A Weekend in Batignolles: A Guide to This Parisian Neighborhood in the 17th Arrondissement
Les Batignolles is a former village that was annexed to Paris but has never really ceased to be a village. A park, a church, two markets, a few shopping streets. People rarely end up there by chance, but they often return.
Here's how to spend two days there without rushing.
Batignolles at a Glance
Where: Eastern part of the 17th arrondissement, between Place de Clichy and Parc Monceau
Atmosphere: Village-like , family-friendly, few tourists
The Heart: Place du Docteur Félix Lobligeois and Square des Batignolles
The Right Day: Saturday Morning, Market Day
Metro: Rome (2), Brochant (13), Pereire, Wagram (3), Pont Cardinet (14)
The neighborhood has two distinct sides. To the east lies the historic village with its cafés. To the north are the new Batignolles: the Clichy-Batignolles eco-neighborhood and Martin Luther King Park.
Friday night: Checking out the neighborhood vibe
Head down to Place du Docteur Félix Lobligeois. A church with columns, a park behind it, and semicircular terraces. The local ritual is simple: a glass of natural wine, a platter of appetizers, and time passing by.
Tip from the Orso team: The place starts filling up around 7:30 p.m. Arriving at 6:45 p.m. makes all the difference.
Saturday: Market Day
There are two markets in Batignolles, and it's important to distinguish between them.
- The covered market, located between the square and the park. Open every day except Monday, with a break in the afternoon. It's the market where you do your everyday shopping.
- The organic market on Boulevard des Batignolles on Saturday mornings. Larger and busier: farmers, sourdough bread, flowers, and farm-fresh cheeses.
At lunchtime, you can enjoy a good, casual meal around the square: concise menus, ingredients from the nearby market, and dining rooms seating thirty. The Square des Batignolles is fifty meters away, with its lake and willow trees, designed by Alphand under Haussmann.
In the afternoon, three streets are worth a visit:
- Rue des Dames: the liveliest street, with independent shops and antique dealers.
- Rue Boursault: quieter, with concept stores and record shops.
- Cité des Fleurs: a 19th-century private street lined with houses and gardens, where the painter Alfred Sisley once lived. People stroll there in silence.
Did you know: The “Batignolles Group” refers to the painters who gathered around Manet in the neighborhood cafés in the 1860s. Monet, Renoir, Zola. Impressionism was partly discussed at that table.
Sunday: Parks and Green Spaces
Martin Luther King Park covers ten hectares in the heart of the eco-neighborhood, which has been fully open since 2021. It features ponds, meadows, sports fields, and waterfalls. On Sunday mornings, it’s a jogger’s paradise; around noon, it fills up with people. It’s the best spot in the 17th arrondissement for a picnic.
Next, the neighborhood serves as a starting point: a twenty-minute walk to Place de Clichy and then Montmartre, a quarter of an hour to Parc Monceau, or a stroll west along the Promenade Pereire, ending under the trees.
Where to Stay in Batignolles
The 17th arrondissement doesn't have as many hotels as the city center, and that's what makes it a good choice: you stay in a residential neighborhood at more affordable rates, without ever being far from the action.
The Hotel Blanca is located across from the Pereire Promenade, a fifteen-minute walk from Lobligeois Square. A boutique hotel conceived by designer Mariette Sans Rival: a light and airy aesthetic inspired by the French New Wave, natural materials, and hand-painted artwork on each headboard. Quiet rooms, a seasonal breakfast, a sauna, and a local team that shares their own favorite spots—not just the ones in the guidebooks.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Batignolles? In the eastern part of the 17th arrondissement, between Place de Clichy and Parc Monceau.
Which metro stations? Rome and Place de Clichy (Line 2), Brochant and La Fourche (Line 13), Pereire and Wagram (Line 3). Pont Cardinet is served by Line 14 and the RER C.
When should I come? Saturday morning, for the organic market.
Is it a tourist neighborhood? No . It's primarily a residential area, with no major landmarks to visit. People come here for the atmosphere.
Can we walk to Montmartre? Yes , it's about 20 minutes to Place de Clichy, then a 10- to 15-minute walk uphill.
Where to stay in Batignolles? The Hôtel Blanca, across from the Promenade Pereire, a 15-minute walk from the heart of the neighborhood.
