Unpacking commercial gentrification in central Paris

Abstract

This article documents the complex course of commercial upgrading in four neighbourhoods of central Paris, a slow process in which transnational flows and state intervention play an outsized role. The data was collected at 20 independent coffee shops located in the West 11th district and supplemented by long-term observation of the business mix evolution. The article focuses on the impact of geographic mobility – including migration and residential tourism – in the rapid development of upmarket alternatives to French cafes and bistros. It goes on to explain how political intervention/deregulation facilitated capital investment in commercial real estate. It then discusses the culturally informed perceptions that helped define desirable forms of consumption for France. The article demonstrates the extent to which cross-border flows influenced commercial gentrification, and calls for further research into the complex interplay of local, transnational, private and public forces driving urban change.