Often described as the equivalent of Chelsea in London, the 16th arrondissement of Paris certainly shares many similarities, both are situated in the west part of the capital city and both are synonymous with exclusivity, style and wealth.
The 16th arrondissement is mostly residential and is home to some of the highest-priced streets in the country, as well as housing several foreign embassies.
Sextant Properties argue that a home in this district in Paris would be a better investment than an equivalent property in Chelsea, and here's their reasons why:
1. Paris, and particularly the 16th arrondissement is truly beautiful
It is arguably the most beautiful district of the most beautiful city in the world. The area is full of traditional Hausmannian architecture with beautiful windows and lovely balconies.
Everything here is of the highest quality, no wonder the area was chosen as the birthplace of the first Presidential baby in 2011. It's close enough to that most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower, that you can enjoy lovely unexpected views at the turn of a street but equally, the area is just far enough to avoid all the tourists. It is a place to live. Since Paris is a much more human size, if you wanted to take a stroll, you could walk to the Eiffel Tower within 20 minutes, passing the stunning Trocadéro gardens and several museums on your walk.
Wonderful apartment situated in the 7th arrondissement, in Paris, on sale at €1,417,500.
2. Amazing things to do and see on your doorstep
This chic quartier is home to everything: culture, parks, shops, top restaurants. You could live in this part of the city alone and not want for anything. For those with children in mind, it is also home to one of the most prestigious secondary schools in Paris, Lycée Janson de Sailly as well as the International School of Paris. Some of the Paris Fashion Week shows take place in the 16th, this year fashion houses showcasing their latest collections included Paul & Joe, Zadig & Voltaire and British designer, Gareth Pugh. The 16th arrondissement is also home to the French Vogue editor, a truly stylish area.
For adults and children alike the Bois de Boulogne is a wonderful attraction right on your doorstep in the 16th. The Bois de Boulogne is Paris' second largest public park (after the Bois de Vincennes on the East side of the city. The park was created between 1852 and 1858 during the reign of Emperor Napoleon III as a rival to Hyde Park, we think it certainly lives up to (if not exceeds!) this role. There are innumerable things to do in the Bois de Bologne, such as biking, jogging, boat rowing, horseback and pony rides and remote controlled speedboats. The Jardin d'Acclimatation within the park opened in 1860 as a zoo and pleasure garden and now serves as children's amusement park with an archery range, a miniature train ride, pony rides, a puppet theatre and the Exploradome - a children's science museum.
The park is host to 2 major sporting attractions: the Longchamp racecourse and the Stade Roland-Garros. The Longchamp racecourse is the Parisian Royal Ascot; the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the most important annual French racing event takes place here every October. This racecourse is reflected in the horse racing logo of the Longchamp luxury leather goods brand. The Stade Roland-Garros with its famous clay courts, hosts the French Open every May. This grand slam is one of the most prestigious titles to win in tennis along with Wimbledon and the US and Australian Opens. We can only hope Andy Murray wins there next year!
While Chelsea's football club stadium is not actually located in the area, the Parc des Princes home of Paris Saint-Germain, one of the most successful French teams, is ideally located in the 16th arrondissement. The Parc des Princes hosts international matches as well as Ligue 1 matches. The 16th arrondissement certainly beats Chelsea in the sports stakes!
3. Like London, Paris is seen as a safe investment
Paris is seen as a safe investment, so choosing to buy in Paris is an excellent option. The French capital is a large European business centre as the headquarters for many national and international companies and also the world's most popular tourist destination. Furthermore, Paris has an exceptional location in continental Europe halfway between Northern and Southern Europe and within a 2 hour flight from most major European cities. Thanks to all the business activity in Paris, the French capital sits amongst those cities with the highest spending power in the world, hence all the lovely boutiques.
Paris' property market is regarded as one of the most structured and transparent in the world, continually attracting investors, both foreign and national, looking for promising, exciting opportunities. In addition to Paris' established political and legal environment, the high standing of the market offers lots of stability, positioning it well from economic downturns with less inconsistency than London, its main competitor.
4. The food
The food in France could be a reason in itself to move. While there are more restaurants in London, the number of Michelin starred restaurants in Paris is much higher; the feeling is very much quality over quantity.
Just think of picking up a warm, freshly baked baguette from your boulangerie every morning and enjoying a croissant and coffee while you're there - perfection! The 16th arrondissement, like much of Paris still retains a local feel, while may be a few more Starbucks than there used to be, you will always find a boulangerie, fromagerie, marché or even a chocolaterie on your local high street. The 16th has preserved a certain character and certainly doesn't have that samey feel of the Kings Road, where you could almost be in any other high street in the area.
5. Bon voyage!
The area is very well served by public transport with several metro lines, RER train lines A and C and lots of buses. That's a lot better than the unreliable Circle and District lines of Chelsea. And while the Oyster card fares don't stop rising, France's travel costs are a lot lower. A monthly ticket for zones 1 and 2 will only set you back €65.10, about £55. Compare that to London where you'll spend £116.80 for an equivalent ticket.
If you want to take a trip back to Blighty, you can always pop to Gare du Nord and be back in just over 2 hours. That's the same as a train to Manchester and it's not unheard of for people to commute to London during the week. Who wouldn't want a fabulous Parisian 'pied-à-terre' to return to at the weekend?
All of this is only in the 16th arrondissement...so just imagine what the rest of the city has to offer!
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