20ème arrondissement - Ménilmontant Property Insight

The 20ème arrondissement is located on the right bank of the Seine River, as well as its neighbouring 19th, 11th and 12th districts. The population accounts for 194,532 inhabitants (2009), which make the district the second out of 20.

Menilmontant was originally a village belonging to Belleville. At this period, wine was there cheaper and numerous dance halls set up in the area during the 18th century. After its annexation in 1860, it remained a working class area and gave its name to the arrondissement.

Both Menilmontant and Belleville welcomed waves of immigration. The 20th arrondissement is nowadays the second largest Chinatown in the French capital. You will find there some of the best Asian restaurants of Paris, in Rue de Belleville as well as an Asian street market. The district is also the birthplace and death place of Edith Piaf, a famous French singer. Besides, you can visit a museum dedicated to the artist which displays its souvenirs.

All arrondissements in Paris are divided into four quarters; as follows are the quarters of the 20 arrondissement.

• Quartier de Belleville: according to the administrative borders, Belleville quarter is actually located both in the 19th and the 20th arrondissements of Paris. An important Jewish community live in this quarter as well as a Chinese community which settled there in the 80’s. The area is multiethnic and thus people from different nationalities and cutlures mix. Artistic life is also widespread in this quartier: each year in May, an open house week-end lets people discover the workshops. Stare at Rue Denoyez and its wall and visit the street market in Boulevard de Belleville every Tuesday and Friday. Belleville is the birthplace of Edith Piaf and Maurice Chevalier.
• Quartier Saint Fargeau: the quarter has the shape of a triangle composed by the 20eme arrondissement town hall, Place Gambetta, Porte des Lilas and Porte de Bagnolet. It was named after the eponymous park located around a former castle. Until the 60’s, it was an industrial area but then became a residential quarter. Some points of interest: Tenon hospital, Campagne à Paris villas, Severine square, Olympic swimming-pool.
• Quartier du Père Lachaise: the name of the quarter is closely related to the famous cemetery located on its land. The best tourist attraction of the 20eme arrondissement of Paris, you will discover graves of renowned writers, singers, intellectuals... We will deal with the area below.
• Quartier de Charonne: the 80th quarter of Paris, Charonne is a former village which was annexed to the city of Paris in 1960 by Napoleon III. A piece of countryside in Paris, the village was devoted to vegetable farming. Some places of interest: Saint Germain de Charonne church and cemetery, Résidence Debrousse, Pavillon de l’Ermitage.

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20ème arrondissement - Menilmontant Immobilier & Property Market Trends

A property in the 20eme arrondissement of Paris cost about €5,060 /sq m in 2009. Prices dropped by 5% between March, 1st 2008 and March, 1st 2009 (they were €5,340 /sq m in 2008). Considering prices of apartments and houses in the other 19 districts, we can easily note that this is the second cheapest arrondissement after the 19th. Prices are really affordable there and the real estate market offers a diversity of properties. Property prices in each administrative quarter are as follows:

Apartments in Saint Fargeau quarter were €5,400/ sq m last year against 5,000 /sq m today. Negotiating a 10-15% in the price is a common fact. Place Gambetta is often more expensive than other areas such as the Boulevard des Marechaux.

If you want to invest in a lively area, Pelleport, Gambetta, Nation, Pyrenees, Maraichers, Charonne and Avron are all great locations. The 20th arrondissement is an ideal place for those who are looking for a cosmopolitan area in the north of the city. It became a trendy zone very sought-after. It should be the right moment to invest!

To get updated info about the property prices in Paris, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.

Characteristics of the 20ème arrondissement - Menilmontant

• Cimetière du Père Lachaise: the landmark of the 20eme arrondissement, this is the oldest cemetery of Paris and the most visited in the world. Built in a poor and working class area, it first did not attract many people, who did not want to be burried on a hill and outside the city of Paris. The local authority then organized the transfer of Jean de la Fontaine and Molière in the Père Lachaise cemetery. After that, it became a trendy location. In this 44ha-quiet park, you can see famous people’s graves (Honoré de Balzac, Edit Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Colette, Marcel Proust, Molière, Musset, Chopin etc.). The cemetery has been part of the French historical monuments since 1993.

• Gardens & Park: located on a 108m-hill, Belleville park offers an amazing view over the 20th district of Paris. Strolling in the 45ha-park will let you discover its lakes and fountains. It is half way between Pere Lachaise cemetery and Buttes-Chaumont (19th arrondissement). Trees, shrubs, dary perennial plants, rosewoods... are to be seen. Other 8 gardens and 3 squares are situated in the district.

• Religious monuments: Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix de Ménilmontant church is a beautiful edifice built in a Romanesque and Gothic style. 97m long, 38m wide and 20m tall, this is a vast monument. Gaze at its monumental staircase and 78m bell tower. Another church worth seeing is Saint-Germain-de-Charonne Romanesque church. This is the only one along with Saint-Pierre de Montmartre church to be bordered with its cemetery.

• Pavillon Carré de Baudouin: an 18th century edifice, this is a holiday house whose name comes from one of its owners, Nicolas Carré de Baudouin. In 1836, another building was built in order to house an orphanage and a chapel. The city od Paris then bought the property in 1992. In 2005, the 1,800 sq m gardens are opened to the public and from 2007, people can even visit the edifice. It displays several art and culture facilities such as a public studio, exhibition room, offices for associations... The building has been part of the French historical monuments since 1928.