Quartier des Olympiades in Paris 13th district
The Esplanade des Olympiades is located in the heart of the Olympiades district, a vibrant area in Paris’s 13th arrondissement. This arrondissement is also home to Paris’s Chinatown, located between Avenue de Choisy, Avenue d’Ivry, and Boulevard Masséna, and commonly referred to as the Triangle de Choisy.
While Chinatown is a significant part of the Olympiades district, Paris has two other, older but smaller Chinatowns: the Quartier du Temple and Quartier desArts-et-Métiers districts.
The Olympiades was developed in the early 1970s on the site of a former freight station, as part of the large-scale urban renewal project known as Italie 13.
This initiative aimed to revitalise the formerly industrial 13th arrondissement by transforming many run-down areas into residential neighbourhoods with modern amenities such as shopping centres and metro lines.
Esplanade des Olympiades
The Olympiades complex comprises 11 towers, each named after a city that has hosted the Olympic Games (hence its name).
Six of these, Sapporo, Mexico City, Athens, Helsinki, Cortina, and Tokyo, are designated for private residences. Two towers, London and Antwerp, are reserved for middle-class housing, classified as ILN (Immeubles à Loyers Normaux – Standard Rent Buildings). The three remaining towers, Rome, Grenoble, and Squaw Valley, are designated for social housing, or HLM (Habitations à Loyers Modérés – Moderate Rent Housing).
This distribution of housing promotes a rich and inclusive social mix. The Esplanade des Olympiades, and La Pagode, a lively and welcoming shopping centre adorned with Asian-inspired pavilions, are located at the heart of this complex. Accessible by stairs, elevators, and escalators, this vast pedestrian zone is situated 8 metres above street level. Since 2007, the Olympiades metro station has linked Les Olympiades and the Esplanade des Olympiades to the city centre, thus facilitating travel for residents and visitors.
Directions: 13th district – Rue de Tolbiac
Metro: Olympiades on Line 14
Coordinates: Lat 48.826496 – Long 2.364946
