Les Lilas and Montreuil: The Premium 93 That Attracts Parisians

The 93 is no longer a dirty word in property. At least, certain pockets of the 93. Les Lilas and the Bas-Montreuil have shifted in a decade from working-class suburb status to a natural extension of Paris for thirtysomethings and families who can no longer afford the 11th or 20th arrondissement. This movement is real, backed by the figures, and far from over.

How much does a square metre cost in Les Lilas in 2026?

The median price stands at 6,600 euros/m² (DVF, April 2026 vintage), about 1,800 euros/m² less than the neighbouring 20th arrondissement and its 8,400 euro median. Prices range from 5,500 euros in the streets furthest from the centre to 7,000 euros near the metro.

Les Lilas is the 20th arrondissement without the 75 postcode, and with nearly 2,000 euros/m² less. This municipality of 22,000 inhabitants stretches along metro Line 11 (Mairie des Lilas) and offers a compact, commercial and lively town centre.

Rue de Paris, the main artery, concentrates most of the shops: bakeries, restaurants, small local businesses. The Les Lilas market (Wednesday and Sunday mornings) attracts residents from the neighbourhood and the neighbouring 20th. The atmosphere is that of a small town that has kept its working-class identity while welcoming a wealthier population: families from the 11th and 20th who crossed the peripherique to gain space.

Metro Line 11 is the strategic asset. Mairie des Lilas to Châtelet in 20 minutes, with a direct journey and no connection. The extension of Line 11 towards Rosny-sous-Bois, currently underway, will further improve the area’s connectivity and create new stations that will boost the value of addresses currently less central.

This median of 6,600 euros/m² places Les Lilas in an accessible bracket for first-time buyers: a three-room flat of 60 m² sells for between 330,000 and 420,000 euros. A family-sized four-room flat of 80 m² for between 440,000 and 560,000 euros.

Why do prices vary so much within Montreuil?

Because the municipality holds three distinct markets: the Bas-Montreuil at 7,000 euros/m² and above, the town centre between 5,500 and 6,500 euros, and the Haut-Montreuil between 4,500 and 5,500 euros. The municipal median comes out at 6,200 euros/m² (DVF, April 2026 vintage), but it describes none of those three markets.

Montreuil is a municipality of 110,000 inhabitants where the differences are staggering. The Bas-Montreuil, gentrified and trendy, has nothing in common with the Haut-Montreuil, still working-class and in transition. Buying in Montreuil without understanding these differences is buying blind.

The Bas-Montreuil, between the peripherique and the town hall, around rue Robespierre, rue de Paris and rue du Capitaine-Dreyfus, is the Montreuil that magazines rave about. Artist studios converted into lofts, gastronomic restaurants sitting alongside traditional kebab shops, art galleries in former warehouses. The housing stock is eclectic: suburban houses, faubourg-style buildings, former workshops, new developments. Prices reflect this attractiveness: 7,000 euros/m² and above for the best addresses, comparable to the 20th arrondissement for often larger floor areas.

The town centre, around the town hall and place Jean-Jaures, offers an interesting middle ground. More commercial than the Bas-Montreuil, with the Montreuil market (one of the largest in Ile-de-France), plenty of schools and a lively neighbourhood life. Prices sit between 5,500 and 6,500 euros/m².

The Haut-Montreuil, beyond the A186 towards Rosny, is another world. The housing stock is dominated by large 1960s-70s estates, with some pockets of houses. Prices drop to 4,500 to 5,500 euros/m², or even less in the tower blocks. It is an area where you can buy a four-room flat of nearly 70 m² for 300,000 euros, but where quality of life is radically different from the Bas-Montreuil. The extension of Line 11 could change the picture in the medium term.

Who is buying in Les Lilas and Montreuil?

Three profiles: the thirtysomething first-time buyer with a 300,000 to 500,000 euro budget, the family from the 11th looking for space, and the artist or creative who opened the way for Montreuil’s gentrification.

The thirtysomething first-time buyer is the dominant profile. Budget of 300,000 to 500,000 euros, no chance of finding a three-room flat in the 11th or 20th, but the possibility of a spacious flat or even a small house in Les Lilas or the Bas-Montreuil. At Home Select, we support this profile with particular attention to the micro-neighbourhood, which is where our local knowledge makes the difference.

Families from the 11th looking for space are the second profile. A couple with two children in a 55 m² flat in the 11th who find an 85 m² in Montreuil for the same budget, with a garden thrown in if they choose a house. The transition happens naturally, with the RER A or Line 9 maintaining the connection to Paris.

Artists and creatives were the pioneers of Montreuil’s gentrification. They still find studios and unusual spaces, but prices are gradually pushing them towards the centre and the Haut-Montreuil.

What are the practical strengths of these two towns?

Transport first: Lines 9 and 11, the RER A with one connection, meaning 20 to 30 minutes from central Paris depending on the address. Then cultural life and the markets, with La Marbrerie and the Montreuil market as local institutions.

Metro Line 9 (Mairie de Montreuil, Robespierre, Croix de Chavaux) and Line 11 (Mairie des Lilas) connect both municipalities to Paris. The RER A (Vincennes, then connection) complements the service. Journey times to central Paris range from 20 to 30 minutes depending on the address.

Cultural life is a specific asset of Montreuil: La Marbrerie, the municipal theatre, artist studios open during open-door days. Les Lilas has the Forum des Arts and the Maison du Haiku, more modest but very much alive.

The markets are excellent: the Montreuil market (flea market at weekends) and the covered market in the centre are institutions. The Les Lilas market, more modest, is sufficient for daily needs.

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What should you watch out for before buying in the 93?

Four things: the image of the postcode, which still slows some resales; price differences of up to 2,000 euros/m² between neighbouring streets; uneven safety depending on the area; and a sharply contrasted school map between Haut and Bas-Montreuil.

The image of the 93 remains an issue. Some buyers hesitate because of the postcode, and this is a barrier to resale in certain market segments. It is irrational but real, and you need to factor it into your wealth planning.

Price differences from one street to the next are the largest in the whole of Ile-de-France. In Montreuil, two parallel streets can show a difference of 2,000 euros/m². This is why a property hunter who knows the ground is not a luxury: it is a necessity.

Safety is uneven. The Bas-Montreuil and Les Lilas centre are generally safe, but certain areas of the Haut-Montreuil and around the peripherique have genuine security issues, especially in the evening. Visit the neighbourhood at different times of day before committing.

Schools in the Haut-Montreuil are ranked significantly lower than those in the Bas-Montreuil or Les Lilas. If you have school-age children, check the catchment area precisely: this is a decisive criterion that can justify a budget difference of 50,000 to 100,000 euros.

What is the appreciation potential over five years?

The extension of Line 11 towards Rosny-sous-Bois, opening around 2028 to 2030, is the main expected driver. The second and third-tier streets of the Bas-Montreuil offer an estimated potential of 15 to 20% over five years.

The extension of Line 11 towards Rosny-sous-Bois, with stations at Montreuil-Hopital and Montreuil centre, is the game changer. The opening, expected around 2028 to 2030, should significantly boost the value of currently undervalued addresses in the centre and Haut-Montreuil.

Gentrification in the Bas-Montreuil is not complete. Second and third-tier streets, those not yet in the guides, still offer appreciation potential of 15 to 20% over five years. This is the bet that informed buyers are making.

Current urban projects in Montreuil (redevelopment of the Murs a Peches, new neighbourhood around the future Line 11 station) will transform the municipality’s image and attract new residents.

Should you buy in Les Lilas or Montreuil?

Yes for a first-time buyer who refuses to sacrifice quality of life: these two towns offer a space-to-price-to-location ratio that inner Paris no longer provides. On condition that you choose the micro-neighbourhood street by street, because that is where everything is decided.

Les Lilas and Montreuil represent the future of accessible property in the Paris region. For first-time buyers who refuse to sacrifice quality of life, these municipalities offer an unbeatable space-to-price-to-location ratio. At Home Select, we have multiplied mandates there over the past three years, and our clients, with a 96% satisfaction rate, confirm the wisdom of the choice.

But be warned: more than anywhere else, the micro-neighbourhood is everything. The Bas-Montreuil is nothing like the Haut-Montreuil. Les Lilas centre is nothing like the Les Lilas periphery. This is a market that demands expertise street by street, and that is precisely where our 16 property hunters make the difference.

For first-time buyers, see our guide to your first purchase in Paris. Our analysis of the battle for square metres among Parisian families sheds light on the trade-offs. And to understand the dynamics of market tension, read our article on tense housing zones in Paris.