Paris Belleville And Père Lachaise

Cimitière du Père Lachaise, 16 rue du Repos (☎01 55 25 82 10), The monuments marking collective deaths remain the most emotionally moving sites in Père Lachaise. The Mur des Fédérés(Wall of the Federals) has become a pilgrimage site for left-wingers. In May 1871, a group of Communards, sensing their reign's imminent end, murdered the Archbishop of Paris, who had been their hostage since the beginning of the Commune. They dragged his corpse to their stronghold in Père Lachaise and tossed it in a ditch. Four days later, the victorious Versaillais found the body. In retaliation, they lined up 147 Fédérés against the cemetery's eastern wall before shooting and burying them on the spot. Since 1871, the Mur des Fédérés has been a rallying point for the French Left, which recalls the massacre's anniversary every Pentecost. Near the wall, other monuments remember WWII Resistance fighters and Nazi concentration camp victims. The cemetery's northeast corner provokes greater solemnity than the well-manicured central pl Free maps at the Bureau de Conservation near Porte du Repos; ask for directions at guard booths near the main entrances. Apr. to mid-Nov. free 2 1/2hr. guided tour Sa 2:30pm. For more info on “theme” tours, call ☎ 01 49 57 94 37. Open mid-Mar. to early Nov. M-F 8am-6pm, Sa 8:30am-6pm, Su and holidays 9am-6pm; Nov. to mid-Mar. M-F 8am-5:30pm, Sa 8:30am-5:30pm, Su and holidays 9am-5:30pm. Last entry 15min. before close.
Parc de Belleville, 27 rue Piat A park on a hill with an urban twist, Parc de Belleville is in fact a series of terraces connected by stairs and footpaths. In between the paths, the abundant stretches of greenery beckon sunbathers, PDAs, and nature types. From its high vantage point, the park offers spectacular views of Parisian landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and the Panthéon. The park features ping-pong tables, an open-air theatre, and a playground for kids. Shrieking children clamor around the park's playground near the entrance, while parents rest their weary legs on nearby benches. Dotted by flowers, napping couples, and gangs of youths (non-violent if a bit too energetic) in the summer, the serene oasis seems curiously far-removed from the city at night. The park's low fences make it easy to hop into, so it becomes a center for adolescent deviance at night. Free. Open dawn to dusk, roughly. Wheelchair access.
Cimetière du Père Lachaise, 16 rue du Repos 01 55 25 82 10 The monuments marking collective deaths remain the most emotionally moving sites in Père Lachaise. The Mur des Fédérés (Wall of the Federals) has become a pilgrimage site for left-wingers. In May 1871, a group of Communards, sensing their reign's imminent end, murdered the Archbishop of Paris, who had been their hostage since the beginning of the Commune. They dragged his corpse to their stronghold in Père Lachaise and tossed it in a ditch. Four days later, the victorious Versaillais found the body. In retaliation, they lined up 147 Fédérés against the cemetery's eastern wall before shooting and burying them on the spot. Since 1871, the Mur des Fédérés has been a rallying point for the French left, which recalls the massacre's anniversary every Pentecost. Near the wall, other monuments remember WWII Resistance fighters and Nazi concentration-camp victims. The cemetery's northeast corner provokes greater solemnity than the well-manicured central p