Belleville, Paris
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Belleville (French pronunciation: [bɛlvil]) is a neighbourhood of Paris, France, parts of which lie in four different arrondissements. The major portion of Belleville straddles the borderline between the 20th arrondissement and the 19th along its main street, the Rue de Belleville. The remainder lies in the 10th and 11th arrondissements.
It was once the independent
History
Historically, Belleville was a working-class neighborhood. People living in the independent village of Belleville played a large part in establishing the
During the first half of the 20th century, many immigrants settled there:
Belleville is home to one of the largest congregations of the Reformed Church of France. The Église Réformée de Belleville has been in the area since shortly before World War I.[1]
Culture
Today, Belleville is a colourful, multi-ethnic neighbourhood and also home to one of the city's two
During the 1980s Parisian artists and musicians, attracted by the cheaper rents, the numerous vacant large spaces, and the old Paris charm of its smaller streets (Belleville was ignored, perhaps spared, during much of the architectural modernisation efforts and reparations of the 1960s and 1970s, the greatest exception being the area around the
Belleville is one of the most important neighbourhoods in Paris when it comes to Street Art. For example, Rue Denoyez or Place Frehel are a changing display of wall covering street art.[1]
The demographics of the neighbourhood have undergone many changes throughout the decades. While Armenians, Greeks, and Ashkenazi Jews were once the predominant ethnic groups, North Africans, and more recently, sub-Saharan Africans have been displacing these others.
Within the neighbourhood there is a cemetery and park, the Parc de Belleville, which ascends the western slope of the hill and offers, in addition to a panoramic view of the Paris skyline, a strikingly modern contrast to the classical gardens of the city centre and the eccentric nineteenth century romanticism of the nearby Parc des Buttes Chaumont. A School of Architecture is also located in Belleville.[3]
The iconic French singer
Other famous Bellevillois include film director Maurice Tourneur, legendary French can-can dancer Jane Avril and popular singer and actor Eddy Mitchell. The filmmaker Maïwenn grew up in Belleville and lives there now.
In popular culture
Belleville is the subject of several French songs, including Eddy Mitchell's "Belleville ou Nashville?" and
Belleville was named one of the unique neighborhoods in the world in 2016.[2]
Belleville is also commemorated as the title of one of the most famous of the works of Django Reinhardt.[citation needed]
In
A popular animated film, The Triplets of Belleville, was released in 2003. It received an Academy Award nomination.
Daniel Pennac's Malaussène saga takes place in Belleville.
Transportation
Belleville is served by the
Films shot in Belleville
- Monsieur Ibrahim (Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran), 2003, directed by François Dupeyron
- The Bourne Identity, 2002, 'Hotel de la Paix' scene, directed by Doug Liman
- Madame Rosa (La Vie Devant Soi), 1975, directed by Moshé Mizrahi
- The Red Balloon (Le Ballon Rouge), 1956, directed by Albert Lamorisse
- Rue des Cascades (a.k.a. Un Gosse de la Butte), 1964, directed by Maurice Delbez
- Golden Helmet (Casque d'or), 1951, directed by Jacques Becker
- Polisse, 2011, directed by Maïwenn
References
- ^ "Belleville". Salutfromparis. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ The 15 Coolest Neighborhoods in the World in 2016, retrieved November 16, 2016
- ^ Adami, Giuseppi. Il Tabarro (libretto) 1918.