Seine Saint Denis (93): Living in the Northern Suburbs of Paris

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Editor’s note: If you haven’t read the first of this series, Paris and its suburbs, head over there now. We’ll go through the criteria that we selected to compare, what benchmarks we’re using, and a note of caution about how to interpret the results. You won’t want to miss it!

We the North! This is Seine Saint Denis in Île-de-France, just north of Paris, the unloved suburb that tourists are afraid to go to. But this was a royal town, with its famous Cathedral holding to tombs of Marie Antoinette and other French Kings and Queens, named after one of the patron saints of Paris and most famous saints in France.

With the Charles de Gaulle International airport nearby (Roissy to her friends), this might be the neighborhood for you, if you travel often. Or work in the airline industry. Or just like the sound of planes buzzing overhead.

Certain people will tell you that it has a “reputation”. This is quite unfair as although there might be some “neighborhoods to avoid” in Seine Saint Denis, two streets over, you could have a lovely quality of life.

If you are planning a move to this part of France, you may like to know that there are a lot of lovely communes which provide a great housing options and good transport links. Not to mention, that finding a home is generally a bit cheaper here, so you get more bang for your buck.

And then there is the presence of the national stadium, Stade de France, and Plaine-Saint-Denis, the business area that is trying to rival La Défense in the Hauts-de-Seine in the West. With this much investment flowing in from the government and multinational corporations, the area is definitely on an upswing.

Best Suburbs in this area

Popular towns for French families in the North are Les Lilas, Saint-Ouen, and Aubervilliers, which is just outside of Paris. They all have good public transport links for easy access into Paris. In addition, the towns of Le Raincy and Gournay-sur-Marne recently won acclaim as being great towns from the daily newspaper Le Parisien.

Similar to the East, there is only one bilingual public school in the department, which is at Noisy-Le-Grand. The high school Lycée Evariste Galois , Lycée international de l’Est-Parisien , and Collège international de Noisy-le-Grand all have recently opened and offer a certain level of bilingual education. (I say certain level, because depending on the program, it could vary between anywhere from 3-6 hours a week.)

NOTES:
All information has been provided for entertainment purposes only, and we are not responsible for verifying the accuracy of the figures noted below. Caution: Use at own risk !

1. Brevet scores will vary from classroom to classroom and school to school, and year to year. Calulation is a “rough average” of Public school data, which is subject to interpretation and changes over time.

2. Population Data is from Insee Public Statistics and is subject to change.

3. Metro, RER and other public transport links are based on current state of public transportion (Oct 2019), and not future plans that under construction.

4. Greenery distinctions include “Fleurie” designation by the “Site officiel du Label Villes et Villages Fleuris” and is subject to personal interpretation.

Aubervilliers

Postal code: 93300
Population (rounded): 86100
% of Houses (vs apts): 7 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 44 %
Average family size: 2.6
Metro: Y
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 2 🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 88 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none
Comments from locals: Not beautiful looking on one side. Some people are disrespectful regarding to cleanliness.

Aulnay-sous-Bois

Postal code: 93600
Population (rounded): 84700
% of Houses (vs apts): 43 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 73 %
Average family size: 2.9
Metro: none
RER: B
Transilien: Y
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 80 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Bagnolet

Postal code: 93170
Population (rounded): 35900
% of Houses (vs apts): 14 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 52 %
Average family size: 2.4
Metro: Y
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 80 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Bobigny

Postal code: 93000
Population (rounded): 52400
% of Houses (vs apts): 20 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 55 %
Average family size: 2.8
Metro: Y
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 2 🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 84 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Bondy

Postal code: 93140
Population (rounded): 53200
% of Houses (vs apts): 30 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 64 %
Average family size: 2.7
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 81 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Clichy-sous-Bois

Postal code: 93390
Population (rounded): 29900
% of Houses (vs apts): 23 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 65 %
Average family size: 3.3
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 78 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Coubron

Postal code: 93470
Population (rounded): 4900
% of Houses (vs apts): 68 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 94 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 1 🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: none
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Drancy

Postal code: 93700
Population (rounded): 70300
% of Houses (vs apts): 38 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 67 %
Average family size: 2.6
Metro: none
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 83 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none
Notable Landmarks: The Shoah Memorial in Drancy, site of an internment camp the camp for Jews for deportation to the extermination camps in Germany during WWII.

Dugny

Postal code: 93440
Population (rounded): 10700
% of Houses (vs apts): 10 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 71 %
Average family size: 2.6
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 84 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Epinay-sur-Seine

Postal code: 93800
Population (rounded): 55600
% of Houses (vs apts): 16 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 62 %
Average family size: 2.7
Metro: none
RER: C
Transilien: Y
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 78 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Gagny

Postal code: 93220
Population (rounded): 39200
% of Houses (vs apts): 47 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 78 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 4 🌱🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 87 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Gournay-sur-Marne

Postal code: 93460
Population (rounded): 6900
% of Houses (vs apts): 64 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 90 %
Average family size: 2.4
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: Y
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 91 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

L’Île-Saint-Denis

Postal code: 93450
Population (rounded): 7800
% of Houses (vs apts): 5 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 56 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 83 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

La Courneuve

Postal code: 93120
Population (rounded): 42500
% of Houses (vs apts): 14 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 50 %
Average family size: 2.8
Metro: Y
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 82 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Le Blanc-Mesnil

Postal code: 93150
Population (rounded): 56000
% of Houses (vs apts): 38 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 70 %
Average family size: 2.8
Metro: none
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 89 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none
Comments from locals: One local commented: Could be cleaner.

Le Bourget

Postal code: 93350
Population (rounded): 16500
% of Houses (vs apts): 15 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 64 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 81 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none
Notable Landmarks: Small airport for business private planes, Le Bourget Air and Space Museum
Comments from locals: Can be noisy, with airplane noise

Le Pré-Saint-Gervais

Postal code: 93310
Population (rounded): 17800
% of Houses (vs apts): 8 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 47 %
Average family size: 2.1
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 92 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Le Raincy

Postal code: 93340
Population (rounded): 14600
% of Houses (vs apts): 30 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 75 %
Average family size: 2.2
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 96 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Les Lilas

Postal code: 93260
Population (rounded): 23000
% of Houses (vs apts): 9 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 51 %
Average family size: 2.1
Metro: Y
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 1 🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 90 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Les Pavillons-sous-Bois

Postal code: 93320
Population (rounded): 23700
% of Houses (vs apts): 41 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 76 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 83 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Livry-Gargan

Postal code: 93190
Population (rounded): 44500
% of Houses (vs apts): 39 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 80 %
Average family size: 2.4
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 90 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Montfermeil

Postal code: 93370
Population (rounded): 26100
% of Houses (vs apts): 62 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 83 %
Average family size: 2.9
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 2 🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 79 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Montreuil

Postal code: 93100
Population (rounded): 108500
% of Houses (vs apts): 17 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 52 %
Average family size: 2.3
Metro: Y
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 86 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Neuilly-Plaisance

Postal code: 93360
Population (rounded): 21200
% of Houses (vs apts): 40 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 73 %
Average family size: 2.3
Metro: none
RER: A
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 85 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Neuilly-sur-Marne

Postal code: 93330
Population (rounded): 34700
% of Houses (vs apts): 20 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 73 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 84 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Noisy-le-Grand

Postal code: 93160
Population (rounded): 66700
% of Houses (vs apts): 25 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 73 %
Average family size: 2.4
Metro: none
RER: A, E
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 90 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): Lycée Evariste Galois , Lycée international de l’Est-Parisien , Collège international de Noisy-le-Grand

Noisy-le-Sec

Postal code: 93130
Population (rounded): 43600
% of Houses (vs apts): 22 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 60 %
Average family size: 2.6
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 81 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Pantin

Postal code: 93500
Population (rounded): 55400
% of Houses (vs apts): 4 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 44 %
Average family size: 2.3
Metro: Y
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 87 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Pierrefitte-sur-Seine

Postal code: 93380
Population (rounded): 29700
% of Houses (vs apts): 32 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 61 %
Average family size: 2.9
Metro: none
RER: D
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 77 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): none

Romainville

Postal code: 93230
Population (rounded): 26600
% of Houses (vs apts): 23 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 62 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 2 🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 80 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Rosny-sous-Bois

Postal code: 93110
Population (rounded): 45500
% of Houses (vs apts): 19 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 70 %
Average family size: 2.4
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 87 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Saint-Denis

Postal code: 93200/93210
Population (rounded): 111400
% of Houses (vs apts): 8 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 47 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: Y
RER: B
Transilien: Y
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 81 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None
Notable Landmarks: Stade de France national stadium, historical Church: Basilique de Saint-Denis, Canal Saint Denis

Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine

Postal code: 93400
Population (rounded): 49700
% of Houses (vs apts): 5 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 41 %
Average family size: 2.1
Metro: Y
RER: C
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 75 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None
Notable Landmarks: La Marché des Puces (large flea market just outside of Paris)

Sevran

Postal code: 93270
Population (rounded): 50700
% of Houses (vs apts): 35 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 69 %
Average family size: 2.9
Metro: none
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 2 🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 79 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Stains

Postal code: 93240
Population (rounded): 39700
% of Houses (vs apts): 27 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 61 %
Average family size: 2.9
Metro: none
RER: D
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 76 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Tremblay-en-France

Postal code: 93290
Population (rounded): 35700
% of Houses (vs apts): 53 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 81 %
Average family size: 2.7
Metro: none
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: none
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 87 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Vaujours

Postal code: 93410
Population (rounded): 7000
% of Houses (vs apts): 44 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 85 %
Average family size: 2.5
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 2 🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 85 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Villemomble

Postal code: 93250
Population (rounded): 30100
% of Houses (vs apts): 38 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 75 %
Average family size: 2.4
Metro: none
RER: E
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 82 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Villepinte

Postal code: 93420
Population (rounded): 36700
% of Houses (vs apts): 51 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 81 %
Average family size: 3
Metro: none
RER: B
Transilien: none
Tramway: none
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 80 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Villetaneuse

Postal code: 93430
Population (rounded): 13200
% of Houses (vs apts): 25 %
% of families having at least 1 car: 63 %
Average family size: 2.9
Metro: none
RER: none
Transilien: none
Tramway: Y
Greenery “Fleurie” distinction: 3 🌱🌱🌱
French Public School – Brevet Avg: 80 %
Bilingual School (Primary and higher): None

Public Transport

While the other suburbs we covered were all about the famous RER A train line that goes from East to West across Grand Paris, here in the North, it is all about RER B, C D and E. There are also several towns like Les Lilas, Bobigny and Saint Ouen that have direct metro access into Paris. So it is an area that has good public transport links (subject to strikes, train outages and other interruptions of course!)

Like the other suburbs, there are several public transportations in the works at the moment that are expected to be finished over the next few years:

Four new metro lines and three existing metro line extensions.
Three new tram lines running around Grand Paris.

Nevertheless, on average, over 62% of households have at least one car around here (compared to 35% in Paris).

Greenery

There are plenty of small little parks in each neighborhood, so as for the other suburbs on the East and West, I have noted the Ville Fleurie distinction that was given by the government association Le Conseil National des Villes et Villages Fleuris. They denote if the town has received the designation, and how many plants (1-4) the town has received.

Decisions, Decisions. Decided on your favorite Parisian suburb yet? If you are not sure, you can always go back and have another look at our other neighborhoods: Paris, Val de Marne , Hauts-de-Seine, and Yvelines. Good luck and à bientôt!