Built in the mid-19th century the Porte de Ménilmontant stands as a silent witness to Parisian history. It’s one of the gates pierced in the Thiers wall. This wall protected Paris and was part of the 1860 layout. The Porte de Ménilmontant sits at the eastern edge of Paris. Specifically it is in the 20th arrondissement. It marks the boundary between the Ménilmontant neighborhood and the communes of Les Lilas and Bagnolet.
The area around the Porte de Ménilmontant wasn’t always part of Paris. Originally it was a village belonging to Belleville. This village had gypsum quarries. These quarries closed in 1779 after a serious accident. It also boasted vineyards. Before Belleville’s incorporation into Paris in 1860 Ménilmontant was a popular leisure spot. Guinguettes lively outdoor cafes and dance halls thrived here. Even the renowned philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau spent time in Ménilmontant. His experiences here influenced his book Reveries of a Solitary Walker. The name Ménilmontant itself evolved. It started as Mesnil Mau Temps meaning ‘bad weather meadow’. This changed to Mesnil Montant because of the upward slope of the street. Old Parisians still use the nickname Ménilmuche.
The Porte de Ménilmontant’s strategic location provided other historical importance. Its elevated position made it ideal for communication. During the Revolution a telegraph station was installed here. Remnants of the Petite Ceinture railway built under Napoleon III are also nearby. These include existing tracks and the site of the old Ménilmontant station. You can find it marked by a tourist sign and a metal footbridge. This is located behind the Church of Notre Dame de la Croix. This church dates from 1880. It has an impressive staircase and a tall neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic style bell tower. The square behind the church is charmingly called Place des Sources du Nord. This was once home to several fountains. The street leading there is known as Rue de la Mare.
Today the Porte de Ménilmontant itself doesn’t offer direct access to the périphérique Paris’s ring road. It’s easily reached via Boulevard Mortier. You can also use the streets of Surmelin and Noisy-le-Sec. The tram line 3b stops nearby at the Adrienne Boland and Séverine stations. While it might not be a grand monument the Porte de Ménilmontant serves as a quiet reminder of Paris’s rich and layered past. A past full of quarry accidents bustling guinguettes and philosophical reflections. A past that continues to shape the vibrant neighborhood around it. So stand here. Absorb the atmosphere. Let the history of the Porte de Ménilmontant seep into you.