Visit Belleville in Paris

The Belleville neighborhood never lost its village atmosphere, with its alleyways, its backyards, its houses, and above all its inhabitant's soul: a strong personality, a cosmopolitan and working-class population, festive and hospitable people.

Belleville has long been a working-class neighborhood, a home for immigrant populations, generation after generation, and it keeps changing by absorbing cultures and arts from all over the world. For some years now, the neighborhood has been enjoying a touristic renewal thanks to street-art. In Babel-Ville, as its adepts call it, street artists with unbelievable talent create plenty of murals, tags, and graffiti. Various guided visits of Belleville will reveal to you those open-air art galleries that deeply transformed the urban landscape. You will also find this working-class atmosphere in the near Ménilmontant neighborhood, with hidden and original treasures such as the Cité Leroy or the Cité de l’Ermitage.

Among the tourist attractions in the neighborhood, the Parc de Belleville offers one of the best views of Paris. Being less known than the Buttes Chaumont, the Parc de Belleville is a secret jealously guarded by Parisians. Its lookout point, its wooded areas, its lawns contribute to its charm. You will find there a small vineyard taking advantage of the sunshine as it is facing south-west.

Famous for its Chinese neighborhood, Belleville also offers a piece of Asia in the heart of Paris. There you will discover many Chinese restaurants and small shops selling traditional products you would not find anywhere else. Visiting Belleville during the Chinese New Year will allow you to enjoy the spectacular parades of the lunar calendar: a guaranteed change of scene!

Gastronomy lovers will discover the incredible diversity of the neighborhood by multiplying culinary experiences. If you go to the Food Market, held one Thursday a month on the Boulevard de Belleville, you will have the opportunity to have a pleasant time while discovering food from all continents. It is cheap and working-class and offers a unique experience fitting with this neighborhood’s soul.

Whether you are a street-art lover, someone interested in urban culture, or seduced by the cosmopolitan atmosphere of a place where communities know how to live in harmony, or even someone hungry for exoticism, pleasant times and new experiences, book your guided visit of Belleville and Ménilmontant with experimented and passionate guides.