Belleville-Père Lachaise

This is not the Paris of ritz and glitz, but it is endearing in its own way. Whilst the Père-Lachaise is the dominant tourist attraction, this part of Paris contains a rich history of popular village life in places such as Belleville and Charonne. The rue des Pyrénées is a long, meandering, Acacia-lined street  loved by true Parisians for its wealth of local merchants and authentic Parisian fare.  Père-Lachaise is a most peculiar place, for the deceased and the living. Among the deceased, you will encounter Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Honoré de Balzac, Delacroix, Apollinaire, Edith Piaf, Chopin (to name just a few, obviously).  Among the living, you will cross paths with wandering poets, lovers, mothers walking their children, charming elderly folk, peolple with a fetish for statutes, and of course tourists from around the world. Who could imagine that when the cemetery was inaugurated, the Parisians had to be seduced in order to want to be buried there.

Places to eat

• Café Noir
• Le Baratin

Things to see and do

• Père Lachaise Cemetery