Every couple of weeks I ride my rickety old bike one mile up thehill from my home in Paris's 11th arrondissement to the nearbyBelleville quartier. When I take the time to look around instead ofhuffing and puffing, I can see an extraordinary transformation. AsI pedal up the cobblestones of Rue du Faubourg du Temple, the self-conscious hangouts and trendy boutiques of my neighborhood slowlydisappear. The scent of warm honey wafts from North African pastryshops. Neon Chinese characters flash above noodle bars. Art studentsdrink red wine and puff on a hookah at a sidewalk cafe.
Belleville is one of the many eclectic neighborhoods that make up"hidden Paris," that holy grail of authenticity sought by travelerswho don't live and breathe by Rick Steves. An afternoon visit or daytrip allows plenty of time to take in its lofty views of the city,dazzling range of ethnic food and electric ambiance. And it's aquick stroll from the fabled Pere Lachaise cemetery; the two couldbe combined for a fascinating day in the oft-overlooked 20tharrondissement.
Belleville's improbable mix of cultures -- Algerian, Moroccan,Chinese, Orthodox Jewish, Senegalese -- is a revealing window onmodern Paris. But unlike the suburbs touched by the fall 2005 riots,Belleville is a society in which immigrant groups coexist relativelypeacefully. Belleville might not be a melting-pot utopia, but it isone of the more peaceful neighborhoods of its kind.
The Metro plops you in the heart of the village, at theintersection of the Rue de Belleville and Boulevard de Belleville(which turns into the Boulevard de la Villette). To grosslyoversimplify things along ethnic lines, to the right is Jewish NorthAfrican, uphill is Chinese, downhill is Muslim North African and tothe left is trendy French bobo (bourgeois bohemiens).
What usually brings me to Belleville is an ingredient. I'll besurfing Epicurious.com, dreaming of cooking a green curry orSenegalese yassa chicken, and come across some obscure element thatcan be found only at the teeming Belleville market, which islegendary for its range of exotic fruits and vegetables. EveryTuesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., merchants line theBoulevard de Belleville, hawking everything from tamarind totapioca. Don't be intimidated by the yelling and cajoling; it's partof the atmosphere.
With a shockingly cheap kilo of
litchis in hand, I stop next at Belleville Park (Rue desCouronnes). It's the unfortunate victim of some gruesome recentlandscape design, but it does offer a stunning view of Paris, secondonly to Montmartre's. And on one of Paris's 11 sunny days of theyear, the fountains are perfect for foot-dipping.
Time for shopping. Not for chic little trench coats or fabulousboots; this isn't the Marais. Belleville shopping is cheap,impulsive and a tad ironic. The area's Chinese supermarkets andtrinket shops are perfect sources for Buddha figurines and paperlanterns. But the best spot is the utterly unassuming China Bazaar(14-16 Rue Rebeval), with an incredible selection of goods, fromkitschy to elegant (an anti-insect device that works by "sexualattraction," phone deodorizers, porcelain pottery). I recentlysnagged a white bowl with a blue bamboo design for $8.
I often meet friends for drinks in Belleville. For pure,unadulterated bohemian ambiance, there's no place better than theslightly scruffy, low-key Aux Folies (8 Rue de Belleville). There isno typical client here, although I would venture to say that youwould be out of place wearing Chanel. A half-pint of beer will setyou back $3.25. One recent balmy evening, I overheard a group ofyoung workers from the nearby Communist Party headquartersanimatedly criticizing a certain interior minister's latest TVappearance.
A bit more branche (trendy) is Cafe Cheri(e) (44 Blvd. de laVillette). Free wireless Internet draws local writers with theirlaptops during the day; the upstairs art gallery hosts art openingsand a DJ spins at night. During happy hour (5 to 8 p.m.), a classicpastis is $2.75. L'Ile Enchantee (65 Blvd. de la Villette) is atouch more scenester, with a hip, colorful decor and a schmoozierclientele.
Belleville is a budget foodie's heaven. The sheer number of Asianrestaurants can be overwhelming. The Rouleau de Printemps (42 Ruedes Tourtilles) is often cursed with a line (arrive early!) but ishome to some of the most scrumptious and affordable Asian food inParis, with most entrees less than $11. Not far away, Lao Siam (49Rue de Belleville) specializes in Laotian and Thai cuisine. Somemake the pilgrimage all the way across Paris for the fish cooked inbanana leaf and the stuffed crab, topped off with perfect stickyrice. Dinner for one runs about $20.
For dessert, swing by one of the Northern African bakeriesselling pastries flavored with almond, orange blossom, pistachio orhoney. Paradis Oriental (29 Blvd. de la Villette) has assortmentsfor $4 and $8.
-- Rory Satran
The Belleville Metro station is a 10-minute ride from centralChatelet (on Line 11).
No comments:
Post a Comment