The journey begins as soon as you step out of the Nationale metro station. Look up! As you walk along Boulevard Vincent Auriol, you’ll find yourself in an open-air contemporary art gallery, thanks to the Street Art 13 project. Here, the façades of the buildings are transformed into monumental canvases. You simply can’t miss the powerful, socially conscious work of the American artist Obey (Shepard Fairey) and his famous Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, the mysterious Tourcoat by the English artist D * Face, the poetic Poupée Anodine by the Chilean artist Inti, or the mischievous cat by the stencil artist C215. A powerful visual introduction that sets the tone.
We leave the grand boulevards behind to dive straight into the heart of the matter: Paris’s Chinatown. This is where the heart of the Asian community beats, centred around Avenue de Choisy and Avenue d’Italie. :
A radical change of atmosphere and a visual shock! As you head westwards, the modernity of the high-rise blocks gives way to a truly unspoilt village. Cobbled alleyways, low-rise houses adorned with flowers, a bohemian way of life: welcome to Butte-aux-Cailles.
Stroll along the picturesque Rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles, Rue des Cinq-Diamants, and, above all, Rue Daviel to admire Petite Alsace – a remarkable ensemble of 40 half-timbered workers’ houses dating from 1912. On your way, you’ll come across the famous Butte-aux-Cailles swimming pool (an Art Nouveau gem) and the equally famous Albien Fountain on Place Paul Verlaine, fed by an artesian well that draws pure water from 600 metres underground.
The tour concludes on an exceptional cultural and heritage note. Passing through the Italie Deux shopping centre – home to the bustling Théâtre 13 – you’ll reach the northern part of the neighbourhood.
Make a regal stop at the Manufacture des Gobelins (Mobilier National), founded under Colbert, where weavers carry on the centuries-old craft of artistic tapestry (behind-the-scenes tours are also available to see the workshops in action). Finally, round off your visit in style opposite the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé. Tucked away in the heart of a block, its organic, futuristic structure – nicknamed la coque – designed by Renzo Piano, showcases the history of cinema through exhibitions and interactive workshops, before you round off your walk on Rue Nationale.
