Category Archives: Paris Activities

Exploring North African Heritage in Paris

Paris’ North African communities are an important and vibrant feature of the contemporary city. Links between mainland France and North Africa date back hundreds of years, though it was during – and after – France’s second colonial empire (post 1830), that North African immigrants began to permanently settle in large numbers in Paris. 

The history of French colonialism and postcolonialism is a complex one. This blog article does not endeavour to retrace that history here, though we do offer recommendations for essential further reading below.

We’ve compiled this list of places and books that will help you learn more about and understand North African heritage in Paris.

Goutte d'Or Paris

La Goutte d’Or

In the shadow of Montmartre is this thriving neighborhood and North African hub in Paris. Meaning “the Golden Drop”, bustling daily life revolves around the street of the same name, the Barbès métro and the Boulevard de la Chapelle. The latter is home to a fabulous street market, le Marché Barbès, held Wednesday and Saturday mornings. This is a great time to come and explore the area or come late afternoon during Ramadan when it is abuzz with shoppers picking up supplies for the iftar, the meal that marks the end of daily fasting.  

 

Institut des Cultures d’Islam / Facebook

Institut des Cultures d’Islam

This cultural establishment managed by the Paris City Council is found in two locations in the Goutte d’Or (19 rue Léon and 56 rue Stephenson). The multipurpose venue showcases  contemporary art exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, debates, Arab language lessons, calligraphy classes, cooking classes and other cultural activities. Many of the events are free so feel free to stop by or check out its website to see what’s on.

 

La Grande Mosque de Paris. Photo: Mosqpedia

La Grande Mosquée de Paris

The religious centre of France’s Muslim community is found in the 5th arrondissement. The oldest mosque in Paris, it was commissioned by the French State as a token of appreciation to the Muslim soldiers who fought for France in World War I and was completed in 1926. The vast complex features Moorish architecture, has a 33-metre-high minaret and a leafy courtyard where you can enjoy mint tea and North African pastry at its tea salon. It also has a renowned traditional hammam. 

Institut du Monde Arabe. Fred Romero / CC

Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute)

The Arab World Institute was founded in 1980 by France and 18 Arab countries with the aim of researching and disseminating the cultures and spiritual values of the Arab world. Located next to the Seine in the 5th arrondissement, the Institut is housed in an impressive building designed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel and incorporates elements of Islamic architecture. In addition to an excellent museum, temporary exhibitions, it has a wonderful free library where you can study. Before leaving be sure to go up to its free access terrace on the top floor which has great views of Paris.

 

 

Literature by writers with North African roots

Literature is a great way to discover the unique perspective of Paris’s North African community. Dr Carine Fréville, who convenes our Diaspora and Exile module, recommends the following books by writers with North African roots and which are set in Paris. 

  • Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow (US) and Just Like Tomorrow (UK) by Faïza Guène
  • The Seine was Red by Leïla Sebbar
  • With Downcast Eyes by Tahar Ben Jelloun
  • Topographie idéale pour une agression caractérisée by Rachid Boudjedra
  • Lullaby and The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani
  • Tea in the Harem by Medhi Charef
  • Mes mauvaises pensées or Tomboy by Nina Bouraoui

Must-reads for understanding the historical context and contemporary debates

  • The Invention of Decolonization: The Algerian War and the Remaking of France by Todd Shepard
  • A Mission to Civilize: The Republican Idea of Empire in France and West Africa, 1895-1930 by Alice Conklin
  • The Algerian War, the Algerian Revolution by Natalya Vince
  • The Memory of Colonialism in Britain and France: The Sins of Silence by Itay Lotem
  • Paris 1961: Algerians, State Terror, and Memory by Jim House and Neil MacMaster
  • Empire’s Children: Race, Filiation and Citizenship in the French Colonies by Emmanuelle Saada
  • Fantasia: An Algerian Cavalcade by Assia Djebar

 

Film Studies in Paris

Nouvelle Vague Movie Locations in Paris

La Nouvelle Vague, the French New Wave movement of the late 1950s to 1960s, left an undelible mark on cinema history not just in France, but around the world. Directors most associated with the art film movement lived in Paris, and the city featured heavily in their work. Innovative use of portable camera equipement also made it easier for these filmmakers to use the city itself rather than a film set. You can delve into the world of the Nouvelle Vague by visiting the sites and districts we have compiled here. 

Daguerréotypes - Agnes Varda

Daguerréotypes – Agnès Varda

Montparnasse

The area around our Paris School was a prime location for Nouvelle Vague directors. The greatest of these was Agnès Varda, who lived on la Rue Daguerre,  which she immortalised in Daguerréotypes, a 1976 documentary illustrating life on this vibrant market street (predominantly shot between numbers 70-90). Montparnasse also appeared in her film Cléo de 5 à 7 (Cléo from 5 to 7), in particular the Café Le Dôme and the Parc Montsouris. Jean-Luc Godard selected the classic Montparnasse café La Rotonde for a scene in his cult classic A Bout de Souffle (Breathless). Right around the corner from the school and south of the Luxembourg Gardens, rue Michelet also appeared in Rohmer’s Le Beau Mariage (A Good Marriage).

Study Film in Paris

A Bout de Souffle – Jean-Luc Godard

L’Avenue des Champs Elysées

Although there is less interest in strolling Paris’s most famous avenue today, now mostly lined with chain shops, Les Champs Elysées was the backdrop of several New Wave films. The most iconic of these is Jean-Luc Godard’s A Bout de Souffle (Breathless), whose main characters Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) and Patricia (Jean Seberg) meet on the street where she’s selling newspapers. Eric Rohmer’s first full-length feature, Le Signe du Lion (The Sign of Leo), was shot on the avenue and around Place de l’Etoile, which was also captured in Jacques Rivette’s Paris nous appartient (Paris Belongs to Us).

Film Studies in PAris

Le Signe du Lion – Eric Rohmer

The Seine 

The banks of the Seine River starred in a range of Nouvelle Vague films. Rohmer’s Le Signe du Lion showcased the walkway along the river as well as one of the city’s loveliest bridges, Le Pont des Arts. The bridge also appears in Rivette’s Paris nous appartient and Charbrol’s films Les Godelureaux (Wise Guys) and Les Biches (The Does).

French Film studies in Paris

Les 400 Coups – François Truffaut, no. 16 rue Fontaine

Pigalle

Having grown up in the then middle class 9th district, south of Pigalle, many of François Truffaut’s films revisit his childhood haunts. Les 400 Coups (The 400 Blows) had a number of scenes shot in the area, especially in and around rue des Martyrs, Avenue Frochot and rue Fontaine (at number 16 where the boys are looking out of the rooftop skylight). Main character Antoine Doinel ambles the busy Boulevard de Clichy, which runs from near Place Pigalle to Place de Clichy, and also goes to the movies at le Wepler, a movie theatre still standing, albeit in a modern incarnation, on Place de Clichy. Sadly le Gaumont Palace, once the largest movie theatre in Europe, has now been replaced by DIY store Castorama.

Baiser Volés – François Truffaut, rue Navarin

Montmartre

Truffaut was also fond of nearby Montmartre, whose back streets feature in Les Quatre Cents Coups as well as in his 1968 film Baisers Volés (Stolen Kisses), especially around l’Avenue Junot, la rue de Steinkerque and la rue Caulaincourt. The above shot from the film was actually filmed on rue Navarin in the 9th, but looks up towards Sacré-Coeur and la Butte de Montmartre. He shot a scene in L’Amour en Fuite (Love on the Run) in the Montmartre Cemetery, which turned out to be his final resting place.

Paris Vu Par...

Paris Vu Par…

Paris vu par… 

Lastly, for a grand tour of the city watch Paris vu par… (Six in Paris), a collection of vignettes by the leading directors of the movement and released in 1965. Jean Douchet focuses on the intellectual Saint-Germain-des-Prés area, including the Café de Flore and the Institut de France and the Musée Delacroix.  Jean Rouch’s short is on the working-class Gare du Nord area and rue Lafayette. Claude Chabrol selected the bourgeois 16th district around La Muette in contrast to  Jean-Daniel Pollet’s seedy Rue Saint-Denis. Rohmer revisited Place de l’Etoile and Godard travelled from a sculptor’s workshop in Montparnasse to the suburb of Levallois.

Passionate about film and its history? Study Film in Paris by pursuing our Master’s in Film Programme. Learn more about it, and our other MA Programmes in the Humanities, at this link.

Lesser-Known Medieval Sites in Paris 

While much of the Roman Paris, called Lutetia, was destroyed by centuries of barbarian and Viking invasions, a number of vestiges from the Middle Ages have managed to survive, bearing witness to Paris’ rich, layered history. After you’ve seen les incontournables Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, go in search of these lesser-known Medieval sites, now carefully woven into the city’s modern fabric.

College des Bernadins - study in Paris

Le Collège des Bernardins

The Latin Quarter, which occupies much of the north of the 5th arrondissement, is home to the largest concentration of Medieval vestiges in Paris. The area used to be dotted with various colleges and monasteries, many which eventually formed the University of Paris. What’s left of one of these, Le Collège des Bernardins, sits peacefully on the quiet rue de Poissy. Dating back to the mid 13th century, its large refectory, or dining hall, can be visited free of charge during opening hours. Fully restored, this space is still used today for conferences. 

Address: 20 Rue de Poissy, 75005 Paris

Eglise des Saints-Archanges-study-abroad-in-Paris

l’Église des Saints-Archanges

Found a short walk from the Collège des Bernardins are the remnants of another Medieval college. Built in the late 13th century, the Collège de Beauvais was one of the largest in the whole area. The only part of it that withstood the Revolutionary destruction of religious buildings and the Haussmann modernisation of the city in the mid-1800s is its former chapel. Modelled after Sainte-Chapelle, it’s since been converted into a Romanian Orthodox church and can be visited, although check its opening hours first as they are limited. Learn more about it, and the history of it and the other Medieval colleges, in episode 5 of the Paris Caché podcast.

Address:  9 Bis Rue Jean de Beauvais, 75005 Paris

Tour Clovis (Clovis Tower)

If you’re studying at the historic Bibliothèque Sainte Geneviève, located near the Pantheon, you may have already noticed this intriguing tower jutting into the sky beside the Saint-Etienne-du-Mont Church. The bell tower is all that remains of the former Sainte-Geneviève church, which was part of an abbey of the same name, founded in 502 by Clovis, the first king of the Franks. The abbey church was torn down when a larger replacement church was commenced. If you look carefully at the 45-metre bell tower you can see the style varies slightly as it rises, the bottom part being constructed in the 11th century versus the 15th century for the top half. The Tour Clovis, along with the parts of the abbey which were not destroyed during the Revolution, are now a prestigious high school, le Lycée Henri IV.

Address: 65 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris

Enceinte-Philippe-Auguste

Vestiges of the Philippe Auguste Wall

The first major wall around Paris was constructed by King Philippe Auguste from the late 12th to early 13th centuries. Encompassing just over 5 kilometres on both banks of the city, it rose six to eight metres in height and had  77 semi-circular towers at 60-metre intervals. The city wall was expanded on the Right Bank in the mid 1300s by Charles V. These walls were gradually torn down during the reign of Louis XIV; however, a few sections are still visible. Near the Tour Clovis, further down on rue Clovis, is a one of these. On the Right Bank, you can spot a few sections in the Marais including a large section behind the Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church (along the basketball court) and also in the Jardin des Rosiers-Joseph Migneret (pictured above).

Hôtel de Sens

The Marais district hides a few other Medieval gems, like this historic residence. One of the last buildings constructed in the Gothic style in Paris, it was commissioned in 1475 as the city mansion for the bishops of Sens. It is one of only two Medieval civic buildings in the Gothic style that survived the centuries, the other being the Hotel de Cluny, now the National Medieval Museum. This building now houses the Forney art library. Although it was heavily restored, you can see its turreted towers, gargoyles and interior courtyard (top image). Don’t miss its lovely back garden and before you leave, take note of the facade. You’ll see a small round object with the words “28 juillet 1830,“ the date of the start of the Trois Glorieuses, the three-day revolution that toppled what history refers to as the July Monarchy. Cannonballs were flying through the area and one of these got lodged into the wall!

Address: 7 Rue des Nonnains d’Hyères, 75004 Paris

Photo credit: Cloître des Billettes: Guilhem Vellut / CC

The Billettes Cloister

Tucked away on the lively rue des Archives is Paris’s only remaining Medieval cloister. Constructed in 1427 next to the convent of the Brothers of Charity Hospital of Our Lady (mostly known today as Les Billettes). The church itself was rebuilt in the mid-18th century, but the cloisters went untouched. Recently restored, today they host temporary art exhibitions and other events in addition to serving as a Protestant (Lutheran) worship space. 

Address: 24 Rue des Archives, 75004 Paris

Hotel de Clisson Paris

Hôtel de Clisson

Further up the street on rue des Archives you can notice some intriguing turrets. These are all that remain of the former Hôtel de Clisson, the residence of Olivier de Clisson. When it was built in the 1300s, the hôtel stood just outside the Paris city walls. In 1553 it was bought by François de Lorraine, the Duke of Guise, and was later sold by his family to the Prince and Princess de Soubise. This noble family then demolished most of the Medieval building to make way from a more modern home, today the home of the National Archives, which is accessed via rue des Francs Bourgeois. The historic restored baroque interiors can also be visited free of charge.

Tour Saint-Jacques (St James Tower)

One of the last Medieval structures built in Paris, this flamboyant Gothic tower, standing close to Place de Châtelet, is all that is left of the Eglise Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, which was destroyed in 1797 during the French Revolutionary period. The church and its bell tower were built between 1509 and 1523, funded by the butchers of the nearby Les Halles Market. You can admire the tower from the garden which surrounds it or visit it during guided tours held seasonally mid-summer to mid-autumn.

Address: Square de la tour Saint-Jacques 75004 Paris

You can visit more intriguing offbeat sites in Paris, including the Medieval Tour Saint Jean le Peur, in this other article on our blog! 

And if you’re interested in travelling further afield, check out the well-preserved ramparts and impressive gates of Provins, once a medieval trading hub, accessible via commuter rail from Paris.

Interested in delving deeping into Medieval Studies in Paris? Consider applying for our in Medieval and Early Modern Studies MA offered at the Paris School of Arts and Culture. Discover this and our other Master’s Programmes in the Humanities taught in Paris here.

International Women’s Day 2022 in Paris

Tuesday 8th March marks International Women’s Day: a day to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.

The history of the day is rooted in the women’s suffrage and labour movements of North America and Europe in the early 20th century, who wanted a day to recognise women’s achievements and rights. After the 1917 revolution, Russia chose 8th March as their Women’s Day and other communist countries followed suit. By the 1960s, the day was adopted by global feminist movements and it became a mainstream global holiday following its adoption by the United Nations in 1977.

Here are some events happening around Paris to celebrate the day and shed light onto issues facing women here in France and across the world:

H24: 24 Hours, 24 Women, 24 Stories

Columbia Global Centers, the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination and Lost in Frenchlation have teamed up to bring you a multilingual film screening in honour of International Women’s Day. H24 is a series of 24 short films by 24 female writers performed by 24 actresses, all based on the real life experiences of women dealing with sexism, harassment and violence. The screening will be followed by a discussion in English with producers Justine Henochsberg and Julie Guesnon Amarante.

Ce que les Afghanes à nous dire. Mairie du 10e arrondissement.

Ce que les Afghanes ont à nous dire

The Town Hall of the 10th Arrondissement is hosting a photography exhibition by recently exiled Afghan artists, allowing them to express themselves on the subject of their and their country’s situation after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The exhibition will run until 17th March with a special musical performance on Tuesday 8th March at 6pm for International Women’s Day.

PLURI’elles 2. Sine Nomine Collectif.

PLURI’elles #2

Following the success of last years exhibition despite Covid-19 related restrictions, Sine Nomine Collectif are back, bringing you a week of art, debates, theatrical performances, round table discussions, music and more at the Espace Voltaire. Find the full programme of events running from 8th to 14th March on Facebook.

Festival Films de Femmes

The Festival Films de Femmes is an international film festival in Créteil. The festival’s 44th edition, from 11th to 20th March, will feature short films, documentaries and feature films, as well as a retrospective on Susan Sontag’s work and a feature on Chinese cinema. The screenings will take place across three locations: the Maison des Arts et de Culture and the Lucarne cinema in Créteil, and Les 7 Parnassiens cinema in Paris.

Women are not afraid. Pauline Makoveitchoux.

Women are not afraid

On the fences around the Town Hall of the 1st Arrondissement, Pauline Makoveitchoux presents her photography exhibition: Women are not afraid. This photo series focuses on women defiantly reclaiming their right to exist in public and urban spaces. The public will be able to view this open air exhibition until Thursday 31st March.

Featured image: International Women’s Day 2015 demonstration. Boris Horvat/AFP.

Architecturally Interesting Places of Worship in Paris that Aren’t Notre-Dame

Nearly three years after the tragic fire which devastated Notre-Dame Cathedral,  the restorations are advancing safely and steadily.  The Cathedral’s unfortunate closure has provided Parisians and visitors alike the opportunity to study, visit or rediscover some of the other unique and architecturally significant places of worship in Paris. You can view some of our favourites below.

Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue. Photo: Gerd Eichmann / CC

Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue

There are a number of beautiful synagogues in Paris, however, the one on rue Pavée is especially unique. Designed by Hector Guimard, who designed the emblematic green metro entrances still standing today, the synagogue is an Art Nouveau jewel. Completed in 1914, it is hard to imagine both its true size and its beauty from the exterior, nor that it is made of concrete, however, its undulating façade, decorated in floral motives, the Star of David and Tables of Law, do hint to its splendour. Inside, the long and narrow building has an impressive structure iron structure, typical of the turn of the 20th century, as well as ornate wooden decorative features.

La Grande Mosquée de Paris. Photo: LPLT / CC

La Grande Mosquée de Paris

The centre of France’s Muslim community, this serene place of worship in the 5th arrondissement is also the oldest Mosque in Paris. Completed in 1926, the Grand Mosque was commissioned by the French State as a token of appreciation to the Muslim soldiers who fought for France in World War I. Moorish in style, architect Maurice Tranchant de Lunel was inspired by the el-Qaraouyyîn Mosque located in Fez, Morocco. The vast 7,500 square-metre site has a 33-metre-high minaret, a grand entrance door with stylised floral motifs and a large courtyard with Arab style gardens, home to an enchanting tea salon and restaurant from where you can contemplate the building’s architecture over a mint tea and North African pastry.

Saint-Jean de Montmartre

Saint-Jean de Montmartre

Saint-Jean de Montmartre

While the more famous Sacré-Coeur Basilica usually steals the limelight when it comes to churches in Montmartre, this église found on Place des Abbesses is perhaps more architecturally significant. The parish church was constructed from 1894 to 1904 and designed by architect Anatole de Baudot, a student of Viollet-le-Duc, who oversaw the 19th-century renovations on Notre-Dame and many other historic sites around France. Art Nouveau in style with Moorish influences, it instantly stands out due to its building materials: brick and reinforced concrete — the first church in the world to use this newly invented building technique. It also features lovely ceramic work by artist Alexandre Bigot, known for his impressive work on the iconic Art Nouveau building at 29 Avenue Rapp.

Cathédrale de la Sainte-Trinité. Photo: EgliseRusse.eu

Cathédrale de la Sainte-Trinité

If you’re walking or boating along the Seine, an unusual, glimmering sight appears on the Left Bank a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower; the Cathedral de la Sainte-Trinité, one of Paris’s two Russian Orthodox cathedrals. Opened in 2016, the complex on the Quai Branly comprises of the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center. Designed by renowned French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the church is modelled after the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow and features five gilded onion domes. The modern building starkly contrasts the other Russian Orthodox cathedral in Paris, the mid-19th century Cathédrale Saint Alexandre Nevsky, located in the 8th district and also worth visiting.

American Cathedral in Paris

Photo: American Cathedral in Paris

American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

Another place of worship dedicated to the Holy Trinity, this beautiful American Episcopal Church has been serving the Anglophone community of Paris since 1886. The Neo-Gothic design of English architect George Edmund Street, with pointed arches and stained-glass windows, is reminiscent of Notre-Dame. The 20th century saw two additions; the 85-metre tower, which is one of the tallest in Paris, and the peaceful cloisters, a memorial to the American soldiers and civilians killed in France during WWI.

Grande-Pagode_de_Vincennes

Grande Pagode de Vincennes. Photo: Poulpy / CC

Grande Pagode de Vincennes and Kagyu-Dzong Buddhist Centre

Perhaps the most original of the list, this wooden structure, nestled within the Bois de Vincennes in eastern Paris, was originally built as the Pavilion of Cameroon for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition. While most of the other pavilions of the exhibition were torn down, in 1977 this building was restored and converted into a Buddhist temple. Today it houses the French headquarters of the International Buddhist Institute and inside the pagoda is the largest Buddha statue in Europe. Situated nearby is the Kagyu-Dzong Buddhist Centre, a Tibetan style temple built in 1985 and more representative of traditional Buddhist architecture.

Notre-Dame-du-Travail

Notre Dame du Travail. Photo: Velvet / CC

Notre-Dame du Travail

Another fascinating church in the 14th arrondissement, from the outside it doesn’t look particularly interesting, however, pushing open its doors you’ll discover a stunning example of Belle Epoque architectural prowess. The church was designed as a place of worship for the large influx of labourers who’d come to the city to build the 1900 Paris Exposition, many of whom were housed in what was then a principally working-class district. The nave features an soaring iron structure, resemblant of the Eiffel Tower, and made of recycled materials from the Palais de l’Industrie, a demolished building from a previous World’s Fair. The walls were also built of repurposed material, stone from the former Grenelle slaughterhouse. These elements pay homage to the typical profile of the church’s working-class parishioners.

Saint-Serge de Radonège. Photo: Saint-Serge.fr

Saint-Serge de Radonège

Originally a Lutheran Church serving the German immigrants of northern Paris, Saint-Serge de Radonège is now a Russian Orthodox church and theological institute. Located in the Buttes-Chaumont district, the church is surrounded by greenery and the exterior boasts an ornate porch in coloured wood. The interior of the church was decorated by the Russian painter Dmitri Semionovitch Stelletsky in the Russian neo-Gothic style. The church has a number of outbuildings, including a library with a significant collection of Russian books.

Our Guide to Paris Christmas Markets

December has finally arrived and Christmas celebrations are in full swing here in Paris.

You may have already seen the ferris wheel and other rides lighting up the Paris skyline from the Christmas market in the Jardin des Tuileries. But you may not know about the many other markets around the city this month.

Whether you are on the hunt for the perfect gift or simply wanting to soak up some of the Christmas cheer with a cup of vin chaud, there is a Paris Christmas market that has something you’re looking for.

There is likely to be one or two in your arrondissement to enjoy locally.

 

 

Here is our list of top picks:

 

Marché de Noël Notre Dame

Square René Viviani. Marché de Noël Notre Dame.

A classic French christmas market in Square René Viviani in the 5th arrondissement with regional foods like foie gras, macarons and warm chestnuts, local crafts, and artisan gifts.

The market will run from Friday 10th to Sunday 26th December.

 

Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Village de Noël Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Paris Info.

Grab a cup of vin chaud after class at the Village de Noël at Place Saint-Germain-de-Prés. This is the closest market to Reid Hall and is running from Monday 20 November to Sunday 26 December. The stalls range from souvenirs to soaps, truffles to Tibetan clothing.

 

Station F

Station F. Melinda Davan-Soulas. LCI.fr

Station F is the hub of start ups in Paris and this year they will be hosting their own Christmas market to showcase local small businesses. The market will feature local products crafts, food, beauty and fashion sold by the makers themselves on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December.

 

Le Hasard Ludique

Marché de Noël du Hasard Ludique. Paris Secret.

La Hasard Ludique is a creative space in an abandonned train station and rail track on Avenue de Saint-Ouen. This December, they are hosting 3 themed Christmas markets over the course of the month:

Honorable Mentions:

Marché de l’Hôtel de Ville

Marché de la Tour Eiffel

Cite fertile

La Recyclerie

Les Canaux

Chéries-Chéris: Paris’s International LGBT+ Film Festival

The Chéries-Chéris International LGBTQI+ Film Festival is back for its 27th edition from 20 to 30 November 2021 hosted in the mk2 cinemas Beaubourg, Bibliothèque and Quai de Seine.

The festival was started in 1994 by a group of four French film makers, ciritics and activists as a response to the lack of LGBT+ narratives represented in mainstream French media.

Originally named Festival de films gays et lesbien de Paris (FFGLP), it was renamed Chéries-Chéris in 2009 as an hommage to the famous expression “Chéri, chéri” of actress Alice Sapritch, which was imortalised in the famous sketch by Thierry le Luron in 1980 and later by Alice Sapritch herself in her 1986 song Slowez-moi.

The festival presents a Grand Prix and a Jury award in each of its three categories: feature films, documentaries, and short films. They also present an award for best performance to an actor in a feautre-length film.

All the films will be shown in the original language with French subtitles.

Our recommendations:

After Blue. Bertrand Mandico.

Feature Film:

After Blue, Paradis Sale is a French science fiction film set in the distant future on a planet inhabitted only by women. The story follows the lonely teenager Roxy, who is banished from her community alongside her mother for freeing a criminal buried in the sand. Sentenced to track down the killer, they begin roaming the fantastical planet they call home.

 

Documentaries:

Ultraviolette. Robin Hunzinger.

Ultraviolette is a French documentary of the story of a first love that marked two teenage girls forever, Marcelle and Emma. It starts at the moment of their separation, when great love turns into absolute love, as absence makes the heart grow fonder. Claudie and Robin Hunzinger retell this true story through magnificent archival photographs and numerous letters that Marcelle sent to Emma which the latter lovingly preserved through the years.

 

Acts of Love. Isidore Bethel & Francis Leplay.

Acts of Love is a documentary which follows a filmmaker who relocates to Chicago, when his older boyfriend loses interest in him, and uses dating apps to cast new lovers in an amorphous project about romantic attraction, compatibility, and attachment that his mother hates.

Short Films:

There are screenings of groups of 5 to 6 short films throughout the festival. Full details can be found on the Chéries-Chéris website.

 

My Darling. Phil Connel.

Other Screenings:

Cheries-Cheris is also screening a number of other feature length films and documentaries that are not shortlisted for awards this year as they were released in previous years.

My Darling (Jump, Darling) is a Canadian drama film following Russell, a rookie drag queen who escapes to the countryside after a breakup. He stays with his grandmother who in steep decline yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home.

 

Exploring Paris’s Chinatown(s)

Over the centuries, people from around the world have come to Paris, leading to a number of cosmopolitan neighbourhoods around the city. Among these are three different Chinatowns, two of which are more prominent. Although they tend to lack some of the charm of the Chinatowns in cities like London, New York, San Fransisco or Vancouver, they are abound in colours, flavours and life. Enjoy a sensorial visit to the Chinatowns of Paris thanks to these useful tips.

Study Abroad in Paris

Rue au Maire. Photo: Ralf Treinen / CC

Arts-et-Métiers

The city’s original Chinatown is found in pocket of the 3rd arrondissement. As the traditional wholesale clothing district of the city, some Chinese, particularly from Wenzhou, settled in the area. Not too much is still visible today, however, around the City Hall of the district (la Mairie du 3ème) some Chinese shops and restaurants can be found on rue au Maire, rue Volta, rue du Temple and rue des Gravilliers.

Photo: Le Président

Belleville

Traditionally working class, rebellious and artistic, the neighbourhood of Belleville is likely Paris’s biggest melting pots. Along the bustling Boulevard de Belleville one can find North African hookah lounges, Jewish delis and Asian supermarkets. Asians first started settling here due to the establishment of French territories of Indochina (modern-day Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos) in the second half of the 1800s. Immigrants for China also settled in the area before the establishment of Les Olympiades (see below).

The area’s most famous restaurant is Le Président, a vast Cantonese restaurant presiding over the intersection at métro Belleville (closed for renovations until December 2021). For great Vietnamese pho or bobun, grab a table at Chez Yu and vegetarians might want to track down Best Tofu, a small casual joint packed with Asian diners (best for lunch as it closes at 8pm). There are also two branches of the popular Chinese supermarket Paris Store, found on Boulevard de la Villette, the northern extension of Boulevard de Belleville.

Paris Olympiades. Photo: Thierry Bézecourt / CC

Les Olympiades

The more active heart of the Chinese community in Paris is located in the Olympiades district of the 13th arrondissement. Europe’s largest Chinatown, in terms of size, while it isn’t necessarily the most typically picturesque Parisian district, due to its 1970s high-rises, it’s still a vibrant neighbourhood and is also historically significant to the evolution of the city.

As Paris was modernising in the 20th century, the former factories of the 13th district began closing down. This left way for new development, which was undertaken by architect Michel Holley. Strongly influenced by Le Corbusier, he created a neighbourhood of eight 104-metre high apartment towers around a central plaza. Totally almost 3,000 flats, the new district was unpopular with Parisians, however, at the time there was an influx in migrants from the disintegrating Indochina territories, who ended up settling here in Les Olympiades.

Enjoy a wander within the triangle formed by Avenue d’Ivry, Avenue de Choisy and Boulevard Masséna. Make sure you explore the La Pagode shopping mall, located in the centre of the Les Olympiades esplanade. Here you’ll find shops selling Asian knick-knacks, goods and food as well as casual eateries with plastic stools just like in Hanoi.

For sights, try to find the Hidden Buddhist Temple which is located in the a car park at 37 rue du Disque, there is also a Taoist temple at 44 avenue d’Ivry, which you can pop into by removing your shoes. A stop in at one of the famous Tang Frères supermarkets is also a must. Founded in 1976 by brothers from Laos, the large shops sell good value pan-Asian food. While we don’t recommend eating there, you might smile at seeing the area’s McDonald’s, at 9-11 Avenue de Choisy, which has an Asian look.

For a meal instead enjoy some excellent Vietnamese soup at Pho Bành Cuon 14, dig into some tasty and reasonably priced southeast Asian food at Lao Lane Xang 2, or have a traditional Chinese meal at Li Ka Fo. For something on the go, track down Thieng Heng, for an authentic Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, or some bubble tea at Bubble House.

If you’re in Paris at the right time of year, try to visit the neighbourhood is for the New Year Lunar celebrations. During this annually changing period, taking place at the end of January or early February, the streets are decked out in banners and lanterns and a lively parade is held.

We hope you enjoy your cultural and culinary explorations! You may like to pair an outing the Les Olympiades with the nearby Butte-aux-Cailles, which is included in this article on the Former Villages of Paris.

Then if you’re looking for further places to discover in Paris, check out these other articles from our blog:

Top Image: Chinese New Year in Paris. Georges Seguin (Okki) / CC

Chateau de Vincennes

Interesting (and Economical) Day Trips from Paris

With its hundreds of museums, intriguing historic sites and vibrant neighbourhoods to discover, there is plenty to do in Paris. However, it can also be nice to get away from the busy city centre, have a change of scenery or take in some nature. Luckily, Ile-de-France, the greater Parisian metropolitan area, has an abundance of fantastic day trip options, many of which you can access completely free, especially if you have a student transit pass. Here are some of our favourites.

Basilique-Cathédrale de Saint-Denis

Photo: Basilique-Cathédrale de Saint-Denis

Basilique-Cathédrale de Saint-Denis

Although Notre-Dame Cathedral might be the world’s most famous Gothic cathedral, the first built in this style is sitting on the norther edge of Paris. Started in the 1130s, the church was constructed above the presumed grave of one of France’s earliest saints, Denis, who was executed by the Roman rulers of the times in around 270 AD. Over the centuries the church rose in prominence and became the final resting place of France’s monarchs, holding the remains of all but three of kings from the 10th century until 1789. Visitors today can admire the royal tombs while gazing up at the church’s flying buttresses, pointed arches and stained glass windows.

  • Address & Information: Cathedral Website
  • Getting there: 30-40 minute by Métro, line 13 to Basilique de Saint-Denis station. Short walk, follow the signposts. Note: Saint-Denis can be a little sketchy so we don’t recommend veer off the main streets.
  • Cost: Free for EU Nationals under 26 and other students with valid ID.
Bois de Vincennes Paris

Chateau de Vincennes (top) and Bois de Vincennes boat-rides

Château et Bois de Vincennes

A quick jaunt outside the eastern border of Paris will take you to this impressive medieval fortress and sprawling woods. A royal hunting lodge dating back to the mid-12th century, in the 1300s King Charles V added the imposing 52-metre-high donjon, the tallest in Europe and still standing today. Although the royals used it as a residence over the centuries, it was never revamped like castles of Versailles or Fontainebleau. The fortress was eventually converted into a prison, which held some infamous prisoners such as the Marquis de Sade and Louis XIV’s rival Nicolas Fouquet. Pack a picnic and make a day of it by carrying on your explorations in the adjacent Bois de Vincennes. The huge woods has kilometres of pathways, a lake where you can rent out boats, a Buddhist Temple and a botanical garden, le Parc Floral de Paris, which hosts a variety of events including open-air concerts, mostly in summer.

  • Address & Information: Chateau de Vincennes Website
  • Getting There: 30-40 minute by Métro, line 1 to Château de Vincennes, or RER A to Vincennes. Castle right outside Métro station.
  • Cost: Exterior of castle and woods are free, interior is free for EU Nationals under 26 and other students with valid ID. If you wish to visit the Parc Floral it has a small entrance fee.

Chateau de Fontainebleau

Château et Foret de Fontainebleau 

Skip the crowds at Versailles by venturing to this marvellous castle southeast of Paris instead. Another favorite hunting retreat of the royals, King Francois I redesigned the castle in the Renaissance style. It features opulent rooms decked out in elaborately carved wood, paintings, mirrors and more. The castle was also a favourite of Napoléon Bonaparte, who refurbished parts of it in the Imperial style. Behind the castle are beautiful gardens à la francaise, or to better connect with nature, spend the afternoon exploring the forest’s extensive hiking trails. If you visit on Tuesday, Friday or Sunday, before heading to the castle, you can pick up some picnic supplies at Fontainebleau’s food market.

  • Address & Information: Castle’s website. See some suggested hikes here.
  • Getting There: An hour from central Paris, 40 minutes by suburban train from Gare de Lyon (line R) to Fontainebleau-Avon. Castle a short walk from the station.
  • Cost: Castle free for EU Nationals under 26 and students with ID. Forest is free.

Auvers-sur-Oise

Auvers-sur-Oise

While visiting Monet’s home and garden in Giverny can make for a nice art excursion from Paris, there is much more to see, and far fewer crowds, in this charming village briefly inhabited by and the final resting place of Vincent van Gogh. Strolling through town, helpful panels show you the various places the Post-Impressionist painter captured on canvas, copies shown on the boards and many of the originals are displayed at the Musée d’Orsay. You can also visit or have lunch at the inn he lodged at, the Auberge Ravoux, and pay homage to the troubled artist at his grave in the local cemetery. The town has several other sites, including a small castle, various art studios and homes of other 19th century artists and a museum dedicated to Absinthe. On summertime weekends the town often holds art or music festivals.

  • Address & Information: Tourism website. Visit from March to October as many sites are closed in winter
  • Getting There: In summertime there is a direct train on weekend mornings around 9:30 am from Gare du Nord which is only 30 minutes. The rest of the year it’s an hour train ride from Saint-Lazare or Gare du Nord, take a regional train to Pontoise, change here for the trains in the direction of Persan-Beaumont, get off at Auvers station.
  • Cost: Free to walk around, small entry fee for various sites.
provins

Photo: Provins Tourisme

Provins

If you’d like to get a taste of France without going too far, then consider visiting this medieval town east of Paris. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the beautiful hilltop village thrived over the centuries due to its position as a fiefdom of the Counts of Champagne and its popular fairs, which still take place before Christmas. A visit at any time of year will delight thanks to its magical historic centre home to the Tour César fortress, stone churches, narrow lanes and protective city walls.

  • Address & Information: Local tourism website
  • Getting There: Around an 80-minute train journey, Gare de l’Est to Provins. The town is accessible on foot from the station.
  • Cost: Most sites can be visited freely from the exterior.

Photo: Street art by C215, Vitry-Sur-Seine / Paris Tourisme

Contemporary Art & Street Art in Vitry-Sur-Seine

For something more offbeat, considering visiting this close southeaster suburb popular with street artists. The city is home to MAC/VAL, France’s only museum dedicated to contemporary art from the 1950s to today. In the shadow of a towering Jean Dubuffet statue, the contemporary building houses over 2,000 works by both well-established names like Christian Boltanski and Annette Messager, and up-and-coming artists. After visiting the museum, continue your artistic discoveries in the streets of Vitry, where you’ll come across hundreds of works by French and international street artists like C215, Indigo, Kashink, Swoon and Alice Pasquini. This artistic flourishing has earned the city the title of “Capital of Street Art.” You can find the works easily using this helpful map and discover more about Parisian street artists in our article here.

  • Address & Information: MAC/VAL website
  • Getting There: Around a 30-45 minute trip from central Paris by Métro and bus, line 7 to Porte de Choisy then bus 172, 180 or 183 to Place de la Libération.
  • Cost: Free for under 26 and other students with valid ID.

Looking for other interesting things to do in Paris? Carrying on your exploring with these articles:

Art History Master's in Paris

Touring the Former Villages of Paris

Paris grew from its centre, around the Ile-de-la-Cité, outwards. Once walled, over the centuries the city burst beyond its boundaries and new fortifications would be built. As part of the vast mid-19th century urban renewal of Paris undertaken by Prefect Baron Haussmann and Napoleon III, in 1860 the space between Paris’s last pair of city walls was annexed. Amidst the fields and vineyards of this zone were a number of villages. Remnants of several of these remain and provide a fascinating look into the past. From Montmartre to the Butte-aux-Cailles, these charming village neighbourhoods are the perfect weekend outing.

Maison Rose, Montmartre, Paris

Montmartre

The best known of Paris’s former villages, Montmartre is known for Sacré-Coeur and the nearby artist square, Place du Tertre. However, there’s much more to the neighbourhood. Once a working class village on the northern fringes of Paris, Montmartre started to draw artists in the 1870s thanks to its cheap rent and free-flowing joie de vivre. A visit around its back streets guides you past small houses, windmills and the former residents and art studios of late 19th and early 20th century artists including Renoir, van Gogh, Suzanne Valadon and Picasso.

Belleville Paris

Belleville

The most rebellious of Paris’s former villages, the neighbourhood of Belleville still attracts more alternative Parisians. Its proximity to the gypsum quarries located on this edge of Paris brought in a working class popular. French music legend Edith Piaf spent part of her childhood in the area and famously claimed to have been born on rue de Belleville (instead of in the nearby hospital listed on her birth certificate). Reasonable rents also drew in waves of immigrant communities, including Greeks, Armenians, Tunisian Jews, Moroccans, Vietnamese and Chinese. This has created a vibrant cosmopolitan community peppered with, art studios, inventive restaurants and a laid-back vibe. A popular place with street arts, look out for their creations on your way to the top of the Parc de Belleville, where you can admire one of the nicest views of Paris.

Butte-aux-Cailles

This village on a slight hill (or butte in French) in southeastern Paris developed around a vineyard that the area’s namesake, a certain Pierre Caille, bought in 1543. Today this small town ambiance still exists around a grouping of cobbled streets lined with relaxed bars and restaurants. You can soak up the countryside feel meandering the charming streets, like rue des Cinq Diamants, passage Barrault and rue Moulin des Près. You’ll eventually come to the place Paul Verlaine, the old main square of the village (pictured above). It’s one of the centres for street art in Paris, so look out for this along your way. You can end your stroll with a drink on rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles, its bars popular with students from nearby campuses of the University of Paris.

Passy

Now part of the chic 16th district, found across the river from the Eiffel Tower, this plain used to be owned by the lords of Auteuil and Passy. Villages grew up around both and there are remains here and there in the area. Track down the Maison de Balzac, a cottage turned museum where Honoré de Balzac lived for a time (more on it and other literary residences in this article). Then around the corner you can find rue Berton (pictured above). One of the narrowest streets in Paris and protected by high stone walls, it used to marked the border between the sprawling estates of Auteuil and Passy (the 1731 boundary sign is still posted). Poet Guillaume Apollinaire wrote about the lane in his 1918 book Le Flâneur des Deux Rives, describing it as “one of the most scenic corners of Paris.”

Les Batignolles

Les Batignolles

Until the French Revolution, the northwest section of what is now the 17th district, was one of the hunting grounds for Parisian nobles. In the early 1800s a village began popping up here, around the Place du Dr Félix Lobligeois. It encircles the neo-classical Église Sainte-Marie des Batignolles, built in conjunction with the square, and is fringed on the northside by the beautiful Square des Batignolles. Previously also home to the local town hall, the square can be your starting point for exploring this up and coming area, abundant in small designer shops, buzzing cafés and restaurants.

Charonne

Found to the east of Belleville, the former village of Charonne is one of the most charming relics of pre Haussmann Paris. This can be observed on the old “main street” of the village, Rue Saint-Blaise, and its parish church, the Eglise Saint-Germain de Charonne. The church itself goes as far back as the 12th century, but was remodelled in the 15th and 18th centuries. It sits above the village and also still has its former parish cemetery, only one of two that still exist (the other is next to Saint Peter of Montmartre). A walk down Rue Saint-Blaise, lined with cafés and boutiques, truly gives you a sense of make visiting a small French village.

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