Belleville: A Belleville on the Map and in the Imagination


La “ville” de Belleville Americans have an affinity for Belleville—which means “beautiful city”—as the towns in New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Kansas, and Wisconsin that share the Parisian neighborhood’s name seem to imply. However, most Americans know little about the French original; until recently, it’s barely caused a blip on the typical tourist’s radar. Film buffs may connect the place with the 2003 animated movie Te Triplets of Belleville or remember it as the backdrop to the 1956 classic Te Red Balloon. Music aficionados may recognize Belleville as the humble birthplace of the immortal chanteuse Edith Piaf.


But the reality of Belleville, a residential neighborhood in northeastern Paris, does not always match an American’s highest Parisian fantasies. It’s neither a ville, but an area at the intersection of the 10th, 11th, 19th and 20th arrondissements (districts), nor can it lay claim to the traditional idea of belle that we associate with


Parc de Belleville Paris, France


the elegant architecture of Paris. Moreover, nomenclature notwithstanding, all is not always beautiful in this nook of the city. While it has its aging charm and iconic views of the Parisian skyline and La Tour Eiffel, graffiti covers its streets, and many Parisians scoff that Belleville is off-the-beaten path and not a desirable destination. But Belleville’s


“remoteness” is largely psychic: the Belleville Paris, France 3


neighborhood is just a stone’s throw away from the city center. Hop on the 11 train at Châtelet in the heart of Paris, ride it for ten minutes and you alight at la station de Belleville. When you emerge from le métro, you see not only rows of quaint pâtisseries peddling baguettes, but Chinese restaurants with Paris’s best dim sum. Te neighborhood can be tricky to navigate, comprised of a maze of small streets that are a far cry from the wide boulevards that dominate the rest of Paris. But Belleville’s narrow roads are lined with treasures: stores, restaurants and bookshops selling goods from all over the world. Te


The neighborhood


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