Today The Mairie of the 10th is an almost frightening building, with its very steep sided black roofs, its very sharply pointed pinnacles and spires that could be straight out of a Lord of the Rings set. You half expect an Orc to be manning Tourist Information. The neighbourhood is home to a cultural mix of African, Indian, Turkish and Chinese extractions and whereas you never feel unsafe, there is a slightly edgy, but exciting atmosphere here after dark. There are a lot of youths on street corners and shady deals going on in alley ways. People seem not to have [View Full Entry]

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As the Popincourt market is one of your author's regular weekly haunt, I include some more pictures. Another glimpse of the scene of 1789 - the start of the Revolution. And, a few restaurants that you might like to look up some day. La Repaire de Cartouche is interesting because the word 'cartouche' means literally a cartridge, and 'repaire' - a hideout, so this seemed a rather nonsensical name for a restaurant. That is until you discover that Louis Dominique Cartouche was a celebrated highwayman and murderer, a sort of Dick Turpin character, who robbed the rich much to the delight [View Full Entry]

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Today Ah, the 11th arrondissement - it holds a special affection for Julia and me. It was the first arrondissement that we really got to know having rented a flat for a week in September 2008 in Impasse de Franchemont, just off avenues Voltaire and Charenne. It was the area that we expected to be able to afford. Then, having made the monumental decision to come for a whole year, as luck would have it we found our current place in the ex-pat magazine, FUSAC, reasonably priced in the 3rd. The Mairie of the 11th is a very large, imposing, but [View Full Entry]

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I have a few more photos of the market, Marché d'Aligre, of the Promenade Plantée, and of the Jardin de Reuilly. But, the parc Bercy requires a bit more justice doing, but then so do some of the less pretty Seine-side scenes! Next week, we move to the 11th and the first of the inner circle of arrondissements. Also, it's very close to your author's home in Paris. [View Full Entry]

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12th Arrondissement Today The Mairie of the 12th is tucked out of the way in a secluded, difficult-to-find corner of this arrondissement. On presenting myself completely alone I noticed, the glass security door slid silently apart, revealing an inner sanctuary of advice. Except that the advisor was not really expecting any visitors and was quite surprised at my intrusion, never mind my question which completely flummoxed her - in my very best French (still in need of polish), asking for information on the history of her very elegant building. “Non, rien” (nope, nowt). Oh dear, there’s nothing on the website, either. [View Full Entry]

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13th Arrondissement Today Today, the Mairie of the 13th with its fine lines but very 19th century architecture sits somewhat incongruously on the extremely busy and very modern Place d’Italie. Few old buildings exist in this quartier. The reason is the 13th is probably the newest of all the 20: at the turn of the 19th century, records show that it was only 25% developed, most of the neighbourhood emerging between 1910 and 1930. Make no mistake, this is serious C2 shopping therapy and department stores and shopping malls abound. Away from the busy Place d’Italie on the hill behind, lies [View Full Entry]

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Last week, I waxed lyrical and perhaps morbidly about the follies of mankind. This week, sees a return to my normal modus operandi. Food, and entertainment! On our trip to the 13th, we stopped off for lunch, as you do. Try the rue des Cinq Diamants, in the Butte-aux-Cailles district, and La Paracou at #27 seemed to offer particularly good value for money. On the way, we passed another very rural scene - boules being played in the only way that it can be played - very seriously indeed! I include another picture of that pretty street, the Passage Boiton, and [View Full Entry]

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The really great thing about the 14th is that you can escape all of the hubbub of central Paris if you want to in the parc Montsouris. It's big enough to get lost in and the lake is probably the best inside the Periphérique. So, I've included a few more pictures and some of the pretty houses in the streets nearby: a quiet neighbourhood. And, after a trip to Rennes for the weekend, upon our return to Montparnasse TGV station, we decided to have a cocktail at the top of the Tour Montparnasse (strictly speaking in the 15th, but right on [View Full Entry]

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Today - The Mairie of the 14th is a striking building, very symmetrical and pleasing to the eye. It sits at the end of a pretty, well cared for park, a place of comparative silence, far away from the bustle of the Denfert Rochereau metro station and the rattle of the RER trains. Venture into the Mairie and you will probably be engaged for some time as there are not many visitors, it seems, yet the staff are very friendly and anxious to please. Ask lots of questions - you will lighten up their day! But, further afield is the Montparnasse [View Full Entry]

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I talked about modern architecture in my last blog, so take a look at the apartment block just after Alex Lobrano's recommended restaurant, 'La Beurre Noisette' in rue Vasco da Gama. It's quite surprising and quite incongruous. Then, with the block in Rue du Feuclieres, I was transported to the Spanish Costa del Sol! Just before you cross the Seine on the #70 bus by the rue Linois, you see the most extraordinary glass office block, again quite surprising and incongruous. Oh, and there's that tower thing, again. As well, I've included some more pictures of probably Paris' newest park - [View Full Entry]

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