Belleville, Paris #streetart Rue Dénoyez by @DrGarcia
Bellville has become a cultural melting pot turned marketplace. It boasts the finest foods from such countries as China, Thailand, and France itself and is a local hot spot for artists displaying their new works for the public. But perhaps the most persuasive reason to visit this quaint market is that it offers ethnic foods and relics that are some of the most authentic and best priced in all of Paris. Due to the large Chinese population living in Belleville, it has become known as one of the two Chinatowns in Paris. Many restaurants and stores sell Chinese foods and trinkets.
The area added a new type of resident in the 1980’s, when artists and musicians came in droves for the authentic smaller Parisian streets and the cheaper rent. Artists are now a prominent part of the neighborhood, setting up shop either in their own homes or in abandoned warehouses.
Belleville means “beautiful town,” and it shows. The neighborhood sits atop what is arguably the highest hill in Paris, though Montmartre may be tied for that title. Great views of Paris can be gathered from the hilltop of Belleville, making it a must stop location for visitors to the city.