Paris’s Quartier Asiatique, often referred to as the Asian Quarter, is a vibrant, densely populated neighborhood in the 13th arrondissement, home to an estimated 50,000 residents. Despite being one of Europe’s largest Chinatowns, covering approximately 1.7 square kilometers, it remains largely off the typical tourist trail.
Unlike the more visually striking Chinatowns found in cities like London and New York, the Quartier Asiatique doesn’t rely on elaborate gates or lantern-filled streets to attract visitors. Instead, it functions primarily as a residential and commercial hub for the East and Southeast Asian communities of Paris, offering a glimpse into everyday life rather than a curated experience for tourists. The area is bordered by Avenue de Choisy, Avenue d’Ivry, and Boulevard Masséna, encompassing the Les Olympiades residential district.
The neighborhood’s origins trace back to the 1970s, when a significant influx of refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos began settling in the area. This wave of immigration was facilitated by the “Italie 13” urban planning project, which provided much-needed housing units. While many of the initial Vietnamese immigrants later integrated into broader French society and moved to other parts of Paris, a strong commercial presence remained, eventually giving way to a larger Chinese population and the development of the present-day Chinatown.
Today, the Quartier Asiatique is a bustling mix of shops, restaurants, and residential buildings, catering largely to the local community. Visitors can find a wide array of Asian groceries, including those specializing in Vietnamese pho, as well as bookstores, antique shops, and the large Tang Frères supermarket, which offers a comprehensive selection of Asian products. The area also houses a Buddhist temple, tucked away under one of the high-rise apartment buildings.
While not a major tourist destination year-round, the Quartier Asiatique comes alive during Chinese New Year celebrations. This year, the Lunar New Year, which fell on February 17th, was marked by parades and fireworks not only in the Asian Quarter but also in other Parisian neighborhoods, including the 3rd arrondissement and Belleville.
The Olympiades shopping centre, located within the Quartier Asiatique, serves as a central meeting point for many of Paris’s Asian communities. The centre’s middle floor features shops selling a variety of goods, from Buddha effigies to Thai pop CDs, and hosts an oriental market in the evenings.
