The Villages of Paris
Paris is one of the most densely populated cities on the planet. The City of Light is the world's top urban tourist destination, and it's little wonder that it can feel overwhelming to walk down the street or navigate the sometimes crowded conditions in the Paris metro.
This city does have several charming havens away from the urban grind. They can be tranquil pockets resembling little French villages that, you probably have never heard. These can lead your discovery beyond the now popular (but historic) Marais or the Latin Quarter. Here are just a few we might discover together in Paris:
Cour de Rohan
BATIGNOLLES
Not far from the traffic and noise of the busy Place de Clichy or the red-light district of Pigalle lies yet another area that rarely is visited by any tourist. This is the older district of of Batignolles. An area of Paris that one might consider of the “wrong side of the tracks” located behind and beside the tracks of Gare Saint-Lazare.
Close to the former stomping grounds of French Impressionist painters such as Degas, Pissarro, and Renoir, the Batignolles district merits a visit for someone looking for an off-the-beaten-track experience.
This is probably the Parisian village of choice for market-goers and food lovers. There are some very good bakeries, traditional markets and food shops in the area. The Square des Baticgnolle is a small green part with a duck pond making at a pleasant place to stroll.
BUTTE AUX CAILLES
A small area in the south-eastern 13th