Cross

Cross
the Boulevard de Belleville and you’ll be transported to a
hilly, artistic and lively village that thrums with life. Up until
the 1860s, this traditionally Parisian populaire (working-class)
neighbourhood was officially outside of the city – and locals still
have their own idiosyncratic way of doing things. The rectangle
enclosed by the Rue de Belleville, Rue Pixérécourt, Rue de
Ménilmontant and Boulevard de Belleville is packed with things to
do and see, from the hectic Chinatown district along Boulevard de
Belleville in the north, to the arty bookshops and natural wine
vendors that line the sloping Rue de Belleville.

Distinctive and diverse, Belleville has a healthy rebellious
streak – it was a rallying point of various uprisings throughout
the 1800s – and an open-minded attitude, with plenty of ethnic and
religious minorities living side by side in a kind of cultural
hotch-potch. As you make your way around, expect to share the
pavement with local artists draped in chic thrift-store finds and
hear street vendors hawking fresh fruit and veg. It’s an off beat
part of town, and refreshingly affordable with plenty of
bouis-bouis (cheap and down-to-earth) dining spots dotted
around.

The whole neighbourhood, whose hills were once the site of
gypsum quarries, slopes like a pinball board, adding character (and
a workout) to a walk around town. Appreciate the lofty views from
Rue de Belleville: as you climb the street, you’ll start glimpsing
the iron spire of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Those who make
it to the top are rewarded with one of the best views (and some of
the nicest café terraces) in town. If it suits you better, you can
also climb the street aboard the 96 bus.

Art lovers will appreciate the studios and dinky galleries that
dot the area, many of which are open to the public. After hours,
head to some of Paris’ best going-out venues to dance the night
away. Start the evening with happy-hour cocktails at local
favourite Aux
Ours on Rue des Pyrénées, before heading round the corner to
La Bellevilloise. Spend the night dancing to DJs
spinning electro beats or live bands playing jazz and soul,
depending on that week’s visiting musicians.

Bohemia, jazz beats and bouis-bouis: a guide to Paris’ edgiest
neighbourhood