Belleville: Paris's Multicultural Village

Belleville straddles the border of the 19th and 20th arrondissements, climbing the city's second-highest hill to offer spectacular rooftop views over Paris from the Parc de Belleville. What makes this neighbourhood remarkable is its layered identity — a Jewish quarter turned Chinese commercial district turned North African community turned street-art canvas for a new generation of artists. Rue de Belleville is the spine of the neighbourhood, a busy market street where Vietnamese pho shops sit beside Tunisian bakeries and Chinese supermarkets the size of aircraft hangars.

The street-art scene here rivals anywhere in Europe. Walk rue Denoyez — a tiny alley that doubles as an ever-changing open-air gallery — and then explore the surrounding blocks where murals by international artists cover entire building facades. The covered market at the top of Rue de Belleville sells produce and street food that draws chefs from across the city looking for ingredients unavailable elsewhere. Couronnes and Belleville metro stations put you in the middle of it all.

The hilltop Parc de Belleville has a spectacular terrace overlooking Sacré-Cœur and the Eiffel Tower — arrive at dusk for one of Paris's great free panoramas. The park itself is terraced with vineyards, lawns, and fountains that make it one of the more pleasant green spaces east of the city centre. Brunch at Les Envierges on Rue Piat rewards with a terrace view across the rooftops that few visitors ever discover.