Street Art of the 13th: Murals and the Butte aux Cailles, a Self-Guided Paris Walk
2h. 1.7 miles. From Boulevard Vincent Auriol to Cité Florale.
The 13th arrondissement turned its tower blocks into the largest open-air street art museum in Europe, with ten-story murals by Obey, Inti and D*Face. Then, ten minutes away, the Butte aux Cailles hides a village of cottages where the walls talk in stencils. Two worlds, one walk.
The local move
Ride line 6 above ground between Nationale and Corvisart, the metro itself is the best viewpoint for the giant murals. Locals call it the gallery line.
Best time to go
Afternoon light is best for the murals. The Butte aux Cailles wakes up around 5pm.
When to avoid it
Avoid late evening for the murals section, the boulevard is dull after dark. The Butte, on the contrary, is at its best then.
The stops
Boulevard Paris 13 street art
A dozen monumental murals on the tower facades of boulevard Vincent Auriol, curated by the Galerie Itinerrance. Obey's Marianne and Inti's giants are the stars.
Tip: Start at metro Nationale and walk toward Chevaleret looking up. The best photo spot for Obey's mural is from the elevated metro platform.
Place Paul Verlaine
The heart of the Butte aux Cailles, with its 1924 artesian-well fountain where locals still fill bottles, and the red-brick swimming pool from the same era.
Tip: Taste the water at the fountain, it comes from 600 meters down and Parisians queue for it with empty bottles.
Mur de la Butte-aux-Cailles street art
The lanes around rue de la Butte aux Cailles are an ever-changing gallery of stencils and paste-ups, Miss.Tic heirs on village walls.
Tip: Look low, not high. The best pieces here are small stencils at eye level or below, easy to miss if you walk fast.
Chez Gladines
A loud, cheap, beloved Basque canteen where the salads arrive in mixing bowls. The Butte aux Cailles institution.
Tip: Cash only and no reservations. Go before 7.30pm or expect a line, which moves fast and is part of the experience.
Cité Florale
A tiny triangle of flower-named lanes with ivy-covered cottages, built in 1928 on a field too soggy for buildings. One of the most photographed hidden corners of Paris.
Tip: It is a real neighborhood, keep voices low. Rue des Orchidées is the prettiest lane.
Ways to change it up
Make it a food walk
End at Chez Gladines for Basque comfort food, cash only, no bookings, worth the wait.
Short on time
Skip the boulevard and do only the Butte aux Cailles, 45 minutes of stencils, cottages and cafes.
About these walks
This is one of the free self-guided Paris walks written by the Chic Trip team, locals who plan and book full Paris trips for American travelers. Get our free insider Paris guide at chic-trip.com/free-paris-guide, or have us plan your whole trip at chic-trip.com/paris-travel-planner.
