The 13th arrondissement, the districts of Belleville and La Villette, Rue Oberkampf and Place Igor-Stravinsky are the main focal points of street art, although it can be discovered all over the city
Beyond the Eiffel Tower and the great monuments, discovering Paris in a different way can end up being a memorable experience that justifies a trip to the French capital. And street art is the perfect excuse to get off the beaten track for a few hours and get a feel for the city and the urban trends that are renewed year after year. The best thing? It’s free and you’ll enjoy authentic open-air museums.
The city known as the City of Light is full of emblematic graffiti, monumental frescoes and poetic collages. In its various districts you can stroll, discover and photograph urban art, especially now that we are leaving behind the days of high temperatures with the arrival of the new season. From the 13th arrondissement through the centre to Oberkampf or Belleville, oh la la…! It’s time to stroll and admire street art in Paris!
1. The 13th district
Set aside a few hours to visit the 13th arrondissement and enjoy street art at its best. This working-class district of Paris, now cosmopolitan, innovative and dynamic to the core, delights with its wide variety of facets. Strolling through the district, you can see entire facades of buildings painted with large frescoes that are in fact true masterpieces. The American artist Shepard Fairey painted several of them, including a very famous one with the motto of the French Republic: “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” (Liberty, equality, fraternity), which he painted in support of the victims of the 15 November attacks. French President Emmanuel Macron is even said to have commissioned a canvas copy of this symbolic work to decorate his office in the Palais de l’Élysée. But go further. Dive into its narrow streets and squares as you’ll find more hidden gems.
More information here
2. Rue Oberkampf
On rue Oberkampf, located in the 11th arrondissement, Parisian terraces share the pavement with street art performances. The street is full of colourful murals and graffiti, and new pieces appear all the time. Some facades even have their own artistic programme. A must-see is the space Le MUR (Modulable, Urban, Reactive) where a different artist paints a new creation every two weeks to cover the previous one. It is located on the corner of Saint-Maur and Oberkampf streets. In addition, many galleries and studios can be found in and around the neighbourhood. And if you feel like soaking up the atmosphere of the neighbourhood, a good initiative would be to let yourself be seduced by the retro atmosphere of the Café Charbon (1863) or go to the rooftop of the Perchoir Ménilmontant, which offers panoramic views of the rooftops of Paris.
3. The Belleville district
Another interesting place worth discovering is Belleville, a multicultural neighbourhood in Paris also known for its large open-air market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, its trendy galleries and, of course, its street art! Lose yourself in the narrow rue Dénoyez, which is completely covered with drawings and graffiti. Finally, enjoy a bit of nature while admiring the art and head to Belleville Park, where you’ll also find walls and columns full of street art frescoes or a beautiful view of Paris.
4. Igor- Stravinsky square
Another option for discovering the art on Parisian walls is the city centre. Mark on your roadmap the Place Igor-Stravinsky, a stone’s throw from the famous Centre Pompidou, where you can see one of the most famous frescoes in the French capital: an imposing 350 square metre work entitled “Chuuuttt !!!”, an enigmatic face of a man inviting silence created in 2011 by Jef Aérosol, one of the pioneers of French street art.
5. Villette Neighbourhood
Numerous artists have chosen the 19th arrondissement to create their street art. There are three main centres of attraction. The first is in rue de L’Ourcq, but the best known are in rue d’Aubervilliers, where you can find the longest fresco in Paris at 493 – a tribute by the artists Kashink, Combo and JonOne to the African-American Rosa Parks – and in the Commune de Pantin, just opposite the Parc de La Villette, with 27 Pantin, a block which is a veritable open-air museum with works by thirty street artists.
Conclusion
Paris, which for the last century has been a reference point for the artistic and literary avant-garde, is also an essential stop in Europe to discover the pictorial expressions that are transforming the streets. Street art is one of the new charms of Paris that is worth exploring.
