Paris Canal St-Martin And Surrounds (10ème)

It seems that the number of sketchballs and number of cool sights in a given neighborhood are inversely related. While the 10ème doesn't offer much in the way of landmarks or museums, there are a few quick sights that you might want to check out; Le Marché Saint-Quentin could take a bit longer.

Le Marché Saint-Quentin, Corner rue de Chabrol and bld. Magenta The largest covered market in Paris, Le Marché Saint-Quentin was constructed in 1865 and renovated in 1982. A series of huge windows allow the sun to pour in, and keep the complex warm even in winter. Come here for the finest cheeses, fish, and meats, or just experience the delicious mix of aromas and mingle with veteran foodies who spend their days browsing for the finest permutation of camembert. There's a bistro in the middle of the market for those who can't wait until they get home to chow down on their produce. 8:30am-1pm and 4pm-7:30pm, closed in the afternoon on Sundays. Wheelchair access.
Porte St-Denis and St-Martin, bd. St. Denis The grand Porte St-Denis looms triumphantly at the end of rue du Faubourg St-Denis. Built in 1672 to celebrate the victories of Louis XIV in Flanders and the Rhineland, the gate imitates the Arch of Titus in Rome. The site of the arch was once a medieval entrance to the city; today it serves as a traffic rotary and a gathering place for pigeons and loiterers alike. In the words of André Breton, “C'est très belle et très inutile” (“It's very beautiful and very useless”). On July 28, 1830, revolutionaries scrambled to the top and rained cobblestones on the monarchist troops below. The Porte St-Martin at the end of Rue du Faubourg St-Martin, constructed in 1674, is a variation on a similar theme, with more subdued architecture on a smaller scale. On the bd. St-Martin side, a Herculean Louis XIV dominates the facade, wearing nothing but a wig and a smile.
Porte St-Martin, bd. St. Denis at rue du Faubourg St-Martin This one is a bit less ornate and impressive. The arch was similarly designed and erected at the order of the reticent, self-deprecating Louis XIV, in honor of his victories on the Rhine and in Franche-Comté. Built in 1674, it replaced a medieval gate in the city walls built by Charles V. The arch has a distinctly more modern look; the sculpture's facade is engraved with non-representative, patterned engravings. The four symmetrically aligned sculptures were contributed by four different sculptors. Worth checking out, but not as impressive as Porte St-Denis.