Place des Abbesses

30 metres beneath ground, in the deepest metro station in Paris, lifts are available, but the valiant walker climbs the staircase which is decorated with frescoes. He emerges at the square and sits down on a bench to catch his breath. His eyes turn from the metro entrance, designed by Hector Guimard, to the carrousel, from the cast iron street lights to the Wallace fountain. In the adjoining Square Jéhan-Rictus, groups of toddlers play at the foot of an enamelled lava wall where 'I love you' is written in 311 languages. Opposite, the Eglise Saint-Jean l’Évangéliste, nicknamed Notre-Dame-des-Briques since 1904, mixes Byzantine influences with Art nouveau. On either side, there's the rue des Abbesses, rue Durantin, rue de la Vieuville, and rue Yvonne-le-Tac which feature many trendy boutiques and cafe terrasses where it feels good to sit and do nothing.