All posts filed under: 20th arrondissement

The 20th arrondissement is one of the hippest place in Paris. Located on the right bank, it houses the districts of Ménilmontmant and Belleville. The 20th arrondissement is also known for having interesting places to visit such as the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery, and the lovely Parc de Belleville.

Exploring Belleville and Ménilmontant

Published by Roisin Astell

Continuing on from the newly created tradition of exploration Thursdays, this week me and Kate ventured off to districts of Belleville and Ménilmontant. Having never been to this part of Paris before, I was interested to see what exactly it was like. Both Ménilmontant and Belleville are charming cosmopolitan districts which emanate a wealth of cultural diversity and offer a great deal of chances to experience vibrant street art. Our day included heading to the Parc de Belleville, which provides beautiful views of the cityscape. We did a lot of walking around the various streets, becoming fully fledged flâneurs for the day. During our exploration, we also went into the gothic inspired church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville which offered a peaceful sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area. Overall, we had a lovely time getting to explore new parts of the city, and I will definitely be back to this arrondissement not only to take more photographs from the Parc de Belleville and the various street art adorning the buildings, but also to sample some of the diverse cuisines on …

The Parc de Belleville

Published by Roisin Astell

Whilst exploring Belleville the other week, we also ventured to the Parc de Belleville, which is reported to host some amazing views of Paris. Situated on the hill of Belleville, to attain these reputed views, one must climb quite a few stairs to get to the top. This strenuous and somewhat taxing experience (well it was for me, but I am positive that after a bit more exercise, it will be much easier!) was well worth it. Unfortunately, it was still hazy over the horizon the day we came, but we still managed to gain an impression of how magnificent the views can be. I’m just upset that I didn’t take more photos – I blame the stairs, all that physical exertion distracted me! However, on a beautiful cloudless day, one will be able to see notable monuments and buildings such as the Musée Pompidou and Eiffel Tower, as well Le Panthéon and Tour Montparnasse. I would definitely recommend coming to the Parc de Belleville, not only to see some stunning views of Paris, but also to get some exercise at the same …

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Published by Roisin Astell

As part of my ‘do two different things’ this week, I ventured to Père Lachaise Cemetery to have a wander around. For those who have never heard of it, Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris. However, it’s not only known for it’s vastness, but for the many burials it contains, especially of many famous people including writers, authors, composers, musicians and many more. Père Lachaise Cemetery is in the 20th arr, and there are two close metro stations near either end of the Cemetery. I decided to go here because this was something that my family and I did not have a chance to explore when we were here in Paris last year. I was not too sure what to expect. I definitely didn’t know that it was going to be as big as it was, so if you’re going to go there, make sure you wear comfortable shoes! I also did the grave mistake (pardon the pun) of going without a map. Many people believe a map in Père Lachaise Cemetery to be a …