Pawnshops music and erotica south of Pigalle
by davequ
I don't much care for Pigalle etc.
but I like the area south of it.
Between Metro Pigalle & Blanche (it's actually in the upper 9th arr. as opposed to the Montmartre 18th) and south of Pigalle / Clichy madness is an area filled with older houses, some parks and pawnshops, mostly around rue de Douai / rue Victor Masse, rue du Fontaine, etc.
It's a relief to escape the "disneyland" of Montmarte & hectic inner arrondisements once in a while.
I used to crawl pawnshops in skid row parts of town looking for used guitars when I was a kid so I liked this area.
Lots of places selling used instruments (some were cool, unique foreign instruments you don't find in the states), bars, actual sex shops (not like the sleazy traps on Pigalle). The area has more personality (good & bad) than a lot of other parts of the city. And as always, beautiful squares / parks in the middle of it all (Sq. Berlioz).
There appeared to be lots of Algerian & Moroccan-lineage french hanging out, and some little african and south-asian places to eat.
Not so many cafes as little shops, as there didn't seem to be many tourists there. Quiet pedestrian traffic, mostly locals... you'll stick out as a tourist and draw a little attention on the street but that can sometimes lead to a new experience or interesting conversation.
Not a large area, but lots of character and very interesting.
see if you can get a peek or sneak into the mysterious, historic & private
Avenue Frochot
(or rent Toulouse-Lautrec's last workshop apartment if you have 1600-2000 Euros / week to spend)
Links:
Sq. Berlioz history
Pawnshop instruments
Pigalle info
A Bar With Aspirations!
by johngayton about Le Frochot
Having just arrived in Paris I passed this corner bar on the way from Metro Pigalle to my hotel on Victor-Masse. It definitely tweaked my "beer nose". Yep, there was something about it that appealed and having had a quick freshen-up made it my first port of call on this Paris visit.
It had been a long day. I'd worked that morning, served the last Sunday lunch at 2 pm and gotten the bus from Appledore at 2.10. A train, a taxi, a plane, the RER and the Metro finally got me to my hotel about 9.30 and I was sitting on Le Frochot's little terrace by 9.45. A beer was definitely the order of the day. HA! But my first attempt for a couple of years at using my French in France resulted in my request for "Un Demi Pression" becoming a "Double Espresso" !!!
OK, I've now got a coffee instead of a beer - c'est la vie! Good coffee tho' and the pony-tailed, goateed, waiter with his Iron Maiden T-shirt was a nice enough guy. So I asked for a menu. The finger-sticky laminated carte duly arrived - nothing interesting and so I reckoned I'd move on. On the table next to me were an odd couple, the guy desperately thumbing through his phrasebook, her shivering despite the 17oC late evening balminess. Somehow he managed to obtain the blackboard with the day's "Plats de Jour" and then everything went uphill from there.
Catching the waiter's eye I too obtained the blackboard options. By this time I'd worked out what beers they had on offer and so rephrased my original request to "Un Demi Leffe" and got a beer - WHOO! WHOO! Then found the blackboard far more interesting than the laminate.
Dinner was ordered, beer enjoyed and relaxation mode set in! I opted for the "Supreme de Vollaile, Riz Provencal", which sounds fancy but, as expected, is just chicken and rice with a few bits of tomato thrown around. Nothing wrong with that tho' - the chicken was succulent, the rice tasty and a pleasant, if slightly bland, creamy sauce did the job: food for fuel rather than gastronomy.
I wouldn't go out of my way to visit Le Frochot but if I'm in the same place at the same time I'd definitely revisit.
PS - I did drop in for a beer on the Monday night and was welcomed like a regular!
Photos
Le Frochot - au coin Frochot et Victor-Masse
Forum Posts
visiting Paris
by paxox
I will be spending eight nights in Paris (first week of August). Trying to find a good three or three star hotel with breakfast in the Opera area. Any suggestions please. And are there any intreresting towns close to Paris which may be reached by train and visited for one day?
thanks
Re: visiting Paris
by hawkhead
Versailles and Chartres, to name two. Also St Germain en Laye. Chantilly.
Re: visiting Paris
by johngayton
I recently stayed at the Hotel Migny Opera on rue Victor Masse. That was fine, reasonably-priced (about 70 Euros for a single), breakfast was basic but plentiful. It's also easy to find being a couple of minutes walk from Metro Pigalle. Website is pretty good and has online booking www.hotelmigny.com
Have a good trip!
Re: visiting Paris
by LeKangoo
For the cities, Rouen, and Provins.
Provins is east of Paris, nice little medieval city. Worth to look at if you like this kind of cities. It is Unesco worldwide heritage.
http://www.provins.net/
Re: visiting Paris
by Jessica2point0
I can recommend renting an apartment, cheaper than a hotel in that area - I just rented with Paris Hideaways in June in Le Marais, was completely satisfied. Check out www.paris-hideaways.com. In terms of train journeys - Versailles is really gorgeous and easily accessible by RER train. Skip the line to get in to the Palace if you are not that interested, and instead bring a picnic lunch and eat down in the gardens - they are spectacular!
Re: visiting Paris
by chelston
The Opera area is also verging on the Gare Lazare/ Gare du Nord area so be careful that you don't end up nearer to the station end - its not the nicest part of Paris.
I'd recommend the latin quarter - particularly around Odeon.
Grand Hotel des Balcons is clean, comfortable and well placed. Also hotel St Paul (more pricey though).
For apartments, we've stayed in this one. Further out but a nice area:
http://www.my-paris-apartment.com/
Re: visiting Paris
by sabrina27
HI
I will be in Paris on 8 august 2009. I also liked the Opera area and I chose a 3* hotel Caravelle. I heard it's a nice hotel. You can get the same. I already book it for 65 euro/night.
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