Nothing for the typical tourist
 

Once again, I have made a report about places where almost no tourists will go, yet I do know that certain odd people are interested in what might be seen in such areas. I took tramway line 1 for the entire distance of its route -- and then I walked the entire distance to be able to get better photos. All of this line is situated in an area that is much maligned by the international press (the infamous rough "banlieue" -- even though the word just means "suburbs") but also by the French press. A lot of the people that I know in Paris would never dare set foot anywhere along this tramway line, and plenty would not even want to drive there in a car.

I say baloney! -- and I invite you to discover the route. It is <b>not</b> picturesque and certain sections might even be described as grim. But it is full of life, and frankly most of the people that you see in Paris live in places like this and call it home (10 million population for the metropolitan area but only 2 million population for the city of Paris). If you want to see how most "Parisians" live, please take a look: http://tinyurl.com/tramwayT1

wow - I've always wanted to ride Tram 1 and never got around to it - will do next time as this is the side of Paris that I really love - more than all the touristed areas.

Merci for posting!

Thank you, Kerouac, for taking us were most tourists would not go. I thought the headstones particularly poignant…

I assume all this is outside the peripherique, but inside the A86. So less than 10 miles from the centre?

There's a HUGE amount of buildings in your snaps that would be the object of conservation society pressure and spontaneous gentrification at a similar distance from central London.

And though it might have been a bit early on a Sunday morning, where were the youngish white gentrifier families? There's clearly been a ton of State money thrown into improvement and maintenance: in Hackney or Lewishman, the newly-married forex dealers would be snapping up those properties and their wives doing them up - if the Montessori schools hadn't grabbed them first.

Thanks for sharing that trip. Very interesting change of perspective.

It's important to see those pictures to put into perspective what life is really like outside the view of the Eiffel Tower. It could be anywhere and not just France.

I did not read all the comments associated with the pictures but what do the Roma people do to afford to move from shanty towns to camper home?

Thankyou K2...love your work!
I shall travel that tram line( and others)during my stay in Feb 13 and will roam happely inside the La Courneuve market.
Working class suburbs of Paris with grit and character, not every tourists cup of tea but just fine by me...thanx again.

Flanner, we're still busy gentrifying the 18-19-20th arrondissements, so areas out along the T1 will have to wait. There has been some gentrification in Le Pré Saint Gervais and Montreuil, but those towns touch Paris -- same for Clichy and Saint Ouen to the north or Ivry and Issy to the south. Yuppies with extra money still prefer the west of Paris, where everything is neat and clean already.

If one wished to circumnavigate Paris by tram (one does) without stopping to see the sites, do you have an estimate of how long it would take to go right round?

It is something I like to do. I have done end-to-end across Rome on trams; all the MBTA lines in Boston, including the Orange Line when it was elevated; and several bus routes end to end in New York, London, San Francisco, and in Paris within the Peripherique. I like to watch the way neighborhoods unfold from class to class and ethnicity to ethnicity.

Your route has been on my radar screen for the last two trips, but I would love to do the entire route.

I don't even know where to begin to comment, other than to say another great report, k. I certainly learned a lot!

I didn't realize how large St. Denis was, to warrant so many public transportation connections. I've been there, but many years ago.

Thanks for the great photos and commentary.

In response to the Roma question, I can't say if this is applicable, as I just don't know enough, but there is a Roma caste system (they originally came from India, but I don't know if that's why), and some are artisans or musicians or other specific skilled workers, and some are in lower castes. Take a look here:
http://tzigania.com/romahierarchy.html

Very interesting and sad.

Kerouac: thanks for another fascinating look at a diferent part of Paris. I do love your trips!

<i>If one wished to circumnavigate Paris by tram (one does) without stopping to see the sites, do you have an estimate of how long it would take to go right round?</i>

The T3 tramway just inaugurated a huge new section this week and now goes two thirds of the way around the city -- but you have to change trams at Porte de Vincennes. I have not taken the complete trip yet, so I'm not sure how long it takes.

As for the T1 tram, I took it from one end to the other in just over one hour -- but it was not at all a peak period. It might take as long as 90 minutes at rush hour.

That was super interesting kerouac, thank you!

bookmarking

Thank you. Perhaps in May, if all works out as hoped, I'll make the circumnavigation and report back.

We're going to have to do this next week, Kerouac. Thank you.

And thanks, WillTravel, for the link.

The Belleville club LaJava has a New Year's Eve program, Tzigane An Nouvel, that looks pretty fun: http://www.la-java.fr/evenement.php?i=193

So is it Gitan/e or Tzigane? or both?

Means the same thing.

TTT