vietnamese restaurantLao Lane Xang
102 avenue d'Ivry
Laotian restaurantTeochew Temple
37 rue du Disque
Buddhist templeBobun House
Avenue de Choisy
Asian street foodStay in the heart of the 13th
Hôtel Inn Design is just 5 minutes from Chinatown. Book and explore the flavours of Asia.
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