In todays observer there is an article by Catherine Sanderson, (blogger Petite Anglaise) about the area known as Belleville. Has anyone been, what did you think of the area and is it worth a visit?
If you have visited what did you like about the area?
Thank you
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My first experience of Belleville was a few years back when we were staying in the Oberkampf area. We walked up to the market on Boulevard de Belleville and then carried on to the Parc de Belleville.
The market was fascinating. I%26#39;ve not been to any other Paris markets so I can%26#39;t compare but I had never seen anything like it. There are so many different stalls offering different foods (mostly, there were a few cheap and nasty clothes stands too) from almost any culture you can think of. It%26#39;s incredibly busy, noisy and fun.
The Parc de Belleville is great too. It%26#39;s set up on a hill so you get amazing view of Paris. Our first visit was early March so it was pretty cold and the park was very quiet except for a few people practising Tai Chi. The park itself is very pretty too and a nice size to stroll around.
The next year when we went back to Paris we stayed in Belleville itself, for two weeks, so I guess that shows how much we liked it. Obviously, we saw a lot in the two weeks that we stayed there but the Parc de Belleville and the market are definite highlights. (That visit was in August and the parc was much busier but still as nice. There are some lovely fountains and pools, and because it was so hot the local kids were playing them. Very different from some Paris parks where you are not even allowed on the grass!)
There are also a lot of pretty little streets to the south of the park and it%26#39;s nice to wander around that area. It is also not too far from Buttes Chaumont and again there are some lovely streets to wander round about there.
I seem to have gone on a bit, but to summarise I think it%26#39;s definitely worth visit :)
Laura
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I always stay in the 19e and adore the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. I have been to Belleville and intend to explore the area in more depth when I return later this week. Be aware that this is an entirely different Paris to that around St Germain, with a very varied ethnic mix. North African, Chinese you name it they are all here, the market has to be seen to be believed.
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Your question intrigued me so I fell back on good old Google, and came up with this lot.
www.davidphenry.com/Paris/Belleville.htm
Seems there%26#39;s more to it!
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There is also a nice article about Belville here from by ex pat English woman blogger
guardian.co.uk/travel/…paris.france
and a slide show of pictures here
…guardian.co.uk/flash/page/0,,2260805,00.html
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I walked that area today. The fates are smiling on you. It was ethnically diverse and has lots of color. It was Monday so a bit slower than usual I expect. The views from the Park and Buttes Chamont were exceptional today. An earlier storm blew all the lingering muck in the air away.
I liked the fact that the area is tucked away and only a rogue few visitors (large cameras so I assume) were there. The parks are gorgeous (how does the grass get that green in the winter?) and the neighborhoods seemed nice (again tough to judge on a Monday). Parks are both perched up on these lovely hills and switchback paths leading the way down. Only needed a bottle of water so a 2 euro afternoon. My cheater map told me that Belleville is actually 26 feet higher than Sacre Coeur. Not the 360 view but no admission fee and no stairs to hike up. I would schedule a visit the day after you go see sights. This is a place to relax and sit in the sun.
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Navrad
It%26#39;s the same article! Love the pictures. Sounds like it%26#39;s worth a visit. Which metro station would you recommend we get out?
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Which metro station? Thats a good one, it depends how energetic you feel. For a short taster I suggest Line 11, get off at Jourdain and walk westwards along rue de Belleville, pass the Pyrenees station and turn left into rue Piat and walk down to the Parc de Belleville. Walk out downhill SW to rue de Pall or rue des Couronnes and find the metro station Couronnes.
To go the whole hog, take line 5 and get off at Laumiere and walk south east up Av Laumiere to Parc des Buttes Chaumont, if you feel really strong hike up to the belvedere on top of the island. (You may need ropes and crampons, only joking, LOL). Then exit the parc at the SE corner by Botzaris metro station and walk SE down rue de Crimee to Place des Fetes and through to rue de Belleville. Turn right and you come to Jourdain in about another 300 yards.
Have a decent map, I use The Paris Mapguide by Michael Middleditch for walking, and l%26#39;Indispensible Paris 3 pages per arrondisment to sort out the buses and metro stations. I always try to use the bus where I can, you seem to see more locals and the town, although it takes longer and is harder to figure out.
People with better knowledge of the area may suggest different routes, I am going by the map and have not walked all this.
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Merci navrad.
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Sorry navrad, just realsed the articles were suggested by Madhatter100. (They were the same as in the Observer)
%26quot;senior moment%26quot; you know!
Thanks for the information anyway.
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From our personal experience. Last time we were in Paris we got the Metro out to visit the Parc Butte Chaumont.
We had no idea about the area and I said to my partner as we left the Metro, %26#39;If I don%26#39;t like to look of this we are out of here.%26#39;
It was very, very pleasant, the park was well kept and we had a lovely time exploring and then we got the 75 bus back to cental Paris.
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