Paris Neighborhoods II: North of Montmartre

Most visitors and residents of Paris are familiar with the famous Butte de Montmartre, and its wedding-cake Basilique Sacré-Coeur. After Amélie and Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge, even people who have never been there before recognize the Place des Abbesses and the neon windmill at Place Clichy. But that's only half the story of this unique Parisian village. Hop on the Montmatrobus (at Pigalle or Abbesses) and head towards the north side of Montmartre, between Metros Lamarck and Jules Joffrin. This is the side where actual Parisians eat and shop, without a postcard stand, tour bus, or portrait artist in sight!

Sightseeing & Shopping
At the Place Jules Joffrin is the neo-gothic Notre-Dame de Clingnancourt, a small merry-go-round, Haussmann-style press kiosque and the dramatic town hall, the Mairie du 18ème. Inaugurated in 1892, the Mairie has a beautiful glass and wrought iron ceiling courtyard open to the public. Hidden from sight is one of the most beautiful Salle des Mariages in Paris, with paintings and frescos depicting Montmartre at the beginning of the 20th century, including ones by the locally-born artist Maurice Utrillo. This Mairie is the only town hall in Paris with its own wine cellar, where several bottles of the rare "Clos Montmartre" wine, made from the vineyard at rue St-Vincent, are kept for special occasions. Montmartre's next "Fête des Vendanges" is October 11 -- mark your calendars!

Around the corner from the Place Jules Joffrin are the market streets Rue du Poteau, with a wide variety of boutiques selling everything from sausages and chocolates to shoes and home decorating supplies, and the Rue Duhesme, with fresh fruit, vegetable, fish and meat stalls. Chinese, Italian, Greek and North African food shops can be found alongside the more traditional French bakeries and terroir charcuterie specialists. Don't miss the Fromagerie de Montmartre (9, rue du Poteau), where they'll vacuum-seal your cheeses for travel. Nearby is the Gourmet Shoppe (139 rue Ordener), where you can find British food specialties, including wild salmon and haggis. Wine aficionados should check out the wine bar and boutique Au Bon Coin (49 rue des Cloÿs, 01 46 06 91 36), winner of the Bouteille d'Or in 2000. L'Eldorado (10 rue Francoeur) has already appeared in ELLE and Vogue for its stylish women's shoes and clothing. Ladies looking for that perfect hat should stop into the whimsical boutique of Sylvie Camicas (76 rue Lamarck), a hat couturier who sells hats off the rack and made as well as custom orders.

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