If you’re coming to Paris for the weekend, I’d like to take you on a tour of the city’s unusual passages and streets. They’re often well-hidden little treasures, but we’re revealing these
well, almostsecret addresses.
Whenever we can, we love to visit Paris and often show our friends around.
We also invite you to read all our articles on Paris:
- Our 5 stylish Parisian addresses to make the most of summer
- How to discover the 18th arrondissement in an unusual way
- Unlicensed boat trip on the Canal de l’Ourcq
- The unusual lanes of the Left Bank
The unusual streets of Paris are a great way to discover Paris in a different way, especially when the fine weather arrives. By this I mean springtime, as these unusual streets become all blooming in their own way: wisteria, ivy, roses, flowers, exotic plants, it’s an array of colors and scents that await you. A visual and olfactory treat not to be missed.
These unusual streets are mostly concentrated in the east and south of Paris. It’s impossible to do them all in one day! That’s why we recommend you take your time to stroll around and enjoy them. You can discover them in a variety of ways: by bike, metro, scooter or on foot, as we did (you’ll be doing a lot of walking, but it’s not too bad).
Finally, you should know that most of these unusual streets are easy to discover, but some are more hidden and require you to be clever, polite, courteous, friendly, smiling and cunning to get to the other side of the huge gates or to find the button that opens the “famous portal”. We can’t guarantee that you’ll see them all, but it’s up to you to try. Sometimes these are private roads, so you might get a drastic “no”, as there are houses and a certain amount of peace and quiet. So don’t make yourself too conspicuous.
SOMMAIRE DE L'ARTICLE :
Les Rues insolites, on the right bank of the capital: 11th, 19th and 20th arrondissements of Paris
| LA COUR DAMOYE (75011)
The Cour Damoye at 12 place de la Bastille is a charming, hundred-meter-long alley linking place de la Bastille to rue Daval. The gate was open during the day, so entry is normally straightforward. The alley is paved and lined with small buildings with typically industrial facades. It houses a workshop for restoring old posters, a leatherwork shop and a roasting workshop. (it smelled good coffee!). It can be reached by taking the Bastille metro (lines 1, 5 and 9). It is open from 9am to 8pm on weekdays, from 10am to 8pm on Saturdays, and from 1pm to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays.
| MAN PASSAGE (75011)
The Passage de l’Homme leads to the Passage Saint-Antoine, then to the Passage Josset. It’s open during the day. The atmosphere is once again very peaceful, with its pretty cobbled street and boutique. There’s also a luthier and Hollard, a company specializing in pad varnishing. I liked the facade of the abandoned garage, the industrial building and the chimney. Access is via 26 rue de Charonne, metro Ledru-Rollin.
| RUE CRÉMIEUX (75012)
This street is one of the most famous in the world. It was named after Adolphe Crémieux, the lawyer and politician who gave French nationality to the Jews of Algeria in 1870. In the space of just a few years, it has become a hangout for Instagrammers and influencers who come to shoot videos or take photos of all kinds. The nuisances are numerous, and some local residents are annoyed by people’s behavior and inappropriate attitudes in front of their homes. When we were there at the end of the day, the street seemed fairly quiet, with the locals reading books on their deckchairs. We had the feeling of being in the countryside, so we rather enjoyed it. We loved the colorful facades of the houses and the half-timbered style right in the heart of the capital. It’s located right next to the Gare de Lyon or the quai de la rappée metro station on the right bank, which is why I’ve added it to this article.
| CITE DU FIGUIER (75011)
the 104-106 rue d’Oberkampf is home to the Cité du Figuier, our favorite! Its exotic feel sets it apart from other Paris streets. You’ll love the beautiful turquoise facade with its elephant frieze, potted plants, palm trees or simply the exotic vegetation on all the walls. This former workers’ housing estate is really too pretty, as it has kept all its charm, but beware: it’s a well-guarded place, as it’s a private cul-de-sac, so you have to either use the digicode or wait for someone to come out. The janitor may ask you to leave. Give her a nice smile and chat with her, but the neighborhood doesn’t like it when “outsiders” come inside to film or photograph. So try to be discreet. Access is via the Ménilmontant metro station.
| CITE DURMAR (75011)
At 156 rue d’Oberkampf, welcome to the Cité Durmar, the name of the land’s former owner. The door was wide open, so it was easy enough to get in. This 120-meter-long cul-de-sac is just off the famous, bustling Rue Oberkampf. There are artists’ studios and workshops that have been transformed into homes or used by associations, but it’s not always easy to tell whether they’re still occupied or abandoned. Access is via the Ménilmontant metro station.
| CITE DE L’INDUSTRIE (75011)
We found the cité de l’Industrie a little disappointing once you’ve seen the cité du figuier or the cité Durmar. If you don’t see it, you’re not missing much! There are only 2 colorful shop fronts. Access is via the Ménilmontant metro station.
| THE INNER COURTYARD (75011)
Visit us at 160 rue d’Oberkampf to discover the inner courtyard. For us, it was closed when we passed by, but we were able to visit the Durmar housing estate next door, located at 156 rue d’Oberkampf.
| IMPASSE POULE (75020)
Impasse poule is a very small lane (3 meters wide by 60 meters long), very very quiet, located in the Charonne district of the 20ᵉ arrondissement of Paris. It really is a quiet spot, named after a former owner, Mr. Poule. You’ll find houses priced at around €9,000 to €10,000 per m2. It is accessible via rue des Vignoles and the Avron metro station (line 2) or Buzenval (line 9). If you’re feeling a little thirsty, at 31 rue des vignobles, I spotted a little terrace that caught my eye with its name, Les Mondes Bohèmes…
| IMPASSE DE CASTEGGIO (75020)
Not far from impasse poule, impasse de Casteggio offers modern architecture in the heart of Paris. These are mainly social housing units built in an environmentally-friendly manner, all planted with vegetation. It is accessible via rue des Vignoles and the Avron metro station (line 2) or Buzenval (line 9).
| VILLA DIETZ MONNIN (75016)
The Villa Dietz-Monnin is a private road in the 16ᵉ arrondissement of Paris. It’s not easy to find, as you can enter through 4 black gates: on the Rue Parent de Rosan side, from the Villa Emilie Meyer side, or through the Villa Cheysson entrance or the Rue Claure Lorrain side. You have to wait for someone to let you in, as there’s a digicode. It’s a very quiet, tree-lined alleyway that’s really peaceful. We would have loved to have a little house there!
We continue to explore Paris and its unusual streets. There are still a few to add to this list, but you can already enjoy these unusual strolls through the streets of Paris.
Don’t forget to pin the article on Pinterest to find it more easily 🖤
