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In Belleville and in the old village of Ménilmontant their narrow alleyways still remind one of the rural and working-class past of this area of Paris. Getting lost amongst them it is possible to find small shops, workshops, taverns or charming gardens hidden behind the carriage entrances.
This area started life as a medieval village amidst the vineyards of the grand abbeys of Paris. From the 18th century until the period of the Restoration, there were many “guinguettes” here, picnic spots where the Parisians would spend Sunday and drink an acidic wine called “guinget”.
The urbanisation of Belleville began around 1840, when it was populated by workers from Paris in search of more affordable housing. In 1860 Belleville was annexed to the city and remained divided into two. The old wine-producing village became a district where poverty was rife.
In the 20th century waves of immigrants arrived in the district, giving it a boost. Today the population of Belleville is one of the most varied in Paris.
Many of the homes here are small houses with a garden, single-family housing units or with few neighbours that occupy a private street. The large-scale urban remodelling did not reach this area and the houses were built according to the whims of each owner. At number 151 of Rue de Belleville it is possible to see the garden city of the Palais Royal of Belleville.
Between the street and the Boulevard de Belleville you can walk while observing how on the pavements people chat happily, play cards, and the terraces of the cafés fill to overflowing, while you can perceive the aromas of Asia, Africa...
This area currently houses a large number of artists’ workshops, who are looking for large spaces with natural light. Studio Open Days are also held that have become an important event of Parisian cultural life. Every year more than 200 artists take part in the Open Days and they receive around 50,000 visitors. In these studios you can discover paintings, sculptures, engravings, photographs and installations.
If you are looking for cultural diversity in all its meanings, this is your district.
Arc de Triomphe (18)
Church of The Madeleine (23)
Fontaine de l'Observatoire (43A)
Jardin du Luxembourg (43)
Les Invalides (55)
Odeon Theatre (45)
Passage des Panoramas (67B)
Place des Vosges (74)
Pont Neuf (8A)
Saint Germain des Prés (46)
Bastille Opera (73)
Conciergerie (35)
Grand Palais et Petit Palais (29)
La Défense (100)
Montmartre (60)
Opéra Garnier (25)
Passages Couverts (67)
Place du Tertre (63)
Quartier Latin (38)
Sainte Chapelle (5)
Arènes de Lutece (75)
Belleville (88)
Champ de Mars (15)
Fontaine des Innocents (27B)
Île Saint Louis (7)
Jardins des Champs Elysées (11)
Le Défenseur du Temps (27C)
Metro Art-Noveau (36)
Moulin de la Galette (95)
Palais de l'Elysée (28)
Parc Monceau (82)
Place Pigalle (70)
Quai Voltaire (53)
Saint Severin (41)
The Seine (3)
Au Lapin Agile (64)
Bercy (81)
Cimetière du Montmartre (68)
Françoise Miterrand Library (78)
Institut du Monde Arabe (79)
Jardins du Trocadéro (14)
Les Catacombes de Paris (49)
Montparnasse Cemetery (48)
Moulin Rouge (69)
Palais du Luxembourg (42)
Passage Jouffroy (67A)
Place Saint-Sulpice (50A)
Rue des Rosiers (87)
Saint-Étienne du Mont (91)
Val-de-Grâce (92)
Auteil (94)
Cathedral Orthodox Saint Alexandre Nevsky (83)
Cimetière du Père-Lachaise (85)
Hotel de Lauzun (9)
Institut Pasteur (54)
La Ruche (93)
Maison de Radio-France (17)
Montparnasse Tower (47)
National Library (77)
Palais Royal (26)
Passages Verdeau (67C)
Pont de l'Alma (8C)
Saint Eustache (27A)
Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre (66)
Villette Park (98)
Basilique Saint-Denis (97)
Chaillot (13)
Cour de Rohan (52)
Île de la Cité (6)
Jardin des Plantes (76)
La Sorbonne (51)
Marché aux Puces de St. Ouen (96)
Mosquée de Paris (80)
Palais de la Porte Dorée (84)
Palais-Bourbon. Assemblée-Nationale (30)
Passy (89)
Port de l'Arsenal (72)
Saint Julien le Pauvre (39)
Saint-Sulpice (50)
Carnavalet Museum (34)
Musée de la Magie (90)
Musée d'Orsay - Art (59B)
Musée Picasso (33)
Victor Hug's House (58)
Georges Pompidou Centre (32)
Musée de l'Orangerie (21)
Musée d'Orsay - History (59A)
Museum of The Louvre - History (19A)