Belleville Walking Tour: Discover a Diverse Heritage

Belleville Urban WalkEnter the true “Babel-city” that is the old Paris quarter of Belleville! This district is a land of asylum and has been the ultimate destination for several tens of thousands of migrants since the end of the 19th century. Discover a living cultural heritage shared by locals who hail from Central Europe, North Africa, and Southeast Asia on this walk through the heart of a popular, cosmopolitan area where history, art, and legend overflow. Created when the villages of Charonne, Belleville, and Ménilmontant were absorbed into the city of Paris in 1860, this vast district has retained a village identity in its narrow streets, passages, slopes, old shops, and corners of greenery. A walk through Belleville allows you to discover places laden with history, like an open-air art gallery, while experiencing the atmosphere of the Tower of Babel. This walk is not just a history lesson, but also a chance for you to be introduced to the neighborhood and its inhabitants through authentic interactions with women and men who had “the journey of their lives” traveling to this area where they ultimately settled. Throughout the walk, we'll recover the stories of Belleville locals past and present who've helped build the community's unique, complex identity. This tour is operated by Association Bastina, a certified responsible, fair trade tour operator managing Migrantour programs in the Île-de-France region.