Walking in Paris
During the last few weeks, we've enjoyed a lot of beautiful places. Some we found by just serendipitously turning corners, some we walked because we just love to visit them whenever we come to Paris.
There are more than 6.000 streets in Paris and even though our feet are as aching as if we had traveled each and every stretch, we have a long way to go.
Here are some favorites:
Montmartre:
Our apartment is just below Montmartre and it amazes us every time we visit the hill, how singular-minded the vast majority of tourists are when they make their explorations.
The throngs of thousands are pulsating around the Place du Tertre and the Sacre Coeur. Some visit the Rue des Abesses but many of the beautiful streets crossing the sides of the Butte de Montmartre are mostly walked by locals.
The lazily winding Rue De L'Abreuvoir is in our opinion one of the most beautiful in all of Montmartre. Here, walking along the ivy-clad facades of the old village houses, you really feel like you're following in the footsteps of Renoir, Van Gogh, and Picasso.
Canal Saint-Martin
A favorite area is the Qais along the Canal Saint-Martin, where we still find an untouched local vibe, which probably will be a bit spoiled in the coming years when the guide books delve into the splendors of this neighborhood hidden behind Place de la République
If you're lucky and a canal boat is passing, you can admire the action of the old swing bridge at Rue Louis Blanc.
If you want to explore a true secret of the area, the same architect, who built the famed Place de Vosges, is also the master behind Le Quadrilatére, a wonderful secluded yard deep inside the old hospital, L' Hôpital Saint-Louis, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux.
Marais:
Montmartre:
Our apartment is just below Montmartre and it amazes us every time we visit the hill, how singular-minded the vast majority of tourists are when they make their explorations.
The throngs of thousands are pulsating around the Place du Tertre and the Sacre Coeur. Some visit the Rue des Abesses but many of the beautiful streets crossing the sides of the Butte de Montmartre are mostly walked by locals.
The lazily winding Rue De L'Abreuvoir is in our opinion one of the most beautiful in all of Montmartre. Here, walking along the ivy-clad facades of the old village houses, you really feel like you're following in the footsteps of Renoir, Van Gogh, and Picasso.
Canal Saint-MartinA favorite area is the Qais along the Canal Saint-Martin, where we still find an untouched local vibe, which probably will be a bit spoiled in the coming years when the guide books delve into the splendors of this neighborhood hidden behind Place de la République
If you're lucky and a canal boat is passing, you can admire the action of the old swing bridge at Rue Louis Blanc.
If you want to explore a true secret of the area, the same architect, who built the famed Place de Vosges, is also the master behind Le Quadrilatére, a wonderful secluded yard deep inside the old hospital, L' Hôpital Saint-Louis, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux.
Marais:
Rue des Rosiers has been the main thoroughfare of the Parisian Jewish neighborhood for many centuries. It is definitely not a hidden gem, as it is visited by thousands of tourists, but now exploding rents are closing down the old Hasidim shops and restaurants along the cobblestone lane.
Rue des Rosiers is about to be turned completely into an ordinary street lined with expensive fashion stores, but you can still see some local kosher shops, some black-clad rabbis, and Jewish kids eating bagels from the bakers.
Just behind it, we found a secluded garden, Jardin des Rosiers, which is well worth a visit
The historic Rue des Barres, leading up from the Pont Louis Philip, is just a minute walk from the bustling Rue de Rivoli, but below the gargoyles and the flying arches of the gothic Eglise Saint-Gervais, you almost feel like you've entered another time dimension and another geography - like the south of France in a former century.
Around the corner from des Barres, you can even see some of the only half-timbered houses in all of Paris
Left Bank
The petite Place de Furstenberg, framing a rotunda with four Paulownia trees and a beautiful old lamp post, is, in our opinion, among the most idyllic squares in all of Paris.
The right bank
Just a few years ago, the embankment of the Seine was a bustling autostrada, but the Paris municipality has opened up a wonderful stretch of walking paths, small open-air bars, and areas, where you can just lie down in recliners and enjoy the view of the Seine and the Cite and Saint Louis islands.
One evening, when we walked by, the river bank was even filled with people dancing Lindy Hop
In the south
Rita really loves cruising flea markets - and take her word for it: The Marche aux Puces de Vanves, open every Sunday morning, is among the very best. Unlike the more notable flea market of Clignanourt in the north of Paris, the street vendors in Vanves are not specialized and you really get the feeling of discovery, finding treasures fresh from the estates of the newly departed.
We found Buttes aux Cailles just by chance. This delightful neighborhood in the 13. arrondissement feels like a small village within the city, where people greet each other when passing in the alleys.
But - even though it feels idyllic and quite rural, it also has a young, big city vibe.
Many of the facades are filled with colorful street art - and in the evening, the crowded sidewalk cafes turn into one big street party.
Belleville
Belleville in the 10th arrondissement is an area we've found to be one of the most charming and interesting in Paris. Some parts high up on the hill even seem like we imagine Montmartre would have looked before the touristic invasion many years back.
A few years ago Belleville was quite a poor working-class neighborhood and today it's the most vibrant hot spot in eastern Paris with lots of hip bars and fancy galleries.
The Place St. Marthe tucked away beyond the Boulevard de la Villette, is a wonderful tiny square within a cool and diverse neighborhood.
The Rue Sainte-Marthe, leading down from the square, is an absolutely charming street, where all the facades of the bistros, record sellers, and seamstresses are painted in different bright colors.
Le M.U.R. at Rue Oberkampf is a wall that is constantly renewed by some of the best graffiti artists. When we visited, a couple of young guys were creating a huge work, but returning a few weeks later, it was painted over by many layers of new graffiti.
And.... And.... And....
Some favorite places are not even mentioned in the above and we still have more than a couple of weeks left in Paris.
There is a lot of the city left to explore, and we guess, more streets will follow!
Rue des Rosiers is about to be turned completely into an ordinary street lined with expensive fashion stores, but you can still see some local kosher shops, some black-clad rabbis, and Jewish kids eating bagels from the bakers.
Just behind it, we found a secluded garden, Jardin des Rosiers, which is well worth a visit
The historic Rue des Barres, leading up from the Pont Louis Philip, is just a minute walk from the bustling Rue de Rivoli, but below the gargoyles and the flying arches of the gothic Eglise Saint-Gervais, you almost feel like you've entered another time dimension and another geography - like the south of France in a former century.
Around the corner from des Barres, you can even see some of the only half-timbered houses in all of Paris
Left Bank
The right bank
Just a few years ago, the embankment of the Seine was a bustling autostrada, but the Paris municipality has opened up a wonderful stretch of walking paths, small open-air bars, and areas, where you can just lie down in recliners and enjoy the view of the Seine and the Cite and Saint Louis islands.
One evening, when we walked by, the river bank was even filled with people dancing Lindy Hop
In the south
Rita really loves cruising flea markets - and take her word for it: The Marche aux Puces de Vanves, open every Sunday morning, is among the very best. Unlike the more notable flea market of Clignanourt in the north of Paris, the street vendors in Vanves are not specialized and you really get the feeling of discovery, finding treasures fresh from the estates of the newly departed.
We found Buttes aux Cailles just by chance. This delightful neighborhood in the 13. arrondissement feels like a small village within the city, where people greet each other when passing in the alleys.
But - even though it feels idyllic and quite rural, it also has a young, big city vibe.
Many of the facades are filled with colorful street art - and in the evening, the crowded sidewalk cafes turn into one big street party.
Belleville
Belleville in the 10th arrondissement is an area we've found to be one of the most charming and interesting in Paris. Some parts high up on the hill even seem like we imagine Montmartre would have looked before the touristic invasion many years back.
A few years ago Belleville was quite a poor working-class neighborhood and today it's the most vibrant hot spot in eastern Paris with lots of hip bars and fancy galleries.
The Place St. Marthe tucked away beyond the Boulevard de la Villette, is a wonderful tiny square within a cool and diverse neighborhood.
The Rue Sainte-Marthe, leading down from the square, is an absolutely charming street, where all the facades of the bistros, record sellers, and seamstresses are painted in different bright colors.
Le M.U.R. at Rue Oberkampf is a wall that is constantly renewed by some of the best graffiti artists. When we visited, a couple of young guys were creating a huge work, but returning a few weeks later, it was painted over by many layers of new graffiti.
And.... And.... And....
Some favorite places are not even mentioned in the above and we still have more than a couple of weeks left in Paris.
There is a lot of the city left to explore, and we guess, more streets will follow!
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