Paris Neighborhoods
Montmartre, Moulin
Rouge
The bohemian reputation of this neighborhood dates back to the 19th
century when it became a haven for artists, writers and poets who gathered to
partake of its bordellos, cabarets and revues. While this community has since left
Montmarte, its history is reflected in one of Paris' most infamous landmarks, the
Moulin Rouge. Today, the nightlife remains lively and artists are found selling
their artwork and wares at Place du Tertre, a charming square with many sidewalk
cafes where visitors can take a break during their ascent into Montarte before
proceeding to its most monumental destination, the Sacre-Coeur. The spectacular
views of Paris seen from Montmarte and the Sacre-Coeur together with the
neighborhood's tiny, exquisite squares, winding streets, small terraces and long
stairways, afford plenty to explore, including the famous vineyard of Montmartre
where every autumn the few grapes are harvested in a spirit of
revelry.
Bercy & Cours St. Emilion
The warehouses, pavilions and slums
that once dominated this former wine-trading quarter just east of the city centre,
have given way to what today is a very modern district. Former wine stores and
cellars along Cours St Emilion have since been restored and today house bars,
restaurants and shops. The resurrection of this neighborhood is reflected in its
contemporary landmark, the Palais Omnisport, a vast pyramidal structure that is a
venue for sporting events, operas and rock concerts. Other iconic examples of
ultra-modern architecture that has come to typify Bercy include Chemetov's
building, home of the Ministry of Finance, and Frank Gehry's American Center that
today houses the Bibliotheque du Filme and the Cinematheque Francaise, the world-s
largest archive of films and cinema related objects.
Additional attractions include the
Musee des Arts Forains (Fairground Museum), an example of a converted warehouse and
nearby Viaduc des Arts, home to artists' workshops, boutiques and
restaurants.
Conveniently located, destinations throughout Paris are accessible by land
and water from Bercy. Bercy's Metro station provides a direct line into the heart
of Paris and the Marina de Bercy serves as a start and end point for cruises along
the Seine. A bridge adjoining Bercy's 12th arrondissement to the neighboring 13th
arrondissement, also affords further exploration of an area that has experienced
intense urban revitalization due to a ten-year project called Zac Paris Rive Gauche.
The once disused area of land between Gare d'Austerlitz and Ivry-Sur-Seine is now
home to both a new university, that will house 30.000 students, and the MK2
Bibliotheque, a vast cinema complex which attracts film aficionados with its 14
screens, cafes and exhibition areas. New residential housing, schools and businesses
have also been developed along with the new National Library, Bibliotheque Francois
Mitterand, and the floating swimming pool "Josephine Baker" on the river
Seine.
Latin Quarter & Jardin des Plantes
The Latin Quarter or "Quartier Latin"
as the French call it takes it's name from the many several very famous licees
(secondary schools) as well as the most famous university of France-- La Sorbonne,
educating the elite of France since the 13th. Century. The many student book shops,
cafes, cinemas and jazz clubs gives this neighborhood nestled between the Seine and
the Luxembourg Gardens it's own special character that cannot be found in the more
sedate and "bourgeois" areas of Paris. The Quartier Latin evolved from the post war
days where Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir held court in the local cafes and
where avant garde singers such as Juliette Greco and Serge Gainsbourg sang in it's
smoke filled cabarets but one can still feel quite strongly it's colorful
history.
Today, one can
certainly be a bit taken aback by the eclectic atmosphere of cheap shops and
fast-food outlets in the small and narrow streets off the boulevard as well as
expensive fashion boutiques and avant-garde theatres and cinemas. Nevertheless, as
mentioned above, one cannot escape the area's 800 years of history . The Sorbonne
retains much its old character and the eastern half of the area has streets dating
back to the 13th century.
The magnificent French style garden-Jardin des Plantes is situated within
a short bus ride from the Latin Quarter. This had traditionally been one of the most
tranquil corners of Paris. It takes its character from the 17th century botanical
gardens where the kings of France grew medicinal herbs and where the Natural History
Institute stands today. Take one of these unforgettable walk there; admire the
impeccably manicured garden, and please do not disturb the many lovers sitting on
the public benches in unending embraces seemingly without a care in the world and
completely oblivious to the beauty of the garden and all its
visitors.
Montparnasse
In the first three decades of the 20th
century, Montparnasse was a thriving artistic and literary center that drew many
modern painters, sculptors, writers and poets. French and foreign minds alike
gathered for its studios, conviviality and bohemian lifestyle. This great era ended
with World War II and continued with the destruction of many studios, however. While
the construction of the Tour Montparnasse, Paris' tallest tower, in the early 70's
rang in a modern era for the neighborhood, it has not lost its original appeal due
to the many great cafes that remain and continue to attract a lively international
crowd. On the weekends, small cafe-theatres that have sprung up bring the area to
life with the cinema crowd.
Invalides & Eiffel Tower (Tour
Eiffel)
Paris' icon, the Tour Eiffel, is representative of the grand scale of all
that is housed in Invalides. The Parc du Champ de Mars begins at the sprawling
18th-century building of the Ecole Militaire on the corner of the Avenue de la Motte
Piquet, and stretches down to the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. Surrounding the Eiffel
Tower are avenues lined with luxurious residential buildings in the French Art
Nouveau and Haussmann styles as well as several embassies. The neighborhood has been
a highly prized, upscale one since the 18th century when residents of the Le Marais
mansions moved to this region of Paris and constructed the aristocratic town houses
that line the Rue de Varenne and Rue de Grenelle. Its prestige continued to grow
during the time of the World Wars when noted actor Sacha Guitry lived here and today
remains a beautiful, sophisticated neighborhood with prized views of the Tour
Eiffel.
A Champs Elysees & Trocadero
Perhaps one of the most famous streets in the world, the Avenue des Champs
Elysees, is a wide avenue with astounding breadth whose broad sidewalks are lined
with cafes, shops, cinemas and restaurants that attracts crowds of Parisians and
foreigners alike. On one end is the Rond-Point des Champs Elysees with shady
chestnut trees and sidewalks bordered by colorful flowerbeds where 5-star hotels,
fine restaurants and high-end shops line its nearby streets. Along the
neighborhood's distinctive Rue du Faubourgh St-Honore, the impressive, heavily
guarded Palais de l'Elysee is found along with the luxurious mansions of high-level
executives, embassies and consulates.
Located not far from the Champs Elysees, the Chaillot village was absorbed
into Paris in the 19th century and transformed into an area rich in large mansions
and Second Empire avenues, some of which converge into Place du Trocadero, renowned
for its elegant cafes. Nearby Avenue du President Wilson is known for having the
greatest concentration of museums than any street in Paris. Though many of its once
residential mansions are today the home of embassies and major company headquarters,
to the west is one of Paris's most exclusive residential neighborhoods, the area of
the 'haute bourgeoisie'.
Opera & Grands Boulevards
The Opera quarter bustles with bankers and stockbrokers, newsstands and
shoppers, tourists and Parisians. Much of its 19th-century grandeur has survived in
the Grand Boulevards of Baron Haussmann's urban design that are still a favorite of
the thousands of strollers who are drawn to the myriad of shops and department
stores that cater to a range of Parisian tastes and price tags. The area's original
character, however, is found away from the large boulevards in the many passages and
delightful narrow shopping arcades that feature traditional steel and glass roofs.
Most notable amongst these is Galerie Vivienne and Passage des Panoramas, Passage
Jouffroy and Passage Verdeau, which have retained their authentic, classic Parisian
styles as well as the tiny Passage des Princes. Two of the finest food shops,
Fauchon and Hediard, are found here and are known for mouth-watering mustards, jams,
pates, and sauces. The area still has a reputation as a journalistic center, despite
Le Monde having moved its location, as well as a history of cinema and theater. The
Lumiere brothers held the world's first public film show here in 1895 and the Opera
National de Paris Garnier stages grand theatrical events including ballets and
operas.
Canal St-Martin & Buttes-Chaumont
Dotted with barges and pleasure boats that leave the Port de l'Arsenal
the 5-kilometer (3-mile) canal, opened in 1825 to link the Seine and l'Ourcq, has
long been loved by novelists, film directors and tourists alike. Today, the area has
become a favorite hang out for Parisians who enjoy the many new restaurants and bars
along the sides of Quai de Jemmapes and Quai de Valmy. At the north end of the canal
is the Bassin de la Villette waterway and the elegant Neo-Classical Rotonde de la
Villette that is spectacularly lit at night. On Sundays and Bank Holidays, a part of
the canal is closed to car traffic providing a perfect opportunity to roller blade
or pack a picnic and enjoy this peaceful oasis in the heart of Paris!
The northeast part of
Paris is little known by many visitors, yet it contains one of Paris' largest and
most beautiful parks along with fascinating architecture. The Buttes-Chaumont, is a
vast hill complete with a lake, a huge island and folly, rocky outcrops and a
wonderful variety of trees and plants.
This area is also home to the famous La Cimietere du Pere Lachaise,
Paris' most prestigious cemetery, which sits on a wooded hill overlooking the city.
The land was once owned by P're de la Chaise, Louis XIV's confessor, but was
bought by order of Napoleon in 1803 to create a new cemetery. The cemetery became so
popular with the Paris bourgeoisie that it was expanded six times during the
century. Many celebrities and artistic notables are resting here such as writer
Honore de Balzac, composer Frederic Chopin, popular singer Edith Piaf, playwright
Oscar Wilde and, more recently, singer Jim Morrison and actor Yves Montand. Famous
graves and striking funerary sculpture make this a pleasant place for a leisurely,
nostalgic stroll
Le Marais
In the 17th century, Le Marais was home to Parisian royalty and
aristocracy but later began its decent to what became an architectural wasteland
during the Revolution. Today, the neighborhood has been brought back to life thanks
to plans that began 35 years ago to restore and revitalize the once very chic
neighborhood harboring exquisite courtyards behind its doors. Elegant mansions now
house some of Paris' most popular museums and the main streets and narrow
passageways pulsate with the buzz of its smart boutiques, galleries, restaurants,
artisans, bakeries and small cafes. An ethnically diverse neighborhood, Le Marais
boasts a cultural blend of Jews, former Algerian settlers, Asians and foreigners
from all over the world and is the centre of the Parisian gay
scene.
Les Tuileries
Les Tuileries is nestled between the expansive Place de la Concorde at one
end and the Grand Louvre at the other. Once the home of many French kings such as
the "Sun King", Louis XIV, who lived at the Place des Victoires, today, decadence
and luxury continue as symbols of this upscale neighborhood. Place Vendome is home
to the Hotel Ritz where guests can indulge their taste for fine jewels at such
notable boutiques as Cartier, Boucheron and Chaumet or shop along two of Paris'
most magnificent streets which traverse the neighborhood, rue de Rivoli and rue St.
Honore, long avenues offering Paris' finest upscale arcades, boutiques, bookshops
and five-star hotels. Elegant boutiques and restaurants can also be experienced at
the beautiful Place du Marche St Honore and the famous Palais Royal, whose lovely
garden provides a peaceful, elegant retreat.
