Even though plenty of Francophiles have passed through the Gare du Nord area in the 10th arrondissement (for instance, arriving in Paris from London by Eurostar), most of them rush to get away from the area as fast as they can. And there’s a good reason: the area right around the station really isn’t very pleasant, largely because of the Muslim immigrant population that tends to gather there on the way to the northern suburbs of Paris, where many of them live.
Even back in the 19th century, the area left visitors shocked and disappointed, as you can tell from the reaction of the British writer George Moore, who arrived in Paris in 1873 and, stepping off the train, cried out, “Where are the boulevards? Where is the Champs-Élysées??” But don’t let the station’s immediate surroundings scare you off. Just a short walk away, you’ll start discovering some of the most enchanting and little-known corners of Paris, in both the 10th arrondissement and the neighboring 9th.
So whether you’ve just arrived in Paris after visiting the château at Chantilly, half an hour away by train from the Gare du Nord, or you’ve come from London (heaven forbid), I invite you to join me on a journey of authentic Parisian magic, because as Dr. Seuss once said, when you step out, you end up in wonderful places.
Map of the walk through the 10th and 9th arrondissements of Paris
Instead of a map: under each stop’s heading you’ll find its address, and every address is a link. Click it, and the place opens right away in Google Maps.
The Gare du Nord: because even a train station should be beautiful
We start by stepping out of the station onto Boulevard de Denain. Before we continue, let’s turn around and take in the grand facade, built by the architect Jacob Ignaz Hittorff (1792-1867) and completed in 1865. Take a look at the 22 statues on the facade, each one representing a different city you can reach by train from this station (for example London, Saint Petersburg, but also Compiègne, which is relatively close to Paris).
Before we move on, if hunger strikes and you’re in the mood for classic French food in a restaurant that feels like it stepped straight out of the Belle Époque, try Terminus Nord, which has been serving its guests since 1925.
Around the Church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul
Once you’ve finished admiring the Gare du Nord, walk along Boulevard de Denain until you reach Boulevard Magenta. Cross the street, turn right onto the boulevard, then immediately turn left onto Rue de Belzunce. All at once, the atmosphere shifts completely, and from the soot-stained boulevards you arrive in an almost rural area with a few charming restaurants.
Once you’ve enjoyed this charming little street, turn left onto Rue Fenelon, where at number 9 you’ll find a building with an impressive ceramic facade depicting a row of peoples who contributed to the development of the art of ceramics. Go down the stairs, turn left, then left again, and the following sight opens up before you:
This is the Church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, built in the 19th century by our friend Hittorff. It’s said that Baron de Rothschild admired this church’s design so much, despite being Jewish, that he was the one who recommended Hittorff to design the Gare du Nord.
You’re welcome to go up, visit the church, and enjoy the lovely garden along the way. Or you can simply sit in the square named for Franz Liszt at the bottom and take in all this beauty. By the way, this little-known church managed to star in the immortal film Zazie dans le métro by Louis Malle (1932-1995).
At the start of the film, a taxi picks up Zazie and her family and drives around Paris, passing this same church every few minutes while the taxi driver introduces it each time as something different, once as the Madeleine, once as Les Invalides, and so on. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find that clip on YouTube, but if you haven’t seen this surreal comedy yet, here’s a short trailer:
Square Montholon
square Montholon, and 14 rue d’Abbeville
Once you’ve finished admiring the church, and maybe even sat in its small garden, head to Rue d’Abbeville. Fans of Art Nouveau are in for a surprise: two wonderful buildings await (number 14 and number 16).
Turn left toward Faubourg Poissonnière, named for the fish that used to be carried down this street every day to the Les Halles market, until that trade moved to Rungis in the 1970s. Continue along this street and enjoy a few buildings dating from the 18th century, when this neighborhood was considered an upscale area thanks to the fresh air, since at the time it sat outside the city limits. Continue to the intersection with Rue Lafayette and turn right. Keep going along this street until you reach Square Montholon.
This is an enchanting, little-known garden that Parisians love. Beyond all the beauty you’ll find here (especially in spring), the square and garden have a fascinating history, which Dr. Orna Liberman wrote about in the past.
The Church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette and Place Saint-Georges
18 bis rue de Châteaudun, and place Saint-Georges
Continue along Rue Lafayette and turn onto Rue de Châteaudun until you reach the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.
This church, built together with most of the surrounding buildings during the 19th century, is a lovely one, but what’s more interesting historically is that its name became synonymous with a particular kind of “working girl,” which you can read about here. Once you’ve finished admiring the church, continue along the street of the same name until you reach Place Saint-Georges, which gives its name to the entire charming neighborhood around it.
The square was completed in 1826 and has a few small attractions. Take the fountain in front of you, for example, named after Gavarni (Paul Gavarni, 1804-1866), a famous 19th-century caricaturist who lived here.
At number 27 you’ll find the house of Adolphe Thiers (1797-1877), the first president of the Third Republic. The original house, which also held an impressive library, burned down during the Commune, but after Thiers returned to Paris with his troops, he managed to rebuild his home, which to this day houses his large library, which also survived.
On the other side of the square stands the house of the famous courtesan La Païva, the Marquise de Païva (1819-1884), where she lived before moving to the lavish mansion she built on the Champs-Élysées. And finally, if you continue a little further up the street, you’ll discover another tiny, charming square named Square Gustave Toudouze, along with its Wallace fountain. Without a doubt, an ideal spot for a small picnic (you can pick up food at the food shops on nearby rue des Martyrs).
Musée de la Vie Romantique
Continue along Rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette until you reach the intersection. Turn right onto Rue Chaptal and continue to number 16. There you’ll find the Musée de la Vie Romantique. It’s a small, free, and highly recommended museum, entirely devoted to the 19th-century painter Ary Scheffer (1795-1858) and the writer George Sand.
And finally, if you’ve worked up an appetite again, there’s a decent, classic French restaurant (though a bit pricey for my taste) called l’Annexe, right across the street. I had a steak tartare and some pretty good profiteroles there…
That’s it, my friend, this is where I leave you. From here, you’re welcome to keep wandering around the neighborhood or head up to Montmartre, which isn’t far at all. Either way, I really hope you enjoyed it.
If you want more of this arrondissement, check out the walking route through the 10th arrondissement, from Place de la République to the Hôtel du Nord, which passes by the Church of Saint-Laurent, the courtyard of the Hôpital Saint-Louis, and the spot where the Montfaucon gallows once stood.
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