Living in Pasteur

Understanding life in Pasteur

Why people choose to live here

Pasteur covers the north east corner of the 15th arrondissement, between the Rue de Sèvres, the Boulevard du Montparnasse, the Rue de Vaugirard and the Boulevard Garibaldi, with the Boulevard Pasteur running through its centre. It is a calm, residential part of the Left Bank, made up of stone apartment buildings, tree lined boulevards and quiet side streets around the Rue Falguière. Families, researchers, medical staff and professionals choose it for its peaceful atmosphere, its good schools and its position right beside Gare Montparnasse, with fast links across Paris and France.

History and architectural character of Pasteur

Most of the area belonged to the former commune of Vaugirard until Paris annexed it in 1860, and it grew quickly as boulevards and apartment blocks replaced fields and workshops. Its name comes from Louis Pasteur, whose Institut Pasteur, on the Rue du Docteur-Roux, was inaugurated on 14 November 1888 and remains a world leading research centre. The Hôpital Necker, founded in 1778 by Suzanne Necker, stands on the Rue de Sèvres. From the 1960s the rebuilt Gare Montparnasse and the Tour Montparnasse reshaped the eastern edge of the district.

Daily life in Pasteur

Shopping and local services

Everyday shopping is simple and close to home. The Marché Cervantès, on the Rue Bargue near the Rue Falguière, is an open air market held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, with produce, cheese, fish and flowers. The Boulevard Pasteur, the Rue Falguière and the Rue de Vaugirard are lined with bakeries, butchers, wine shops and pharmacies. Supermarkets, banks and post offices are easy to find, and the shops around Gare Montparnasse cover clothing, books and other larger purchases. The Mairie of the 15th, on the Rue Péclet, handles town hall services.

Education and family life

Families are well served by local schools. The Lycée Buffon, at 16 boulevard Pasteur, is a respected public school with both a collège and a lycée, and the Collège Georges-Duhamel, at 13 rue des Volontaires, offers another public option for secondary pupils. Younger children can attend the École élémentaire Falguière, at 20 rue Falguière, or the École maternelle Volontaires, at 17 rue des Volontaires, and private schools such as Saint-Jean-Bosco add further choice. Places in public schools are allocated by home address through the Mairie, so check the catchment of each address.

Health and medical services

Healthcare is a real strength here. The Hôpital Necker-Enfants malades, at 149 rue de Sèvres, is one of the leading children's hospitals in Europe and has a paediatric emergency department. Adults can use the emergency department of the Hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, elsewhere in the 15th. The medical centre of the Institut Pasteur, at 211 rue de Vaugirard, offers vaccinations and travel medicine. General practitioners, dentists and specialists practise throughout the area, and many accept the carte Vitale. Newcomers should register with a médecin traitant to lower the cost of most consultations.

Transportation and connectivity

Getting around is easy. Pasteur station serves metro lines 6 and 12, Volontaires and Falguière are also on line 12, and Sèvres-Lecourbe and Cambronne are on line 6, which runs on an elevated viaduct along the Boulevard Garibaldi and offers fine views of the city. On the eastern edge, Montparnasse-Bienvenüe connects metro lines 4, 6, 12 and 13, and Gare Montparnasse sends TGVs to Brittany, Bordeaux and the south west of France. Several bus routes cross the district, and cycle lanes along the main boulevards make cycling a practical choice for daily trips.

Leisure, culture, and social life

Parks and green spaces

Green spaces are small but pleasant. The Jardin Atlantique, opened in 1994 on top of the tracks of Gare Montparnasse, is a surprising rooftop garden of about 3.5 hectares with lawns, trees, playgrounds and tennis courts. The garden of the Musée Bourdelle, with its bronze sculptures, is a quiet place to sit, and the trees of the Boulevard Pasteur and the Boulevard Garibaldi make for shaded walks. The Champ de Mars and the Esplanade des Invalides, in the neighbouring 7th arrondissement, are within walking distance for longer outings.

Restaurants, cafés, and nightlife

The food scene is relaxed and neighbourly. Le 41 Pasteur, at 41 boulevard Pasteur, is a classic Parisian bistro with seasonal French dishes, closed on Sunday and Monday. Ébène, at 8 rue Falguière, is a refined restaurant from chef Jihyun Kim, open Tuesday to Saturday, and IDA by Denny Imbroisi, at 117 rue de Vaugirard, serves Italian inspired cooking. Bistrot 15, on the corner of the Rue Falguière and the Rue Aristide-Maillol, is a friendly local favourite. Evenings are generally quiet, with livelier bars and brasseries towards Montparnasse.

Culture and local events

Culture is close at hand. The Musée Bourdelle, at 18 rue Antoine-Bourdelle, preserves the studios and sculptures of Antoine Bourdelle. It reopened in 2023 after renovation and opens Tuesday to Sunday, with free entry to its permanent collection. The Musée de La Poste, at 34 boulevard de Vaugirard, explores the history of the post and stamps and opens every day except Tuesday. The Musée Pasteur, inside the institute, is closed for renovation until 2028. The theatres, cinemas and historic cafés of Montparnasse are a short walk east.