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Voykit pocket guide · France
Bobigny
Skip Bobigny as a destination. Use it only if you need a cheap bed near Paris or have business at the prefecture: half a day is enough.
Bobigny is a suburban town 9 km northeast of Paris, known as the administrative seat of Seine-Saint-Denis. It has no major tourist sights beyond a historic Muslim cemetery and a Niemeyer-designed labour exchange building. Most travellers pass through on Métro Line 5 or stay for low-cost accommodation near the RER and métro.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, grey)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €40–60 excl. bed · Mid €60–100 excl. bed · High €100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire 18 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
Get in
By air
- CDG · Charles de Gaulle Airport
- About 30 min by taxi or RER B then métro; check
- ORY · Orly Airport
- About 45 min by RER B then métro; check
Typical fares
- Métro to central Paris (single ticket)
- €2.10 (2026 estimate; check)
- Taxi Bobigny → Paris centre
- €25–40 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Métro Line 5 (Bobigny – Pablo Picasso and Bobigny – Pantin – Raymond Queneau) connects to central Paris in about 20–25 min. Buses cover the town; walking is fine for the centre.
See and do
Known for
- Islamic cemetery of Bobigny (one of two Muslim-only cemeteries in France)
- Tour de l'Illustration (1933 tower, now student housing)
- Bourse départementale du travail (Oscar Niemeyer building)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | Métro Line 5 to République or Bastille, about 20–25 min | About 30 min |
| Saint-Denis | Métro Line 5 to Bobigny – Pablo Picasso, then tram T1 to Saint-Denis, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Le Bourget | Métro Line 5 to Bobigny – Pablo Picasso, then bus 148, about 25 min | About 35 min |
Sleep
- Near Bobigny – Pablo Picasso métro station
- Closest to the centre and the prefecture; basic hotels and a few hostels.
- Bobigny – Pantin – Raymond Queneau area
- Quieter, near the canal; slightly cheaper.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much? | Combien ?kom-byen |
| Where is the métro? | Où est le métro ?oo ay luh may-tro |
| Help | Au secoursoh suh-koor |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Bobigny has a reputation for petty crime and insecurity; keep valuables out of sight after dark.
- The Islamic cemetery has limited visiting hours; check the official site before going.
- The Niemeyer building is a working labour exchange; you can view the exterior but interior access is restricted.
Bobigny has higher crime rates than most Paris suburbs. Avoid walking alone after dark in the housing estates around the town hall and Bobigny 2 shopping centre. Keep phones and bags secure on the métro.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bobigny yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Islamic cemetery of Bobigny (one of two Muslim-only cemeteries in France)
- Tour de l'Illustration (1933 tower, now student housing)
- Bourse départementale du travail (Oscar Niemeyer building)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bobigny official website: www.bobigny.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Bobigny, revision 5313916 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5313916
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/bobigny). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.