2.6.10

Mouzaïa

This area, Mouzaïa, just to the east of Buttes Chaumont (see previous post) has got its name from a town in Algeria. This was again a part of Paris where you found a lot of quarries, abandoned around 1870. The quarries were referred to as the “Carrières d’Amérique”, as a large part of what was extracted was shipped to the US and obviously also was used for the construction of the White House.

As a result of the quarries, the ground conditions at this sloping area did not allow any higher buildings and that’s why today you find a concentration of small streets and alleys – “villas” - with basically only modest two-floored buildings, built around the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. Originally this was a working class area, not quite the case today.


Of course the season makes the area even more attractive. 
For much more complete information about this area, I suggest you have a look on the post that Karin – "An Alien Parisienne" – made after a walk we made together in the same area a cold winter day.

28 comments:

Nathalie H.D. said...

The season makes the area even more attractive? You bet! The rose trees everywhere are divine. Certainly an area of Paris where I wouldn't mind living!!!

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

A wonderful post Peter, and such a lovely place to walk around.. on my list it goes... Leesa, Barbara and I went to Parc Buttes Chaumont at the beginning of May,, loved it!

La Bonne Vivante said...

I love areas with low buildings and uneven streets; they are the perfect places to live, set up shop, whatever, because things seem so approachable, yet somehow special as well. Beautiful images!

Catherine said...

looks like a lovely garden neighbourhood...

Owen said...

Beautiful area, but how much does a house cost today in there ? A million to start ? Maybe more depending how big ? Very nice to be able to go out and stroll in les Buttes Chaumont, too, I used to love to go walking in there...

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Wow! This is such a cozy looking neighbourhood!

Loved every single picture here! Warm, carefree and extremely comforting!

Virginia said...

What a beautiful neighborhood. Your spider web photo is just lovely as are all the rest, of course. Reminds me of a neighborhood we photographed last summer. Paris is full of delightful surprises!
V

Vagabonde said...

I love all the flowers around the houses. Here in the US there is mostly lawn everywhere. People do have flowers around their doors, well landscaped, but not like in your pictures. I hear that some subdivisions in the States even tell you what you can and cannot grow – they would never allow this profusion of undisciplined flowers like that. This is why we do not live in a subdivision, but just on the main road – and we have an undisciplined yard.

Carole said...

Bonjour Peter,
La première maison me plait bien, son entrée est accueillante....j'aime ces petits coins de campagne à Paris.
Bonne journée !

Olivier said...

Encore un petit coin de paradis dans Paris, c'est vraiment charmant et bucolique, j'adore

L'Araignée said...

C'est tellement calme et champêtre que j'y squatte.

Catherine said...

Au monopoly, "J'achète !"

Dans la réalité, je regarde et je rêve.....d'une maison à la porte bleue ou rouge, aux volets verts, au portail enlacé de roses, avec un chat pour voisin......je tolèrerais même l'araignée, si.....

hpy said...

Charmant!

Karin B (Looking for Ballast) said...

It looks *much* better with some sunshine and beautiful leaves and flowers! :) Just lovely photo work, as always, Peter. I'm going to have to go back there when the weather is sunnier and the roses are in bloom. Thank you for linking to my post and my blog about the time we went there, too.

Be well!
Karin

Thérèse said...

Un quartier très charmant où il doit faire bon respirer. Tu nous ouvres toujours de nouveaux horizons, merci.

Adam said...

It is lovely, but not very practical for public transport or the shops! :-)

You should have included one photo of the Place des Fêtes tower blocks behind the houses though for a bit of balance - it's still far from the countryside in this district!

Bagman and Butler said...

I've missed many of your blogs lately. Glad I stopped by this one.

Cezar and Léia said...

This is a charming area with beautiful houses, great green vegetation around, wonderful flowers, CUTE CAT :) , and I'm also enchanted by those windows and doors!
Fascinating!
Hugs
Léia

Starman said...

I doubt if there are any real 'working class' neighborhoods left within the city limits of Paris.

Jeanie said...

What a charming neighborhood -- and handsome orange cat!

Cheryl said...

Very lovely area. Looks like it was a lovely day during your visit there, too!

Shammickite said...

Another area for me to put on my exploration list if I ever get back to Paris! It looks charming. You always come up with so many wonderful pictures of the area you visit. Thanks, Peter!

Bettina said...

Another great collage of your beautiful photos, Peter.
And another "village" inside of Paris. I have never been to this quartier before, but I will on my next visit.

Trotter said...

The fabulous surprises you find for us in Paris!!

arabesque said...

now with this short visit to algerie.
i can;t help but admire those pretty flowers and shrubs you've posted.
esp. the macro detail on the web! ^0^
really different from the other places you've posted.
of course, the houses are quite enchanting too. ^0^

Vagabonde said...

So many beautiful and rich pictures in you post, Peter, it would be hard to select a couple, they are all so very nice. I especially like the pics of the river and the houses around it. I have not been to Chartres, unless I was very small and don’t recall it, but with your two posts I feel that I know the city now. Merci pour ce petit tour.

Jilly said...

What a spectacular, beautiful and seemingly restful area of Paris. Like Nathalie, I could live here!

Unknown said...

Congratulation for this wonderful blog with so many pictures of Paris.
I love this area in the 19th arrondissement.