La Villette
Formerly a Gallo-Roman village that led to Flanders, La Villette was turned into a commune during the French Revolution and, in 1860, reattached to Paris. La Villette is located in the 19th district (arrondissement), North-East of the capital. In its heart, the immense 'Bassin de la Villette' (the 'Villette Basin'), the biggest artificial lake in Paris, links the Ourcq and the Saint-Martin canals. North, the district borders with the Parc de la Villette. It has an easy access location since there is a metro station at each entrance of the park. In La Villette you would also find a congress center, where all the business event of the region “Ile de France” can take place. Also noteworthy is the fact that, at the intersection of the Villette Basin and the Ourcq canal, we find the last lift bridge in Paris that crosses the canal (the Flanders' bridge, which began functioning in 1885 and is classified as a historic monument), that crosses the canal. The basin is bordered in the North by the Quai de la Seine. The basin banks are notably vibrant thanks to old stores transformed into university halls of residence and into artists' workshops. On the dock, and surrounding the MK2 movie theater complex, a big food area with many cafés and restaurants are the proper tranquil havens in which to discuss warmly late in the evening. During your stay you will be able to benefit from this atmosphere, staying at the Holiday Inn hotel with a view over the canal. South, the 'Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad' (the 'Stalingrad Battle Square'), closes the Villette Basin, with its fountains and terraces and a lock that makes a passage to the Saint-Martin canal possible. On the square, the 'Rotonde de la Villette' is a monument, used in the XVIIIth century to control the trade that entered Paris. It now hosts, apart from the rotunda itself, a fashionable restaurant under its dome, and works as well as a cultural space, especially for musical events.
