We end our tour of Paris's villages where we could definitely see ourselves living in the Charonne neighborhood, which frankly resembles a small village.
And that's normal, because it used to be one! In 1860, the village of Charonne was annexed by Napoleon III and became a district of Paris in its own right. The neighborhood was then located around the beautiful Saint-Germain-de-Charonne Churchand its cemetery (still visible today!), whose history and architecture we detailed righthere.
The village of Charonne has retained its old working-class charm, from the days when the village was home to many factories (producing leather, matches, candles, and even hats). Cobbled streets lined with low houses, flower-filled gardens, old street lamps, and small cafes are everywhere. These bygone days are particularly evident in certain streets in the neighborhood, such as Rue Riblette.
Not far from there is the Pavillon de l'Ermitage, a remnant of the former Château de Bagnolet, and its small park, which are worth a long stop to rest or to discover the temporary exhibitions inside the Pavillon;the Church of Saint-Jean-Bosco, a small Art Deco marvel built in the 1930s, the Jardin Naturel Pierre-Emmanuel, a wild garden, and the Rue des Vignoles, interspersed with a dozengreen cul-de-sacs, is absolutely charming.
The 20th arrondissement and its small villages have a lot to offer in terms of peace and quiet and greenery!
