Neighbourhoods
Montorgueil
Thriving neighbourhood that’s Monocle’s Paris home
This neighbourhood just north of Les Halles has become a bustling hub for culture, shopping, drinking and dining on the Rive Droite. Start your day with a perfect latte at Monocle’s café, then take off along the cobblestones to the Fondation Pinault. After taking in the art and Tadao Ando’s cupola, pay a visit to La Halle aux Grains on the third level for a delicious lunch with a view of the majestic Saint-Eustache church. The afternoon provides time for shopping.
Start with our neighbours at Nose for a fragrance experience like no other or shop our latest collection and collabs at the Monocle shop. Then wind your way up to French contemporary labels Sézanne and Octobre on Rue Saint Fiacre. Swing by Rue du Nil for some hot chocolate at Plaq and browse local products at Terroirs d’Avenir’s diminutive shops. Stroll down rue de Montorgueil for more window shopping before tucking in at Aux Crus de Bourgogne for an evening to remember.
MAPBelleville
Lively ’hood with great street markets
Once one of the grittiest districts in Paris as captured by the pen of Victor Hugo in Les Misérables, Belleville is now known for its lively street markets, eclectic mix of cuisines and tone-setting arts venues. The area’s Asian and North African communities rub shoulders with creatives searching for fresh opportunities and lower rents. Independent hotels such as the 31-key Babel, with its Berber-inspired décor, eclectic restaurant and in-house radio station, have started to flourish in the neighbourhood.
Around Parc de Belleville, Chinese supermarkets and Tunisian tea salons vie with art galleries, natural-wine bars and the city’s best third-wave coffee shops. Belleville also boasts culinary institutions such as the Cheval d’Or, which adds a little French bistronomy to its strong Asian roots. A ticket to a show at the Théâtre de Belleville, which has been running since 1850, is the perfect end (or beginning) to a night out on the town.
MAPSaint-Germain-des-Prés
The Paris of your dreams
Famous for being a once-bohemian hideout of literary giants and artists, today’s Saint-Germain-des-Prés has turned up the glamour as it is now home to famous French fashion houses, sleek galleries and buzzing terrasses. Kick things off with a coffee, croissant and freshly squeezed orange juice at La Palette on Rue de Seine, before honoring the neighborhood’s literary and fashion history at 7L, the design bookshop founded by Chanel’s late creative director Karl Lagerfeld.
Once you’re duly inspired, cross the Boulevard Saint Germain for some morning shopping at Le Bon Marché and La Grande Épicerie. On your way out, peruse the fashion publications at the Bogopresse kiosk, Monocle’s favorite in Paris. For lunch, sample French-Japanese chef Walter Ishizuka’s sandwiches at Yabai Sando, then take an afternoon stroll in the Jardins du Luxembourg. Afterwards, reward yourself with a pour or two of Burgundy’s finest tipples at l’Ambassade de Bourgogne. Sugaar’s Basque-influenced French cuisine is a no-brainer for dinner. While night owls can keep the party going until late at Le Mabillon.
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