Did you know? There is an Iranian neighborhood in Paris, a veritable Little Tehran since the 1970s.

In the heart of Paris's 15th arrondissement, Rue des Entrepreneurs, extended by Rue Violet and Rue Lourmel, has been transformed into a veritable Iranian neighborhood, bearing the traces of a growing Iranian immigration since the late 1970s.

The political dynamics of the time—the rise of oil, the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and the ensuing exiles—led many Iranian families to settle in France and make this suburban area a community anchor.

Lined withPersian grocery stores, tea rooms, and restaurants offering typical dishes such as kabab koobidehand fessendjan, this part of the 15th arrondissement also attracts associations, specialized bookstores, and venues dedicated to Iranian culture.

Over time, it has become a place of memory, exchange, and everyday life for those who wish to discover or rediscover Iran in the heart of Paris.

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Why did Iranians settle here?

In the late 1970s, the oil crises enriched certain Iranian elites, while Iran's rapid modernization also attracted real estate developers to Paris, who sold apartments in the 15th arrondissement to Persian buyers. People were already talking about"Little Persia" or "Little Tehran."

This immigration increased following the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the Iran-Iraq War, leading to a mass exodus of intellectuals, wealthy families, and merchants. Many chose the 15th arrondissement for its proximity to luxury housing, new towers, and access to the Left Bank.

The establishment of specialized shops and restaurants on this same street has created a communitydynamic, with spice shops, Persian pastry shops, cafes where debates, exhibitions, and Iranian film screenings are held, and hair salons run by the Iranian diaspora. This neighborhood has thus become a refuge for identity and a place of life that transposes, on a small scale, Iranian cultural practices to Paris.

Iranian restaurants, grocery stores, and specialties to discover

Strolling down Rue des Entrepreneurs is like entering a Persian culinary worldfar from the tourist trails. Grocery stores—such as Maison Eskan— offer saffron, aromatic herbs, rose cakes, and pistachio candies, while several restaurants reveal menus inspired by Iranian haute cuisine.

Among the specialties to try at these restaurants are mast-o khiyar (a starter made with yogurt, cucumber, and mint), gheymeh bademjan (a lamb and eggplant stew), koubideh (lamb skewers), andfessendjan (a poultry stew with walnuts and pomegranate juice). Not to mentiongrilled meats, saffron rice and typical Iranian desserts, which can be found at restaurants such asCaspian, Guylas, Cheminée and Mazeh. 

Exploring this Iranian neighborhood in Paris is to see how a diaspora has rebuilt an urban, cultural, and culinary space in the capital. It is not a themed neighborhood but an authentic place to live where memory, commerce, gastronomy, and culture coexist. For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover a facet of the City of Light that lies behind the tourist circuits, but which is rich, lively, and flavorful.

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