Paris 20th???
 

Can anyone tell me about the 20th in Paris?
I'll be there with my girlfriend in June.
Thanks

The 20th is a multicultural arrondissement in the process of gentrification - one of Paris' largest on the eastern side of the city. It's a lively mix of people and an area where a number of young artists have workshops.

The neighborhoods include Belleville - sometimes called the Brooklyn of Paris, Menilmontant, the childhood home of Edith Piaf, Gambetta, and several areas with hidden green spots that were once small villages - Charonne and Saint Blaise. A major attraction is Paris' largest and most famous cemetery, Pere Lachaise, a fascinating spot well worth visiting.

One organization that specializes in tours of the 20th (I've not taken any of them) is Belleville Insolite. Supposedly you can arrange for an English-language tour. The website is in French, but if you click on Contacts you'll find an email address and phone number.
http://www.belleville-insolite.org/

Wow!
Thank you Maison!

A fun thing to do in the 20th is to go one of the cheese tastings offered by Harriet Welty Rochefort. She's an American married to a Frenchman and the author of some charming books exploring the cultural differences between the two. Her cheese tastings, accompanied by wine and a Q. and A. are hosted in her garden apartment in the 20th. A friend and I, tipped off by an artcle in www.parlerparis.com ,went and had a great time.Go to harrietwelty.com for more information.

Thanks, jddet!
I'll have to check it out!

Just a bit of a correction. The website is hwelty.com. The tastings are held on Thursdays at noon and 2pm.

Before you leave, pick up a copy of Cara Black's "Murder in Belleville" for a whole lot of atmosphere.

Thank you, Crepes and Underhill!

Can anyone recommend a hotel in this arrondisement? You know for me, it has to be on the budget side! We lowly teachers can't afford to travel to Europe AND stay in posh hotels - LOL! And Underhill, thanks for mentioning this book. I had been meaning to read this author but had forgotten about it. I will buy it this weekend in Borders and save it to read on the plane in a couple of weeks.

Crepes, I'm staying at the TimHotel Nation in the 20th. I'm not sure what it's like though. I'm going in June.

The Rough Guides has 2 recommendations for cheap hotels in the 20th in its latest edition (June 2003):

Hôtel Pyrénées-Gambetta 12 av du Père-Lachaise, 20e tel 01.47.97.76.57, fax 01.47.97.17.61. On a quiet road and luxurious for this part of town, yet unpretentious and very pleasant. All rooms with cable TV. M? Gambetta. €40?55

And hotel Tamaris:
http://www.hotel-tamaris.fr/
(no online description for that one, but the book says it's simple and clean).

Actually, there IS an online recommendation for Hotel Tamaris on Rough Guides (they've updated their Website), here it is:

Hôtel Tamaris 14 rue des Maraîchers, 20e tel 01.43.72.85.48 or toll free 0800.20.13.66, fax 01.43.56.81.75, www.hotel-tamaris.fr. An old-fashioned, well-maintained hotel run by nice people. Extremely good value and understandably popular. Only four metro stops from the Bastille and close to the terminus of bus route #26 from Gare du Nord. M? Porte-de-Vincennes. €30?40

There is a vista point right above the Parc de Belleville at the end of Rue des Envierges, a nice spot to be on a clear day.

Thanks for the tip, RonZ!!!