Ménilmontant

Cobblestones whisper tales of Ménilmontant. They echo with laughter from long-gone guinguettes. These lively establishments once drew Parisians eager for cheaper wine and a night of revelry. Ménilmontant, nestled in the 20th arrondissement, holds a captivating history. It rises above Paris, the third highest hill in the city. Its name, derived from “Mesnil Mautemps” or “bad weather house”, evolved to “Ménilmontant,” perhaps suggesting a “climbing house” due to its elevated position. Imagine 19th-century Ménilmontant, a haven beyond the city’s tax walls, teeming with a working-class population and a brewing sense of radicalism. In 1832, it became a refuge for Saint-Simonians, a socialist group led by Barthélémy-Prosper Enfantin. Their utopian experiment, deemed contrary to public morality, was ultimately shut down. Ménilmontant’s revolutionary spirit blazed brightly during the Paris Commune in 1871. Here, the fiercest resistance against the Versailles Army unfolded, culminating in bloody battles during the “semaine sanglante” in Père Lachaise Cemetery. The echoes of this struggle resonate even today. The local football club, Ménilmontant FC 1871, proudly bears its communard heritage in its name and crest. From street art to local establishments, the spirit of the Commune lives on. Ménilmontant also nurtured artistic souls. Singer Maurice Chevalier was born here. The neighborhood inspired songs by Charles Trenet and Camille Dalmais. It served as the backdrop for films like “Ménilmontant” (1926) and “Casque d’or” (1952). Even Hollywood found its charm, with Jackie Gleason starring in “Gigot” (1962) filmed in its streets. Today, Ménilmontant’s industrial past intertwines with a bohemian present. Former factories now house music venues like La Bellevilloise and La Maroquinerie. Grungy bars line the hilly Rue de Ménilmontant, leading to a labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets and artists’ studios. Ménilmontant continues to climb, its story etched in every stone and every song.