Our new microguides series is inspired by the slow travel movement, encouraging travellers to relax their pace and take a deep dive into one particular neighbourhood in a well-loved city. Rather than a whirlwind itinerary which aims to hit up every must-see attraction, these compact, close-up guides encourage you to zone in, take your time and truly explore like a local.
Getting off at the Bastille Metro stop on a Friday or Saturday night, you’re thrust into Quartier de la Roquette’s infamously boisterous nightlife. But while this neighbourhood has long been known as a drinking den for weekend revellers – who bar-hop their way along Rue de la Roquette and onto Rue de Lappe – it has also grown up somewhat in recent years.
You’ll still find rowdy bars pushing happy hour drinks, but this traditionally working-class Parisian quartier has also been building a reputation as a gastronomic hotspot. A new wave of creative restaurants has gradually moved in, followed by a young, “bobo” (bourgeois-bohème) crowd of Parisians, to make themselves at home among no frills bars and bistros favoured by the longstanding locals.
For gourmet travellers in search of their next great meal, here’s how to spend a weekend eating and drinking your way around one of Paris’ most delicious destinations.
(© E. Bauer)
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Opéra Bastille
Whilst admittedly not as beautiful as the gilded, 1860s Palais Garnier, Opéra Bastille (est. 1989) still puts on an impressive show, with world-famous operas and ballets performed here every season. If you don’t mind sitting in the cheap seats, tickets start from as little as €15 (£13).
Marché Bastille
One of the quartier’s main boulevards comes alive every Thursday and Sunday, when locals flock to the buzzy Marché Bastille to stock up on seasonal fruit and veg, fresh meat and fish, and hunks of artisan French cheese. If you’re peckish look out for vendors selling pastries, hot crêpes and regional specialities — and remember that it’s not frowned upon here to order oysters and a glass of wine or two before midday.
L’Atelier des Lumières
Although technically next door, in Quartier Saint-Ambroise, L’Atelier des Lumières is just a two-minute walk from la Roquette. The striking art space, which made a cameo in Emily in Paris (look out for it in season one), hosts ever changing exhibitions featuring large-screen projections of works by the likes of Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Kandinsky for an immersive, 3D art…
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