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20th Arr

Paris - 20th Arrondissement

The 20th Arrondissement is the newest quartier in Paris. Originally a rural area, it slowly turned into part of the city landscape, developing its own unique neighborhoods: Belleville, Ménilmontant Charonne, Père-Lachaise, and Saint-Fargeau.  Belleville is one of the most popular up and coming neighborhoods for the younger set. Allthough Belleville is a bit far out from the city center to rent an apartment or hotel room, there is charm to be found here and, if you don't mind the extra travel on the metro, the bargain for budget travelers is astoundingly good.

Sites of Interest

Cimetière du Père-lachaise

The most well-known (and must-see sites in all of Paris) in the 20th, is the largest, most prestigious cemetary in Paris: le Cimetière du Père-lachaise: http://www.pere-lachaise.com. Those in the know spend days lazing in the cemetary with a good book, a picnic, an afternoon walk, or just to sunbathe; tourists come to seek out celebrities of long ago.

History of the cemetary:

Napoleon Bonaparte appointed the then-famous architect Alexandre Brongniart (of the palace of the Bourse) to turn it into a "garden for the dead" in the style of an English park. As romantic as the cemetary seems, most of the dead here were buried in mass graves, as the majority of burials were done this way. One had to be of quite some nobility to have an individual grave. It is here where rock fanatics can visit Jim Morrison's grave; for the classical music afficiandos, there is Frederic Chopin's grave; and for those who love romance, the tombs of Heloise and Abelard await. Just a few of the other celebrities to find their final resting place here: Molière, La Fontaine, Edith Piaf, Simone Signoret, Yves Montand, and Oscar Wilde.

Address: Porte des Amandiers
Metro: Père-Lachaise
Bus: 61, 69

Des Espaces Verts Propres et Sûrs

Des Espaces Verts Propres et Sûrs is a 6 hectare organic garden in the 20e designed to get back to the way the area was before it became part of the real city. Cherry, oak and maple trees abound, along with insects, butterflies, birds, wildlife and croaking frogs indigenous to the area. Even more important, it is here where you can find residents growing their own gardens, together, in order to bring flowers to their tables, and foods and herbs to share.
Address: 3-5, rue Gasnier-Guy
Metro: Alexandre Dumas
Open: daily until 7 pm


20th Arrondissement Neighborhoods by directions

• North: Rue de Belleville, avenue de la Porte des Lila
  
• East: Communes des Lilas, de Bagnolet, de Montreuil-sous-Bois, de Vincennes, de Saint-Mandé,
  
• West: Boulevard de Belleville, de Ménilmontant, de Charonne
  
• South: avenue du Trône, cours de Vincennes, avenue de la porte de Vincennes
  

• La Maroquinerie
  
• La Flèche d’Or Café
  
• Mandarin Saint-Blaise
  
• Studio 104
  
• Les Trois arts
  

Recommended 20th arrondissement music center
Centre Chopin


Recommended 20th arrondissement fromagerie
François Priet


Paris on a Budget -- tourists to-do's for free!

Without a doubt, the most pleasurable things to do in Paris are the things one can do for free.  Visitors cannot have a better time than to grab a baguette and some cheese and head to one of the parks.  

Markets in the 20th arrondissement

All open from 7:30 am - 2:30 pm

Marché Belgrand
address: place Edith Piaf
open: Wednesday and Saturday 

Marché Belleville  
address: les terre-pleins du bd de Belleville
open: Wednesday and Friday

Marché Charonne  
address: 176 à la rue Alexandre Dumas
open: Wednesday and Saturday

Marché Cours de Vincennes
address: le Cours de Vincennes
open: Wednesday and Saturday

Marché Davout  
address: l'avenue de la Porte de Montreuil and le 94, bd Davout
open: Wednesday and Friday

Marché Mortier
address: l'avenue de la Pte de Ménilmontant and la rue Maurice Berteaux
open: Wednesday and Friday

Marché Pyrénées
address: les rues de Ménilmontant and de l'Ermitage
open: Tuesday and Friday

Marché Réunion
address: place de la Réunion
open: Tuesday and Friday

Marché Télégraphe
address: rue du Télégraphe
open: Wednesday and Saturday

Puces de la Porte de Montreuil

Enter le rond-point de la Porte de Montreuil and l'avenue du Professeur André Lemière.
Open: Saturday and Sunday, from 7am - 8pm



Visit these recommended Parks and Gardens of the 20th arrondissement:

• Parc de Belleville
  
• Jardin Benoit Frachon
  
• Jardin du Béton Saint-Blaise
  
• Jardin Carre de Baudouin
  
• Jardin Casque d'or
  
• Jardin Leroy sème
  
• address: cité Leroy
  
• Jardin du Jeu de Boule
• Jardin de l'Hopital Debrousse
  
• Jardin Naturel
  
• Jardin des Noisetiers - Jacques Grynberg
  
• Jardin des Soupirs
  
• Papilles et papillons
  

• Square Edouard Vaillant
  
• Square Notre-Dame de la Croix
  
• Square Ménilmontant
  
• Square Sarah Bernhardt
  
• Square de la Paix
  
• Square place de la Réunion
  
• Square de la Salamandre
  
• Square René Charles
  

• La Comédie de la Passerelle
  
• Théâtre de Ménilmontant
  
• Théâtre Les Enfants Terribles
  

For more information

Mayor of the 20th arrondissement
Mairie du 20e,
Address: 6, place Gambetta, 75020
Tél : 01 43 15 20 45/59
Fax : 01 43 15 20 62
www.mairie20.paris.fr
email: vieassociative20@paris.fr
Métro: Gambetta
Bus: n°61, 69, 64, 60
Open: Mon, Tues, Wednesday, Friday from 8:30 am - 5 pm; Thursday from 8:30 am - 7:30 pm; Saturday from 9 am - 12:30 pm