The July Column on the Place de la Bastille, 11th arrondissement of Paris
75011 · The 11th arrondissement of Paris

Where Paris
comes alive

The buzzing, bohemian heart of the city: the July Column over the Bastille, the modern opera house, a historic circus and the Bataclan, and the bars and bistros that make this the Paris of Parisians.

Photo: Place de la Bastille & July Column · Bruno Charlier / Pexels
Things to do

Tickets & experiences in the 11th

Immersive art, a historic circus, legendary music venues and the city's best bar-hopping. A hand-picked selection, most with free cancellation.

★ Most booked

Atelier des Lumières tickets

Paris's first digital-art centre wraps you in giant projected masterpieces — Van Gogh, Klimt and more — across the walls of a former iron foundry.

from €16Book now
Family fun

Cirque d'Hiver show

A seasonal show under the dome of Europe's oldest permanent circus, run by the Bouglione family since 1934 — acrobats, clowns and high-wire thrills.

from €29Book now
Taste & sip

Oberkampf bar & bistro crawl

A guided evening through the craft-beer bars, natural-wine spots and neo-bistros of Rue Oberkampf and Rue Jean-Pierre-Timbaud with a local host.

from €59Book now
On foot

Bastille & revolution walking tour

Trace the footprint of the vanished fortress, the July Column and the streets of two revolutions on a guided history walk around the Place de la Bastille.

from €25Book now
Local culture

Street-art & market tour

Hunt down murals and stencils around Oberkampf and the cobbled lanes, then graze the open-air Marché Bastille on Boulevard Richard-Lenoir.

from €35Book now
Tickets & passes

Opéra & museum tickets

Catch a performance at the Opéra Bastille, or pick up timed entries and passes for the great Paris collections, all a short metro ride away.

from €14Book now
Discover

Two revolutions, one nightlife capital

The 11th has no grand museum and doesn't need one: this is where Paris actually goes out. From the symbolic Bastille to the bars of Oberkampf, it's a dense, village-like grid of workshops, theatres, markets and after-dark energy.

The Place de la Bastille

The square where the prison fell in 1789, now ringed by traffic and crowned by the July Column commemorating the 1830 revolution — the eternal rallying point of Paris.

The Opéra Bastille

Paris's vast modern opera house, opened in 1989 for the bicentenary of the Revolution — a glass-and-steel counterpoint to the gilded Palais Garnier.

The Cirque d'Hiver

An 1852 neo-classical rotunda that is one of Europe's oldest permanent circuses, still run by the Bouglione family — and a beloved Parisian institution.

The Atelier des Lumières

A 19th-century foundry turned immersive digital-art centre, where masterpieces are projected floor-to-ceiling in sound and light.

Oberkampf nights

Rue Oberkampf and Rue Jean-Pierre-Timbaud are the city's go-to for craft beer, natural wine and live music — buzzing until the small hours.

Faubourg Saint-Antoine

The historic street of cabinet-makers and furniture workshops, dotted with hidden cobbled courtyards (cours and passages) that still house artisans.

Where to eat & drink

Tables & bars of the 11th

The 11th is the epicentre of Paris's neo-bistro and natural-wine scene — and its best nights out. From world-famous tables to cobbled bar streets.

Modern French · Iconic

Septime

80 Rue de Charonne

One of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world, with a market-driven tasting menu in a warm, pared-back room. Reserve well in advance.

€€€€🌐 Official site
Seafood · Small plates

Clamato

80 Rue de Charonne

Septime's no-reservations seafood annexe — oysters, ceviche and seasonal small plates with a great natural-wine list. Come early.

€€€
Neo-bistro · Pioneering

Le Chateaubriand

129 Avenue Parmentier

Inaki Aizpitarte's game-changing neo-bistro, a fixture on the world's-best lists, serving a daily surprise tasting menu.

€€€€
Open-air market

Marché Bastille

Boulevard Richard-Lenoir

One of the biggest and best street markets in Paris (Thursday & Sunday mornings) — produce, cheese, oysters, flowers and street food.

€€
Bars · Nightlife

Rue de Lappe

Rue de Lappe (Bastille)

A short cobbled street packed with bars and music venues — from the historic Balajo dance hall to tapas spots — and the heart of Bastille nightlife.

€€
Cocktails · Speakeasy

Oberkampf bars

Rue Oberkampf & Rue J.-P.-Timbaud

The trendier northern nightlife strip — craft-beer taprooms, natural-wine bars, late-night cafés and the legendary Nouveau Casino music club.

€€
Tourist guide

Must-see places in the 11th arrondissement

A revolutionary square, a modern opera house and a clutch of legendary venues — the landmarks worth building your day (and night) around.

Monument · Free

Place de la Bastille & July Column

The symbolic heart of revolutionary Paris. The gilded Génie de la Liberté tops the bronze July Column; the old fortress outline is traced in the pavement.

Opera · Performances

Opéra Bastille

The Paris Opera's vast modern house (1989), with a 2,700-seat auditorium. Attend an opera or ballet, or take a backstage guided tour.

Circus · Heritage venue

Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione

A protected 1852 rotunda, one of the oldest permanent circuses in Europe, still hosting acrobatic shows and concerts. A glorious Second-Empire interior.

Digital art · Immersive

Atelier des Lumières

Paris's first centre for immersive digital art, in a former foundry. Vast projected exhibitions of painters from Van Gogh to Klimt, set to music.

Concert hall · Heritage

Le Bataclan

A landmark 1865 concert hall on Boulevard Voltaire, with a distinctive façade, hosting French and international acts. A place of memory since 2015.

Nightlife · Free to wander

Oberkampf & Rue de Lappe

The 11th's two nightlife hubs: trendy Oberkampf to the north, the cobbled Rue de Lappe by the Bastille — bars, clubs and live music galore.

Before you go

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Get your bearings

The 75011 (11th arrondissement) on the map

Every monument, venue, bar and table of the 11th on one interactive map. Filter by category, or click a place to locate it and open its links.

Map © Leaflet · © OpenStreetMap contributors · © CARTO
Orientation

Understanding Paris & its transport

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements that spiral outward clockwise from the centre, like a snail. The 11th sits on the Right Bank just east of the centre, between the Bastille, République and Père-Lachaise.

It's dense, flat and made for walking, with a true neighbourhood feel — but also superbly connected, with the Bastille and République hubs putting the whole city within a short ride.

Since 2025 the system has been simplified: paper tickets are gone, replaced by the contactless Navigo Easy card or your phone. A single Métro/RER ticket is now a flat fare, and a day pass quickly pays for itself if you ride often.

For door-to-door directions, the Bonjour RATP and Citymapper apps are the most reliable companions.

Métro / RER single€2.55
Bus / tram single€2.05
Day pass (unlimited)€12.30
Navigo Week pass~€31
Airport ticket (CDG/Orly)€14
Navigo Easy card€2 (reusable)
Getting around

How to reach the 11th arrondissement

One of the best-connected districts in Paris, wrapped around the Bastille and République hubs. Here are the essentials.

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By metro

  • 158 Bastille Opéra & July Column
  • 59 Oberkampf Nightlife & bars
  • 3 Parmentier Rue Saint-Maur
  • 23 Père-Lachaise Eastern edge
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Hubs & RER

  • République 358911
  • Gare de Lyon RER A · ~5 min
  • Gare de l'Est / Nord ~10 min
  • Châtelet RER hub · ~10 min
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From the airports

  • Roissy–Charles de Gaulle RER B + change, ~45 min
  • Orly ~40 min
  • Le Bourget ~35 min
  • Beauvais 1h15–1h30

The Paris Métro at a glance

One of the world's densest networks — 16 lines, over 300 stations, a train every 2–4 minutes. You're never far from a station.
1 2 3 3b 4 5 6 7 7b 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
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Colour & number coded. Each line has a unique number and colour. Follow the line colour and the name of the terminus in your direction — that's how platforms are signposted.
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Frequent. Trains run roughly every 2 minutes at peak and 4–8 minutes off-peak, from ~5:30 am to ~1:15 am (2:15 am Fri–Sat).
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Free transfers. Change lines as often as you like within the métro/RER on a single ticket, valid up to 2 hours, as long as you don't exit the gates.
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Walkable. The 11th is compact and flat; the Bastille, Oberkampf and République are all within an easy stroll of one another.
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For the 11th: Bastille (lines 1, 5, 8) anchors the south; Oberkampf (5, 9) the nightlife north; Père-Lachaise (2, 3) the east.
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Apps. Bonjour RATP and Citymapper give live routes, platform exits and disruptions — far easier than paper maps.
Tickets: the paper ticket is gone — load journeys onto a contactless Navigo Easy card (€2) or your phone.
Watch your belongings in the busy nightlife streets around Bastille and Oberkampf, especially late at night; keep bags in front of you.
Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What is there to see in the 11th arrondissement (75011)?
The 11th is the buzzing, bohemian heart of Paris: the Place de la Bastille and its July Column, the Opéra Bastille, the historic Cirque d'Hiver and the Bataclan, the immersive Atelier des Lumières, the nightlife of Rue de Lappe and Rue Oberkampf, the Marché Bastille and the cabinet-making Faubourg Saint-Antoine.
What is the July Column on the Place de la Bastille?
The July Column (Colonne de Juillet) is the bronze column at the centre of the square, topped by the gilded Génie de la Liberté. It commemorates the revolution of July 1830 — not 1789. The original Bastille fortress, demolished after 1789, stood nearby; its outline is marked in the pavement.
Where is the best nightlife in the 11th arrondissement?
Two hubs: around the Bastille, the cobbled Rue de Lappe and Rue de la Roquette are packed with bars and clubs; to the north, Rue Oberkampf and Rue Jean-Pierre-Timbaud are the trendy spots for craft beer, natural wine and live music. Legendary venues include the Bataclan and the Nouveau Casino.
Can you visit the Cirque d'Hiver and the Atelier des Lumières?
Yes. The Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione, a neo-classical permanent circus from 1852, stages seasonal shows. The Atelier des Lumières, Paris's first digital-art centre, runs immersive projected exhibitions of great painters — both are best booked online in advance.
How do I get to the 11th arrondissement?
Metro lines 1, 5 and 8 meet at Bastille; lines 5 and 9 serve Oberkampf; line 3 serves Parmentier; lines 2 and 3 reach Père-Lachaise. République, on the north-west corner, is served by lines 3, 5, 8, 9 and 11. It's a very central, walkable district on the Right Bank.
Before you go

Plan your stay

A few practical essentials to make your visit to the 11th arrondissement smooth and stress-free.

🗓️

Best time to visit

The 11th shines after dark and at weekends, when the markets, bars and terraces are in full swing. Thursday and Sunday mornings for the Marché Bastille; warm evenings for the Oberkampf terraces.

🎫

Book ahead

Pre-book the Atelier des Lumières, Cirque d'Hiver shows, Opéra Bastille performances and tables at Septime or Le Chateaubriand — they fill up fast.

💶

Money & tipping

Cards are accepted almost everywhere. Service is included by law; rounding up for great service is appreciated, never expected. Many bars are cash-friendly too.

🍷

Eat & drink like a local

This is neo-bistro and natural-wine country. Book dinner early, then drift to Oberkampf or Rue de Lappe for the night. Graze the Marché Bastille by day.

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Opening hours

Bars run late, especially Thu–Sat. Restaurants serve lunch 12–2:30 pm and dinner from 7:30 pm; many close Sunday or Monday. Markets are morning-only.

🛟

Useful to know

Tap water is safe and free in restaurants (une carafe d'eau). Emergency number is 112. The nightlife streets get lively and loud — pick your hotel street with care.

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Explore the 20 arrondissements of Paris

Each Paris arrondissement has its own guide. Hover the map to reveal a district's name, then click to open its dedicated site — you are currently in the 11th.

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