10.4.09

Countryside or Paris?


There are some small “islands” in Paris where you can somehow feel that you are at the countryside. This one is actually called “La Campagne à Paris”, which means exactly this.

It’s situated in the very eastern part of Paris. In the beginning of last century it was a quarry – filled with excavation material from the metro tunnels. The land was then sold at reasonable prices; mainly bought by people with regular but modest income, mostly from the working class. Today, I suppose that somewhat higher income is needed to buy property here.

If you walk from the nearest metro station (Porte de Bagnolet), you have to climb a number of steps to reach the area, but as you can see, there are cars parked on the narrow cobble stone streets, so you can reach it also by vehicle.Starting before WWI, interrupted, and completed in 1926, you will find slightly less than 100 two or three-storey buildings with gardens, a small one in front and a bigger one behind. Despite the fact that no house is alike the other one, you get a harmonious – and peaceful - impression.
Just round the corner there is a statue of Edith Piaf (Place Edith Piaf). The reason why it’s here is that she was born at the nearby hospital. (There is an obviously false information that she was born on the footsteps of an old building on Rue Belleville - see previous post.) Her tomb is not far away at the Père Lachaise cemetery – see previous post.
I wish you a nice weekend ... and of course Happy Easter! (I may be back Tuesday only next week.)


57 comments:

Cezar and Léia said...

Great Post!Take care!
Have a Happy Easter!
God bless you
Léia

James said...

Very interesting and nice photos. I only wish that I would have known about the little sparrow's statue before.
Thanks Peter.

Karen said...

Another informative post. Thank you Peter and have a great week-end.

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Great pictures as always! Wishing you a very Happy Easter!

Warm Regards

Rakesh

Thérèse said...

J'avoue n'être jamais passée par là. On en apprend en passant par ici.
Bonnes Pâques Peter!

Unseen India Tours said...

Wowww...gr8 photos!
BTW I am an ardent traveller.
I have started a new blog that shows my passion for traveling—unseenrajasthan

hpy said...

It certainly looks a bit like a smaller town, especially with all those cars parked in front of the houses. (In smaller towns you don't have the underground, so you must have a car!)
Have a nice Easter weekend!

Olivier said...

j'adore cette sculpture de la mome Piaf. C'est pour cela que l'on dit que Paris est fait de plein de petits villages. c'est beau.

claude said...

Cela me rappelle de ons souvenirs.
Lorsque j'habitais à) paris, petite fills, nous allions souvent, avec la patronnage, aux parc des Buttes Chaumont.
Plus tard, avec mon Chéri nous sommes allés livrer dans la rue où habite le danseur étoile, Patrick Dupont.
C'est un joli coin de campagne dans la capitale.

SusuPetal said...

Very romantic streets and neighborhood!

Glad Påsk, Peter!

alice said...

Tu as trouvé une île toi aussi! Elle ne semble pas complètement déserte mais n'en reste pas moins bien attirante, on croit rêver! Bon weekend (tu emmènes peut-être tes petits-enfants à la chasse aux oeufs?)

Ruth said...

The best of worlds. And I try to bring Paris to my place in the country. :)

Mona said...

Happy Easter Peter!

I love the colorful Foliage outside those houses! :)

Vagabondage said...

Bonjour Peter,

Un petit bonjour! En revenant de loin! Je viens des glaces et du froid! Revoir Paris fleuri et sous ton regard est très agréable! J’espère que tu vas bien.

Bonne journée à toi.

GMG said...

OK! This one is completely new for me... Don't remember ever passing by. An amazing «quartier»!!
Happy Easter and see you next week!

lyliane six said...

Bonnes Pâques à toi aussi,j'attends Nico et Arlette, tu as encore déniché un petit coin de paradis dans Paris.

Catherine said...

C'est beau la province avec toutes les commodités parisiennes à deux pas !
Pour beaucoup, ça restera dans le domaine du rêve, vu les prix exorbitants qui doivent être pratiqués. Mais, bon, on peut toujours y faire une petite promenade.
Bon mong wee-end de Pâques Peter.

Cergie said...

Ce n'est pas vraiment ce que j'appellerais la campagne mais cela est bien plaisant et a l'avantage d'être à la capitale.
Tiens, toi qui pérégrines de coin en coin sympa, ne pourrais tu faire les agences pour moi ? Je cherche un deux pièces. Tant pis pour le jardin.
Joyeuses Pâques Peter

sonia a. mascaro said...

Love always your wonderful post and great pictures!
Again and again, I must to know Paris...

Have a Happy Easter as well!

Carole said...

C'est sur, ça laisse rêveur...
Ces petits paradis en plein Paris sont trop cher, beaucoup trop cher pour nous....j
(je dirais 750000 euros environ les 100 m2)

Bon week end de Pâques Peter !

Adam said...

I was thinking of going to this part of Paris myself today to take photos, but didn't have time! You've beaten me to it and have taken nicer photos than I would have anyway!

It's funny how it looks not like Paris, but like almost all the towns surrounding the city!

Eddy said...

Peter, merci...
C'est le quartier de ma jeunesse (+ de 20ans de ma vie).
Porte de Menilmontant-porte de Bagnolet, le studio d'enregistrement "Ferbert" en plein coeur de cette campagne, j'en ai vu des artistes chanteurs-compositeurs, tous devenus célèbres.
j'ai aussi usé mes fonds de pantalons au square Severine qui fait face à cette campagne.
Merci et joyeuses Pâques.

Virginia said...

I had to put Edith singing "La Vie en Rose" on the computer while I read this one. :) It looks like a lovely place to discover in Paris that I am guessing many tourists don't find. You've always got something unusual for us Peter.

I know you will enjoy your day with the Crowes. Now Bob's someone to watch as he takes photographs. His equipment and expertise is something I'd love to witness.

Bon weekend
V

Justine said...

I just discovered, or more truthfully rediscovered, your blog in the last few days and have been going back through and reading all of your interesting and informative posts.
I was reading this post http://peter-pho2.blogspot.com/2008/04/metro-station-brochant-post-not-ready.html and thought I would pass along a piece of information. The Champ de Mars station that is open today is not the same station that was on that list. That one is still closed, and one can find the old street access near, of course, the Champ de Mars. It's located on line 8 between La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle and Ecole Militaire.

Dakota Bear said...

Wonderful pictures! I didn't know about that area of Paris, it looks like a small village.

Happy Easter to you and yours.

Vamsee Modugula said...

Beautiful photographs and what a delightful neighborhood. Makes me want to visit Paris this summer!

I came to your blog through Cuckoo. You have a great space here. I put you on my blog roll

Ash said...

Happy Easter to you and your loved ones!

Unknown said...

I love this kind of islands in cities and your photos surely make justice to this one!

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

What a wonderful street in the top photo. Yes you would think you were in the countryside..lots of fantastic photos on your blog.

I found your blog through Touristclick.com..which I am a member of too, under the UK site.

My friend and I are coming to Paris for the first time on Monday :-) we are meeting up with a few bloggers from around the world!

Anonymous said...

I guess owning a small car doesn't solve any parking problems. Small cars, like Sardines, just get parked in closer together. Thanks god for two-car garages in the midwest where the closest parking spot is everywhere.

Blind Fly Theater said...

Thank you Peter for another beautiful and educational post. It is so satisfying to learn about the lesser-known aspects of Paris. I'm very happy I found your blog and I would like to do that introductory piece on Peter's Paris within the next week or so on my blog.

Cuckoo said...

Peter,
A big smile on my face.

I like this post very much. True European I can say (in a non-European language).
I agree with you, it gives a peaceful impression. I feel like walking in those streets. :-)

Happy Easter to you Peter. Hope your mother is doing good too.

Alain said...

Cela me rappelle des souvenirs de ballade. Un joli coin, un peu triste cependant.

Parisbreakfast said...

Looks positively YUMMY!
and soooo Springy!!
Merci

DEEPAK GOPY said...

Hello Sir
Happy Easter.
I once again saw the beauty of Paris
Thank you

PeterParis said...

Léia:
All the same to you!!

James:
I also just discovered the "sparrow"! :-)

Karen:
Thanks and the same to you!

PeterParis said...

Rakesh:
Happy Easter to you as well!

Thérèse:
Paris est grand, on ne peut pas tout conaître! :-)

PeterParis said...

Unseen R:
Wonderful and interesting blog you have just started!!

hpy:
I'm so happy not to need a car any more! :-)
Nice weekend to you as well!

Olivier:
C'est vrai que nous habitons tous un petit village, avec notre boulanger, notre boucher, nos bars... ! :-)

PeterParis said...

Claude:
Patric D habite par là? :-)

SusuPetal:
Glad Pàsk as well! :-)

Alice:
Les îles ne sont pas pareils, mais peuvent être bien agréables! :-)

PeterParis said...

Ruth:
To bring the country to Paris or Paris to the country... ! :-)

Mona:
Happy Easter to you as well!

PeterParis said...

Vagabondage:
Jai vu... un petit tour vers le nord! :-)

GMG:
Maybe not the part of Paris where you would have your meetings or find the nicest hotels... but nice anyhow: :-)

Lyliane:
Bonnes Pâques en famille! :-)

PeterParis said...

Catherine:
Je crois qu'il faut descendre - et monter ensuite - pas mal d'éscaliers pour trouver la boulangerie ici! :-)
Bonne Pâques à toi et la famille également!

Cergie:
Contre quelle commission? :-) (Un pot de confiture!) :-)

Sonia:
Yes, you MUST!!! :-)

PeterParis said...

Carole:
Oui, il faut continuer à rêver! Un jour... :-)

Adam:
You have already beaten me a few times, so... :-)

Eddy:
... et mois, je découvre! J'ai vu les studios (mais pas d'artistes)! :-)

PeterParis said...

Virginia:
So, I'm looking forward to see Bob + wife tomorrow. See if I can learn something! :-)

Justine:
Happy you found me! ... and thanks for info! I tried to look into your blogs, but... Anyhow, welcome back! :-)

Dakota Bear:
It would be surprising if you knew all the Paris areas! You must let me make and tell you about some discoveries! :-)

PeterParis said...

Vamsee:
Thanks to Cuckoo and thanks for coming here! I just visited you blog. Fabulous! I will be back! :-)

Ash:
Thanks and the same to you!

JM:
Yes, I guess we are many who would like to live in such a surrounding! :-)

PeterParis said...

Anne:
Thanks for finding me! Hope you have a nice stay! Maybe we will run in to each other! :-)

Abe:
I think I prefer no car in Paris rather than two cars in the Middle West! Sorry! :-)

SparkleMirror:
I'm also happy we have found each other! Let's see what I can do in the other direction! :-)

PeterParis said...

Cuckoo:
A smiling Cuckoo, that's really nice! What more can I ask for! :-)
Happy Easter to youas well!

Alain:
En effet, des souvenirs...! :-)

Parisbreakfast:
Yes, the spring is really here now!

PeterParis said...

Deepak:
Welcome back... and Happy Easter as well!

april said...

And once again: countryside and quietness in Paris. I love it when a city has its rural sides. But one wouldn't expect it from Paris. Here it's normal in the outskirts because there are a lot of former villages having been swallowed by the big city of Cologne. Good to see that there are such places in Paris, too.

Anca Nae said...

It's always a pleasure to read your post and to see yous photos. You know so much about Paris! I'm a little gelous I must say...but only because you live there and I don't. I have always to fly so many miles to go and see Paris :(. Well, maybe someday I'll move there, who knows...
Bonnes Pâques Peter!!!

Azer Mantessa said...

interesting residential area it is and i suppose it's expensive.

like the trees.

krystyna said...

Looks beautiful, colorful and great shot.
But to live there, I'm not sure...too much cars on the streets. (#1)
My fav. today is last photo. Great combination.

Thank you, Peter
and
my best wishes to you!

PeterParis said...

April:
Yes, nice, isn't it? ! :-)

Ank:
Maybe one day... not too far away! :-)

Azer:
It's not cheap! :-)

PeterParis said...

Krystyna:
Yes, without cars it would be even better! ... and thanks! :-)

Maxime said...

Il y a bien un accès pour voitures -hélas !
Je ne comprends pas pourquoi les parisiens ont des voitures. Si j'habitais Paris, il y a longtemps que je me serais débarrassé de la mienne !

PeterParis said...

Maxime:
Comme moi! :-)

Anonymous said...



Here, Edith Piaf singing with her protégé, Eddie Constantine.

Eddie, a young American "drifter" she found on the streets of Paris. He became like a son to her. She taught him how to sing, how to act.....

http://youtu.be/Fu-k5Wzjenk