Place de la Bastille is where the capital's dedicated night life begins. Cafes, bars & restaurants line the surrounding streets; Rue du Faubourg-St-Antoine, Rue de la Roquette, Rue de Lappe and Rue de Charonne. But if you carry on further west along the Rue du Faubourg-St-Antoine and take a peek at the maze of courtyards and passageways. Cabinet-makers, for whom this area is renowned, now live along side designers, architects, graphic designers and stylists. The Oberkampf area north of La Bastille, has now become the hippest, trendiest place to hang out in Paris, atrracting nightowls on the prowl for new haunts.
Le marche d'Alligre ( 12th)
I used to live behind le Marche d'Alligre, on Avenue Ledrue-Rollin and I would go get my weekly vegetables and hang out at the Marche d'Alligre, bumping into friends and going for an expresso at a nearby cafe. From early morning the little place d'Alligre is packed is & you have to fight your way through the crowds to get to the fruit and vegetable stalls. On the square there are florists and stalls of bric-a-brac. In the halle Beauvau, built in 1787, meat, dairy and charcuterie stallholders shout at the top of their voices touting for costumers. A delightful market full of Mediteranean colors, and offering the lowest prices in the Capital. Open from 7:00 -1:30.
Le Faubourg Saint Antoine ( 11th/ 12th)
From 1471, this Faubourg ( Litt, "Fake Town") gathered around its abbey a growing community of carpenters, joiners, gilders and varnishers authorized to work freely, outside of the constraints of any corporation. An urban community slowly grew up around the Faubourg where craftworkers remain. Several centuries of urbanization have shaped the courtyard of L'Etoile D'or at # 75 Rue du Faubourg St Antoine On the other side of the street, Le Passage du Chantier reflects the continued craft- industry activity in the district. Next door, you can see , at # 58 you can see the magnificent Bel-Air courtyard, now extremely overgrown, while at # 74 there is the great courtyard of the Burgandians - Its iron architecture influenced by the 19th century industrialization of the area.
Cimetiere le Pere- Lachaise ( 19eme)
16 Rue du Repos. Shaded avenues, undergrowth, winding paths, esplanades...this cemetery ( 1804) is truely like a miniature world. At bends in the path stand the most extravagant of tombs. Pyramids and Greek temples stand along side more modest burial sides. Edith Piaf, Paul Eluart, Frederic Chopin, Honore de Balzac, Moliere and Jim Morisson among others rest in this fascinating garden of the dead.
La Bastille
The storming of this 14th century fortress caused this square. In the course of the 19th century, to become the symbol of the French Revolution. At its center the July column stands in homage to the victims of the three Glorieuses ( the three day revolution of July 1830). The steps of the Opera Bastille and the numerous terraced bars and restaurants all around the square are always bustling.
Anne Suire
Travel Planner & owner of Luxury travel consultant2
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