Villages of the 19th arrondissement

Meet at Place du Colonel Fabien and take Avenue Mathurin Moreau. Turn right at the 4th street into GEORGES LARDENNOIS street.

At the top of the Bergeyre hill, Georges Lardennois street offers an unparalleled view of the neighboring Montmartre hill. Shaped like a loop, the street is lined with bourgeois houses, their overgrown gardens enclosed by small wooden fences. Virginia creepers cover a whole section of the hill, cats appear in the middle of paved streets where few cars pass by, local residents tend to their small gardens at the first ray of sunshine... The life in Bergeyre hill is as peaceful as that of a village.

As you begin your walk, you will immediately feel the calmness that permeates the area. Built in the early 20th century on former quarries, the buildings here do not exceed four floors to ensure the stability of the foundations. The hill resembles a small village nestled high above, protected from the surrounding urban hustle and bustle.

Continue your walk along rue Georges Lardennois until you reach RUE PHILIPPE HECHT, which you will take.

You are now in the heart of the Bergeyre village, nestled on the most secretive hill in Paris, west of the Buttes-Chaumont Park. Rising to an altitude of about a hundred meters, the underground of Butte Bergeyre was once exploited by gypsum and stone quarries, similar to the Buttes-Chaumont and other hills in the city. Crossed by five small paved streets, Butte Bergeyre offers a peaceful and exotic stroll, just a few steps away from the bustling Boulevard de la Villette. Only accessible via rue Georges Lardennois, the hill is practically free from traffic. Here, children can play in the street without much danger, and cats can lounge on the warm cobblestones on sunny days.

A fairground was held on the hill until the end of the 20th century, brightening the lives of the locals who enjoyed gathering there on weekends. It was dismantled, and in its place, in 1918, the Bergeyre Stadium was built to accommodate the Olympique de Paris football team. Nearly ten years later, the stadium was razed, and a housing development took its place, inaugurated by Josephine Baker, who settled here in 1927.

To the west of the hill, walkers discover a magnificent panorama of Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur. Under your feet, dozens of untouched vineyards adorn the slopes of the hill. On your left, a community garden accessible to all allows the hill's residents to grow fruits and vegetables. A little further, beehives provide them with honey. Some rabbits in a hutch add charm to this surprising setting, just a few minutes' walk from the popular Belleville neighborhood. The sense of escape you will experience in this place is extraordinary and ideal for romantic Sunday strolls.

As a fun fact, the Bergeyre hill hosted Michel Gondry's team in April 2012 for the filming of the movie "Mood Indigo," an adaptation of Boris Vian's novel starring Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, and Omar Sy.

Turn right at the first street, Rue Barrelet de Ricou, and then once again take the first right onto RUE REMY DE GOURMONT.

Like the other winding streets atop the Butte Bergeyre, you will discover beautiful and charming houses adorned with ivy, flowers, large oak trees, and all kinds of plants. Don't hesitate to stroll through the neighboring streets as well, as they are also filled with superb bourgeois houses.

Walk until you reach Rue Georges Lardennois by turning left.

Everything about this street reminds you of the tranquility and rejuvenating character of countryside life. Some residents may be busy working in their wide-open garages, while others take advantage of sunny days to trim their thuja hedges or sweep the leaves cluttering their doorstep. When you reach the end of the street, take a few minutes to sit on the small square facing the neighboring hill, atop which the Sacré-Cœur proudly stands. Further on, scattered throughout the hill, you'll find flower-filled and overgrown little gardens maintained by a local residents' association. Lastly, the vineyards on the hillside serve as a reminder that the Belleville neighborhood was once an important wine-producing area in Paris.

Take the left onto Rue Barrelet de Ricou until you reach the stairs, which you will take on the right. Turn left onto Rue Manin and walk along the Buttes-Chaumont until you reach Avenue Mathurin Moreau. On your right, you will find the entrance to the PARC DES BUTTES-CHAUMONT.

With its 25 hectares, the Buttes-Chaumont Park is one of the largest green spaces in the capital. But it is also one of the most unique due to its astonishing unevenness, making it a very hilly park. Overlooking the city, the Buttes-Chaumont offer magnificent panoramas of the capital, especially of the Montmartre district. The caves, steep cliffs, waterfalls, suspension bridge, and large artificial lake give this place a very special charm that cannot be found in any other park in Paris.

The park is adorned with numerous exotic trees and attracts a great variety of birds, such as seagulls, coots, and mallard ducks. They all share this beautiful space and coo around the artificial lake in the hope of receiving some breadcrumbs from the children. The park is highly appreciated by children for its swings and pony rides. It also has several snack bars to satisfy small appetites. Treat yourself to some cotton candy, a hot dog, or a crepe at the entrance of the garden before embarking on the discovery of this multifaceted park.

The atmosphere of the Buttes-Chaumont is calming and family-friendly: on summer weekends, the lawns are crowded with families enjoying picnics, couples sunbathing, while many cyclists and rollerbladers roam the winding paths. We recommend crossing the suspension bridge that overlooks the lake. By crossing it, you will reach the top of the hill where a superb replica of a Greco-Roman temple, the Temple of the Sybil, was built. From up there, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Paris, including Montmartre. In the evening, you can go for a drink at Rosa Bonheur, a very nice bar located within the park itself, which attracts the trendy young crowd of the neighborhood during the summer.

Exit the park via Avenue de la Cascade and you will come across Rue du Général Brunet. Walk up the street and join RUE DE MOUZAIA.

As the main street of the neighborhood, Rue de Mouzaïa is lined on both sides with charming villas, giving it a village-like charm. This street, bordering the north of Buttes-Chaumont, leads to beautiful paved alleys with houses and gardens commonly known as "les villas de la Mouzaïa" by the locals.

At number 9 Rue de Mouzaïa stands a small church with unusual architecture: the Saint-François-d'Assise Church, built in the early 20th century in Italian Romanesque style. By pushing its doors, you will discover a gigantic Byzantine-style mosaic depicting Christ on the cross. You may even have the chance to witness one of the rehearsals of the Franco-Beninese choir that regularly sings within its walls.

Turn left into Villa du Progrès to reach RUE DE L'EGALITE.

You are now in the heart of the "village" of Mouzaïa. All around you, villas open up, creating a delightful maze to wander through. The red, blue, and white brick facades of Villa Alexandre-Ribot make it one of the most charming streets. At the end of Rue de l'Egalité, on your left, take a look at Villa Lorraine, which culminates in a dead-end.

Continue straight ahead on Rue de la Liberté, then join Rue du Général Brunet via Villa Amalia. Turn right and head to HAMEAU DU DANUBE, the first street on the right.

Hosting no less than 28 pavilions built in 1923 along a Y-shaped street, Hameau du Danube won the Facades Competition of the City of Paris in 1926. The layout of these small houses with gardens recalls the concept and charm of garden cities like those in Stains.

On the south side of the street, you will find the Villas d’Alsace, d’Eugène-Leblanc, d’Emile-Loubet, de Bellevue, des Lilas, Sadi-Carnot, and Félix-Faure. To the north, the Villas du Progrès and de la Renaissance are also worth seeing. Our favorite is Villa des Lilas, where the tranquility, pavilions, and blooming gardens truly create the illusion of being in the countryside.

Take Rue du Général Brunet to the left and turn right into Villa d’Hauterive to enter RUE MIGUEL HIDALGO.

To conclude this lovely stroll, wander along Rue Miguel Hidalgo, which, like all the previous streets, resembles more the main street of a village than that of a capital city. Once again, you will find villas on each side of the road, including the Villa de Cronstadt, lush with trees and flowers on sunny days. At the end of Rue Hidalgo, you will find the Danube metro station, on line 7bis.