PARIS – Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour

Belleville and Ménilmontant are two of Paris’s most vibrant neighborhoods, known for their artistic roots, multicultural atmosphere, and historic significance. The Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour by PARIS BY EMY offers a unique opportunity to explore this lesser-known side.

Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour Overview

If you’re eager to escape the typical tourist destinations, the Belleville Ménilmontant tour is perfect for you. From lively street art to cozy local cafés, here’s everything you can look forward to on this exceptional private tour. With a personalized approach, PARIS BY EMY’s private tours allow travelers to immerse themselves in Parisian culture, arts, and daily life. Moreover, you will discover hidden gems and untold stories of these fascinating districts.

Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour Cultural Diversity and Local Vibe

One of the defining characteristics of Belleville Ménilmontant is its multicultural community. This neighborhood is a blend of various cultures and traditions. It is influenced by generations of immigrants from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. This diversity is indeed evident in the local cuisine and shops. Walking through Belleville and Ménilmontant, you’ll experience Paris a unique fusion of tradition and modernity. It’s where communities of Armenian and Tunisian Jews, Greeks, and Chinese and Southeast Asian immigrants collide. Indeed, they set up mom-and-pop shops and family-run restaurants on rue Belleville. That street shows off sweeping Eiffel Tower, views from the top of the hill—one of the highest natural points in the city.

Historical Rebellion Background of Ménilmontant

Ménilmontant’s history is rich with stories of rebellion, resistance, and resilience. From the days of the 19th-century workers’ uprisings to its role in the Paris Commune, Ménilmontant has been a symbol of working-class pride. This historical context provides visitors with a deeper understanding of the area’s identity. In addition, it shows the struggles that have shaped it over the years. As you stroll through its streets, you’ll get a sense of Ménilmontant’s enduring spirit.

Street Art Paris by Emy in Belleville

Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour Highlights

PARIS BY EMY is renowned for crafting a flexible and personalized itinerary that adjusts to each traveler’s preferences and interests. If you’re particularly interested in the art scene, the tour can focus more on murals and galleries. If you love history, the guide can incorporate more historical sites and stories. This flexibility means that every tour is unique, allowing you to experience Belleville Ménilmontant in a way that catered to your own interests. In its own way, Belleville is like Brooklyn.

Street Art and Murals Exploration

Belleville is synonymous with Parisian street art, showcasing the works of famous urban artists like Jérôme Mesnager and Miss.Tic. Each mural tells a story, expressing themes of freedom, identity, and resistance. The private tour takes you through hidden alleyways and lesser-known streets where new pieces appear frequently, adding a dynamic and ever-evolving element to the neighborhood. Whether you’re an art enthusiast or simply appreciate the expressive power of public art, this part of the tour will offer an unforgettable, immersive experience in Belleville’s creative pulse.

With PARIS BY EMY, you coul choose to have a graffiti workshop.

Visit to Edith Piaf’s Birthplace

No tour of Belleville would be complete without paying homage to Édith Piaf, the world-renowned French singer born here in 1915. Piaf, known as “La Môme” (The Little Sparrow), became a symbol of French music and culture with her deeply emotional songs. PARIS BY EMY’s tour includes a visit to the modest beginnings of Piaf’s life in Belleville, offering insights into how her early years in the neighborhood shaped her spirit and passion for music. The guide will share stories of Edith Piaf’s life and her significance in French culture, making this stop a nostalgic highlight for music lovers.

From the balcony of the Eiffel Tower, Celine Dion gave her flawless rendition of the famous French classic, “Hymne à l’amour” (A Hymn to Love) by the beloved French singer Édith Piaf. Indeed, during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Canadian singer’s performance of Edith Piaf was her first live performance since being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome (SPS) in 2022.

Parc de Belleville and Scenic Views

For a stunning panoramic view of Paris, the Parc de Belleville is a must-see. This beautiful green space offers a tranquil escape with one of the city’s highest viewpoints. In fact, you can enjoy a sweeping vista of the Eiffel Tower and the Paris skyline. The park is a favorite among locals for leisurely strolls, picnics, and sunset viewing. On the PARIS BY EMY tour, this spot provides a chance to relax.

With an area of ​​45,000 m2, this green space is located between the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and the Père-Lachaise cemetery. It is so named because it is located on the Belleville hill, in the Belleville district. It peaks at 108 meters and a terrace at the top of the park offers a panoramic view of the city of Paris.

Cultural Hotspots and Authentic Cafés

Belleville Ménilmontant is home to some of the most authentic and charming cafés in Paris. The tour includes stops at local cafés and cultural spots where you can experience the neighborhood’s unique ambiance and sample local delicacies. These cafés are gathering points for artists, musicians, and writers, giving you a real feel of the neighborhood’s creative energy. By exploring these cozy spots, you’ll get a taste of daily Parisian life far removed from the bustling tourist zones, enjoying a slower, more intimate experience of the city. Husband-and-wife-run Le Baratin, the first natural wine-focused bistro to move into the neighborhood more than 30 years ago.

Cabaret and circus Le Zèbre de Belleville hosts dinner shows with trapeze artists and tightrope walkers performing tricks overhead, while Café Chéri(e) transforms into a low-key discotheque with DJs and dancing on the weekend. For live music and concerts, head over to cultural center La Bellevilloise, whose boho-chic rooftop looks like it was plucked out of Saint-Tropez (think wooden decks, rattan 1960s-inspired chairs, and Mediterranean potted plants).

Founders Kevin Deulio, of Bar Vendôme at Ritz Paris, and Marius de Ponfilly, previously a chef at Septime’s seafood sister spot Clamato, wanted to create a place where people could “come for a glass of wine and rillettes or sit for a côte de veau,” says Deulio

The Père-Lachaise cemetery

The Père-Lachaise cemetery, also known as the “Eastern cemetery”, is the largest cemetery in Paris. Indeed, it covers 43 hectares. It is part of the parks and gardens under the management Paris. It is a unique place that invites contemplation and daydreaming. You will steep in art, culture and history, through its maze of stones and vegetation.

Celebrities in Belleville Ménilmontant cemetery

It totals 70,000 burial plots. Many personalities are present there and we will have the opportunity to talk about them : artists, musicians and singers (Frédéric Chopin, Rossini, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Maria Callas, Alain Bashung…) and writers (Molière, Balzac, Colette, Marcel Proust, Jean de la Fontaine, Oscar Wilde…), statesmen, soldiers, historians, … The famous Parisian cemetery of Père-Lachaise takes its name from the time of Louis XIV and the king’s confessor: Father François d’Aix de La Chaise.

A real open-air museum Belleville Ménilmontant private tour

The Père-Lachaise Cemetery has a unique design that blends the rich characteristics of an English park with a place of deep contemplation. Today, the Père-Lachaise cemetery is a real open-air museum. It thus houses many architectural and sculptural works intended for funerary art. You can come here to observe all the possible styles of this specific art. Haussmannian vaults, Gothic tombs, ancient mausoleums, works of the Second Empire, neo-classical buildings, sculptures of all styles are there…

More than 3 million visitors from all over the world visit it every year.

Belleville Ménilmontant Church Private Tour

The Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix church is a Catholic building located in the Ménilmontant district of the 20th arrondissement of Paris. This vast church (97 meters long, 38 meters wide, 20 meters high under the vault of the nave) combines neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic elements. It is also notable for its 78-meter high bell tower and its monumental staircase that precedes its façade. The current church was designed during the reign of Napoleon III, by the architect Louis-Jean-Antoine Héret (1821-1899) in a neo-Romanesque style.

Drawing of the end of the 19 century, showing the church: Notre-Dame de la Croix de Ménilmontant PARIS BY EMY private tour

Towards the middle of the 19th century, this chapel no longer suited the needs of the parish because it could only hold four hundred people. It was destroyed and then replaced by the current church. The work, begun in 1863, was not completed until 1880, but it became a place of worship in 1869. Shortly afterwards, the activists of the Paris Commune used it to hold political meetings and it was there that the death of the Archbishop of Paris, Monsignor Darboy, was voted by acclamation on 6 May 1871.

Georges Darboy, born January 16, 1813 in Fayl-Billot (France) and executed with other hostages during the Paris Commune on May 24, 1871 in Paris, is a French ecclesiastic, Bishop of Nancy from 1859 to 1863, then Archbishop of Paris from 1863 to 1871.

It is one of the largest churches in Paris (the fourth by its volume) and has been listed as a historical monument since 2017.

La Maison des Métallos – A center of unionism

The Maison des métallos is characterized by its history, imbued with a social and political anchoring. It has always placed it at the heart of the debates (and sometimes battles) of its time. In 1881, at 94 rue d’Angoulême (today rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud), a factory produced copper musical instruments. It became the Couesnon house, world-renowned for the quality of its instruments. Couesnon, for the record, was the first musical instrument manufacturer to have introduced the steam engine into its industries. This company sold many instruments to American jazzmen.

Birth of the Union in Belleville Ménilmontant

Following the economic crisis of 1929, the Couesnon company had to downsize. Finally sell the buildings in 1936. The same year, with the Popular Front, the membership of the Union Fraternelle de la Métallurgie of the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) increased from 10,000 to 250,000 union members. The money from the contributions was invested in real estate, including 94 rue d’Angoulême.

The Maison des Métallurgistes, inaugurated on May 2, 1937, became a center of unionism under the direction of the Union Fraternelle des Métallurgistes. It is a branch of the CGT dedicated to social progress. In addition to the union’s administrative and documentation services, it also has meeting and conference rooms, a free library, a sports hall, and a music room. The building also houses the headquarters of the metallurgist’s mutual society and the primary metallurgists’ fund for social insurance.

The Belleville Ménilmontant House Nowadays

The House became the headquarters of strong political actions, such as the organization of aid to Republican Spain. Indeed they were welcoming volunteers from the International Brigades, entry into the Resistance, the fight against the Algerian and Vietnam wars and the commitment against fascism in all its forms. After the Second World War, the street was renamed after the communist and resistance activist Jean-Pierre Timbaud.

Nowadays, it is a performing & visual arts showcase with exhibits, concerts, dance shows & other programming.

Belleville Ménilmontant private tour by PARIS BY EMY

PARIS – Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour

With PARIS BY EMY, the Belleville Ménilmontant tour isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience. The tour is tailored to your interests, whether you’re passionate about art, history, or simply discovering the local culture. Before the tour, PARIS BY EMY’s team gathers information about your preferences to craft a route that aligns with what you’re most excited to see and learn. This approach ensures a highly personal and fulfilling experience that feels like a curated journey rather than a traditional tour.

Exclusive Access to Hidden Gems

One of the biggest perks of booking with PARIS BY EMY is gaining access to hidden gems. From tucked-away galleries to artisanal shops, the tour includes stops that reveal the neighborhood’s true essence. These unique spots showcase the creativity and character that make Belleville Ménilmontant so special.

Insights into Parisian Daily Life

PARIS BY EMY prioritizes an immersive approach that goes beyond sightseeing. Thus, it is offering a deep dive into Parisian life. You’ll learn not just about the landmarks but about the people who call Belleville Ménilmontant home, gaining a better understanding of Paris’s social fabric. The guide shares stories about local traditions, recent social changes, and cultural quirks, providing a holistic view.

Eco-Friendly and Responsible Tourism Practices

Committed to sustainable tourism, PARIS BY EMY incorporates eco-friendly practices into every tour. The company promotes walking tours and encourages respect for the local environment and community. By booking with PARIS BY EMY, you’re choosing a responsible tourism option that values the preservation of Paris’s neighborhoods and minimizes the environmental impact on these historic areas.

Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour

The Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour by PARIS BY EMY is more than just a sightseeing trip. It’s a journey through one of Paris’s lesser known neighborhoods. Sharing the story of Belleville and Ménilmontant, this private tour offers a unique perspective. indeed, it reveals a side of Paris that is often hidden from mainstream tourism.

I lived 15 years in Ménilmontant. With PARIS BY EMY Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour, it brings Paris to life.

Emy,

Paris Trip Planner


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Belleville Ménilmontant Private Tour by PARIS BY EMY FAQs

  1. What makes Belleville Ménilmontant different from other Paris neighborhoods?

Belleville Ménilmontant stands out for its multicultural community and dynamic street art scene. It’s an area deeply rooted in Paris’s history. It is also known for its bohemian spirit, making it a unique blend of tradition and modern creativity.

  1. Can I customize the PARIS BY EMY private tour for specific interests?

Yes, PARIS BY EMY specializes in personalized tours tailored to your interests. The itinerary reflects what you most want to see and experience.

  1. Is the tour suitable for families and small children?

Absolutely. The Belleville Ménilmontant tour is adapted for families. It’s a family-friendly way to explore Paris while enjoying a personalized, engaging experience.