Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LES PASSAGES DE LA BASTILLE
The area east of the Bastille was originally outside city limits and under the control of
the nearby Abbey de Saint-Antoine (now the St-Antoine Hospital). In 1471, King Louis
XI granted the abbey an unusual privilege: craftsmen living on the abbey's land were
granted exemption from city taxes, and more importantly, from the stringent guild
regulations that stifled innovation. Cabinetmakers, gilders, varnishers and others
flocked here, and the result was a flurry of creativity that resulted in the introduction
of prized new furniture styles over the centuries, such as Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis
XVI.
The imaginatively named passages and courtyards once inhabited by artisans still
exist - you'll find plenty if you look closely while walking down rue du Faubourg St-An-
toine - but the sounds of hammer and saw have since been replaced by the secluded
live-work spaces of architects and graphic designers, as well as perennially popular
restaurants.
DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE
Place de la Bastille has become increasingly crass over the years, but it in-
variably draws a crowd, particularly along rue de Lappe just east. Continue
east and the options become much more appealing.
WINE BAR
LE BARON ROUGE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1 rue Théophile Roussel, 12e;
10am-2pm & 5-10pm Tue-Fri, 10am-10pm Sat,
10am-4pm Sun; Ledru-Rollin)
Just about the ultimate Parisian wine-bar experience, this place has barrels stacked against
the bottle-lined walls. As unpretentious as you'll find, it's a local meeting place where
everyone is welcome and it's especially busy on Sunday after the Marché d'Aligre wraps up.
All the usual suspects - cheese, charcuterie and oysters - will keep your belly full.
For a small deposit, you can fill up 1L bottles straight from the barrel for under €5.
CAFE
LE PURE CAFÉ
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.purecafe.fr ; 14 rue Jean Macé, 11e;
7am-2am Mon-Fri, 8am-2am Sat,
9am-midnight Sun;
Charonne)
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