Is the 10th the Worst Arrondissement in Paris?

The 10th arrondissement is often considered the worst arrondissement in Paris, but is it really?

After living just outside Paris for three years, we’ve now spent time in all 20 arrondissements, but the 10th wasn’t one that we knew well. To fix that, we spent a couple of days dedicated to walking around the 10th to see what we were missing.

I won’t say we were surprised by what we found, but we can definitely speak about the 10th in a more informed way now.

The 10th is home to the Canal Saint-Martin, Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, some seriously good food, and funky cocktail bars. It’s also known for litter, homelessness, graffiti, and other issues that have earned it a less-than-stellar local reputation.

So why is it often considered the worst arrondissement in Paris? And does it deserve its reputation as one of the worst areas in Paris? Let’s talk about it.

Want to watch what we found instead? Check out our YouTube video from our trips to the 10th. We include where we went, what we ate, what surprised us, and a personal ranking at the very end:

Why is the 10th Arrondissement considered the worst?

Parisians have a lot of opinions, particularly about Paris. According to a recent survey of locals by Paris Secret, the 10th arrondissement was voted the worst.

They cited poor environmental quality and safety, for starters, with the lowest scores in both out of all 20 arrondissements.

Note: The 3rd arrondissement was voted as the best, just for context. The 18th arrondissement was just above last place.

After spending a couple of days here, we get the notable criticisms. There are more visible signs of homelessness, litter, graffiti, and construction than in other more popular parts of Paris.

But how much of that translates into an actual safety issue for visitors?

Is the 10th Arrondissement safe?

Honestly, we didn’t feel particularly unsafe walking around.

We did see more homelessness than we’re used to seeing in Paris. During Paris’s 2025 Nuit de la Solidarité count, 244 people without housing were counted here, one of several parts of Paris where homelessness is more concentrated.

That said, I’ve lived in Chicago and spent seven years in San Diego, so my baseline for visible homelessness is probably different from some visitors’. For Paris, it seemed worse. For what I’m used to, it didn’t seem that bad.

The numbers overall do suggest that safety is a legitimate concern. In 2025, the 10th recorded 1,142 victims of non-domestic violence, or 13.6 per 1,000 residents, compared with 5.3 per 1,000 across Paris.

It also had a high rate of non-violent theft, at 91.7 per 1,000 residents compared with 45.1 per 1,000 in Paris overall.

The only sketchy thing we saw was a car with a broken windshield while walking around the arrondissement. That was more of a, “Well, that’s weird timing,” than a situation where we felt personally threatened. We never felt unsafe walking around.

So, yes, the 10th has some legitimate safety and social issues. But that doesn’t necessarily translate to the idea that tourists should avoid the 10th arrondissement.

For us, the bigger issue was that some parts simply felt less pleasant and less polished than other areas of Paris.

What is the 10th Arrondissement like for tourists?

A view of the canal in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris

The 10th arrondissement isn’t where I’d send a first-time visitor looking for the most iconic Paris experience. There aren’t a ton of major monuments or museums here, and parts of the arrondissement are undeniably a little more gritty.

As a tourist, you’re getting something different, though. The 10th has excellent transportation, a diverse food scene, lively streets, nightlife, and a more everyday side of Paris.

The official tourism office describes the 10th as “quirky” and “cosmopolitan,” and that tracks. On our exploring we found loads of restaurants, theaters, and architectural curiosities to check out.

Having Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est here is also a huge advantage if you’re using Paris as a base for other trips. Public transportation overall is quite good in the 10th, so getting around the rest of the city from here is breezy.

The question, then, isn’t really whether tourists can enjoy the 10th. It’s whether there’s enough here to make a visit worthwhile.

Is the 10th Arrondissement worth visiting?

If you’re coming to Paris for the first time and have three days to see the major sights, I wouldn’t prioritize the 10th over the Louvre in the 1st arrondissment or the Marais.

That doesn’t mean there’s nothing worth seeing here. The 10th has some of the best food in Paris, plenty of neighborhood character, and a nightlife scene that makes everything just a little more interesting.

The food is one of the 10th’s biggest strengths.

Waffles in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris

A plate of Asian food in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris

The 10th is one of the most diverse parts of Paris, and you can eat your way through a pretty impressive range of cuisines without leaving the arrondissement.

We’re speaking from experience here. We did a lot of eating for research purposes…and eating purposes.

We’ve had chicken and waffles at Gumbo Yaya, Asian fusion at Brigade du Tigre, and several rounds of tacos. (They deserve a special shoutout next.)

Passage Brady is the spot for Indian and Pakistani food, and the Saint-Quentin Covered Market has excellent prepared African food.

The French food is plentiful, too. The 10th is home to Les Arlots, frequently named one of the best bistros in Paris by Time Out Paris.

La Petite Rose des Sables is the spot for French comfort food prepared by your new favorite Nan. (She doesn’t take reservations, so arrive at opening.)

If you’re not sure where to start, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis is the neighborhood’s foodie street, with all kinds of cuisines packed along one busy street. It’s all much more budget-friendly, too.

There are so many tacos!

A plate of tacos in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris

I know I just talked about the food, but when you’re an American in France missing Mexican food, this is a big deal.

The 10th has several Mexican restaurants and taquerias, and we tried a few of them during our visits here. El Cártel del Taco had the street-taco-sized tacos I was hoping for, while Nomás Tacos was more of a walk-up situation with aggressive spice levels.

France isn’t known for spicy food, but the matcha salsa at Nomás Tacos is a legit level of spice. It’d be legit back home, too.

While walking to Nomás Tacos, we almost had FOMO over missing out on Taco Mesa, another option. It was packed with people loving life and tacos.

Are these tacos going to make me forget about the Mexican food I used to eat in Chicago or San Diego? No. (Chicago has better tacos than San Diego, by the way, and it’s not even a contest)

But when French tacos are their own completely different thing, I’ll take what I can get.

Fun fact: French tacos, epitomized by the stuff sold at O’Tacos, are what I’d describe as a burrito panini situation. They have a place in my heart, but they are not tacos.

There’s a famous bakery.

Paris has A LOT of bakeries, and I’m not generally one to go out of my way to visit any. There are just so many that offer similar products, and we’ve yet to try one that was garbage.

There is one in the 10th that comes with an impressive culinary pedigree, though. Du Pain et des Idées was a favorite of none other than Anthony Bourdain, and his opinion is one you can count on, even if you don’t always agree with mine.

We went straight for the banana pain au chocolat on our visit. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a pain au chocolat with banana baked inside. It was delicious.

There are plenty of other things to try here, too, including the bakery’s famous apple turnovers, but honestly, I’d be happy to go back for another banana delight.

The Canal Saint-Martin isn’t quite the draw I’d expected.

The canal in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris

We’d been to the Canal Saint-Martin before our research-driven adventures to the 10th, and we weren’t really impressed that much then. We spotted some floating trash, heavy graffiti in spots, and it just didn’t strike me as the “highlight” of the 10th.

We went again just to see if things had improved, as it is what many locals describe as the thing that makes the 10th pretty good. And, I guess it was fine.

It looked a little cleaner than usual, the cafés and the general atmosphere was amped up a bit in a good way. It was mostly a pleasant walk. I still wasn’t wowed, though.

Fun fact: The Canal Saint-Martin almost became a highway. In the 1960s, there were plans to cover it over and turn the route into an urban expressway. Thankfully, someone came to their senses, and it’s still here today.

Maybe I’ve been spoiled by other European canals, but if you’re coming to the 10th specifically to see the Canal Saint-Martin, I’d temper the expectations.

It’s a serviceable part of the district. I just wouldn’t call it a must-see Paris attraction.

Passage Brady is worth a quick look.

Passage Brady is one of the more unusual little corners of the arrondissement, with its covered passage lined with Indian and Pakistani restaurants and shops. Our first stop inside was one of the shops, as we’d been on the hunt for some naan that week.

The gods were smiling down on us extra wide that day because we went home with a big bag of dried black beans, too. It is NOT easy to find black beans in Paris, or anywhere in France. They love their red, white, and garbanzo beans, generally.

Anyway, the passage is colorful, busy, and very different from the postcard versions of passages elsewhere in Paris, like the Passage des Panoramas.

The covered markets add some local character.

A man eats African food in a market hall in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris.

The 10th is home to several covered markets, including Marché Saint-Quentin, which dates back to 1880.

This is the kind of thing I love finding in a neighborhood. It’s still a functioning market, with traditional French food alongside international options, rather than a tourist attraction pretending to be a market.

The 10th also has Marché Saint-Martin, although we got there too late to really explore it. It seemed more traditional, with butchers, fishmongers, cheese, fresh produce, wine, and other everyday market staples.

There’s some architectural intrigue in the 10th.

A view of the town hall in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris

The 10th isn’t overflowing with the kind of major architectural landmarks that make their way onto every first-time Paris itinerary, but there are some fun things to look for.

The town hall is genuinely beautiful. Built between 1892 and 1896, the Mairie du 10e was designed by architect Eugène Rouyer in a Neo-Renaissance style.

Rouyer had submitted a design for rebuilding Paris’s Hôtel de Ville after it was destroyed during the Commune, but came in second. He wasn’t going to let that go to waste, incorporating some of those ideas into this smaller “palace of the Republic.”

Place de la République is one of the arrondissement’s major gathering places, although technically parts extend into the 3rd and 11th. The huge plaza is dominated by its 1883 bronze statue of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic.

Then there’s the narrowest house in Paris, or at least the building that gets that title on pretty much every Paris listicle.

You’ll find it at 39 Rue du Château-d’Eau, wedged into the space where a narrow passage between two streets once ran. It’s just 1.10 meters wide at its narrowest point, sources say.

None of these are reasons to cross Paris for the 10th on their own. When you’re already wandering around the neighborhood, though, they give you a few things to look for along the way.

There might be more nightlife than sightseeing.

A woman enters a cocktail bar through a laundry machine in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris.

If sightseeing is your primary goal, the 10th probably isn’t going to blow you away.

There aren’t a ton of major monuments or museums, especially compared with the more tourist-heavy arrondissements.

Note: In fairness, middle-of-the-pack areas like the 20th arrondissement may have one big attraction, like the Père Lachaise Cemetery, and not much else!

There are, however, a lot of places to eat, drink, and hang out.

The 10th has some great cocktail bars, wine bars, restaurants, and gastro pubs, and some of the nightlife is genuinely fun. It’s also home to the Alhambra Theater, a small venue that has hosted some of the best touring comedians.

If you like to get silly, like me, you’ll want to visit Lavomatic, a cocktail bar that you have to enter through what appears to be a laundromat.

This is an arrondissement that starts to make more sense once the sightseeing day is over.

Is the 10th a good place to stay in Paris?

A view of a train station in the 10th, considered by some to be the worst arrondissement in Paris

The 10th can be a very convenient place to stay in Paris. It’s home to both Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, so if you’re arriving by train or planning day trips from Paris, the location is great. It’s also extremely well connected to the rest of the city by Metro.

But I wouldn’t book a hotel anywhere in the 10th just because it’s the 10th.

The area around the Canal Saint-Martin has a very different feel from the streets immediately around Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est. Along the canal, you’ll find restaurants, bars, cafés, and a more residential neighborhood feel.

Around the major train stations, it’s busier, grittier, and loud. We’ve frequently seen scammers outside both, trying to trick tired tourists into signing this or that. You know better now.

If you’re just passing through and want somewhere that’s convenient to real connections, try to stay on the Canal Saint-Martin side of things. Would I call th 10th the best place to stay in Paris even with all of that mind? Nope.

So, what is the worst arrondissement in Paris?

Would I choose the 10th for a first-time Paris trip? Probably not. Would I tell someone to skip it? Absolutely not.

The 10th has real issues. It’s not the prettiest arrondissement, there are more visible signs of homelessness and crime than in many parts of Paris, and some areas just feel rougher around the edges.

“Worst” is a pretty strong word, though, and it’s obviously subjective. Honestly, I don’t even know that I have a pick for the worst arrondissement in Paris.

I tend to dislike the heavily touristed areas more than the rougher ones. Give me some graffiti over the guys selling overpriced red-balloon photos and light-up Eiffel Towers along the Pont de Bir-Hakeim any day.

So no, I wouldn’t call the 10th the worst arrondissement in Paris. It wouldn’t be my first choice for a first-time visitor, but there’s plenty here worth seeing, eating, and drinking. I mean, you didn’t forget about the plentiful tacos, right?

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