It's quieter and more residential, with fewer queues and a stronger everyday local feel — think markets and neighbourhood bistros rather than monuments.
Discover Authentic Paris East: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Paris East, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as Poush in Aubervilliers, Chez Gégène on the Marne and Royaumont Abbey.
Top 5 Things to Do in Paris East
Bastille
Place de la Bastille, marked by the July Column, sits at the centre of a neighbourhood that gets livelier after dark, with bars filling the streets around it.
Bercy Village
Former wine warehouses turned into a cobbled pedestrian street of restaurants and shops, a quieter counterpoint to Bastille a short walk away.
Père Lachaise
Paris's largest cemetery and a genuine destination in its own right, with the graves of Jim Morrison, Chopin and Édith Piaf among its winding, tree-lined paths.
Place de la Nation
A grand square marking the eastern edge of central Paris, with a bronze statue at its centre and wide avenues radiating outward.
Marché d'Aligre
One of the city's most loved markets, food stalls and a flea market side by side, and a good measure of how locals in the 12th actually shop.
Explore Paris East's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Paris East
We've mapped local spots east of Paris and beyond.
Art & culture
Poush
In the former L.T. Piver perfumery in Aubervilliers, a 20,000 m² contemporary art hub where some 260 artists work. Come on an open day to see works in progress, workshops and exhibitions. 20 minutes from our Mercure Paris Le Bourget.
Aubervilliers · Art centre · Perfect for contemporary art
La Cité Fertile
A former SNCF freight station turned family-friendly urban hub for ecological and social transition, with a hectare of space to meet and learn. 6 minutes from our Mercure Paris Porte de Pantin.
Pantin · Community hub · Great for families
La Ferme du Buisson
Once a dairy farm beside the Menier chocolate factory, now a 'Scène Nationale': cinema, theatre, concerts, exhibitions, a restaurant and children's workshops. 12 minutes from our Mercure Marne-la-Vallée Bussy Saint Georges.
Noisiel · Cultural centre · Ideal for culture
MAC VAL
The Val-de-Marne contemporary art museum, opened in 2005, with works by César, Sabine Weiss and Daniel Buren.
Vitry-sur-Seine · Art museum · Made for contemporary art
Val-de-Marne street art
Vitry-sur-Seine and its neighbours form an open-air museum of street art by internationally known artists. Walk with your eyes up.
Vitry-sur-Seine · Street art · Perfect for a walk
Théâtre Zingaro
Bartabas' equestrian theatre in Aubervilliers, spellbinding audiences since 1984.
Aubervilliers · Equestrian show · Ideal for a special evening
Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand
The flagship of the National Library of France, with its four towers shaped like open books.
13th arr. · Library · Great for architecture
History & guinguettes
Chez Gégène
On the banks of the Marne, a guinguette since 1918: white wine, mussels and fries on gingham tablecloths, and musette music. Shall we dance? 18 minutes from our Mercure Paris Val de Fontenay.
Joinville-le-Pont · Guinguette · Perfect for a festive lunch
Royaumont Abbey
Founded by Louis IX in 1228, a beautifully preserved Gothic abbey 30 km from Paris, in the Oise-Pays de France Regional Natural Park, with trails all around. 23 minutes from our Mercure Chantilly.
Asnières-sur-Oise · Abbey · Made for heritage and walks
Musée de la Grande Guerre
A unique collection that tells the story of the First World War on a human scale, through an immersive experience. 30 minutes from our Mercure Marne-la-Vallée Bussy Saint Georges.
Meaux · Museum · Ideal for history
Domaine de Grosbois
A château, a museum, a vast estate and a training centre for trotting horses, near Vincennes racecourse.
Boissy-Saint-Léger · Château · Perfect for horse lovers
Domaine de Courson
A listed 17th-century château with a romantic park and English gardens.
Courson-Monteloup · Château · Great for gardens
Hippodrome de Vincennes
A trotting racecourse created in 1863, with night races on its smaller track. Place your bets.
Vincennes · Racecourse · Made for a night at the races
Bois de Vincennes
At 995 hectares, the largest public park in Paris. Lakes, woods and room to breathe.
Vincennes · Park · Perfect for a day outdoors
Banks of the Marne
Riverside walks rich in heritage – and guinguettes for when you need a break.
Marne · Riverside · Ideal for a stroll
Sherwood Parc
An adventure park 30 minutes from Paris, with treetop courses, giant ziplines and archery tag.
Viarmes · Adventure park · Great for families
À la Marée
A seafood restaurant inside the Rungis wholesale market, open late into the night.
Rungis · Restaurant · Perfect for seafood
Rungis International Market
The world's largest fresh produce market. Join a guided visit of its pavilions – early starts, big rewards.
Rungis · Market tour · Made for food lovers
Parc de Sceaux
A 180-hectare classical park designed by André Le Nôtre for Colbert's estate. Bring a picnic.
Sceaux · Park · Ideal for a picnic
Belle Épine
One of France's most visited shopping centres, open seven days a week.
Thiais · Shopping · Great for shopping
FAQ
It's less a cemetery visit than a walk through winding, tree-lined paths past some genuinely well-known graves, including Jim Morrison and Chopin. Many visitors go for the atmosphere as much as anything else.
The metro covers it well, with lines 1, 2, 6, 8 and 9 connecting the main points. Bastille to Bercy Village is also an easy walk if the weather's on your side.
Chez Gégène on the Marne at Joinville-le-Pont has been open since 1918, serving mussels and fries with musette music.
Poush in Aubervilliers hosts some 260 artists in a former perfume factory, with regular open days.
Yes. The Musée de la Grande Guerre in Meaux, about 30 minutes from Marne-la-Vallée.
Where to Sleep in Paris East
See our Mercure hotels across Paris East, ideally placed to explore these picks.