#05 Butte Aux Cailles & Maison Blanche

About the Butte aux Cailles Tour

Butte aux Cailles is a small hill, out of the tourist path and the car traffic. To our greatest pleasure, it kept an older village feel conferred by its architecture dating from more than a century.

Once a Residential Working Class Area

In the early 19th century, the neighborhood hosts the workers of tanneries or dye houses taking advantage of la Bièvre, a former nearby river.

Despite the integration to Paris during the major urban planning works of Haussmann in 1860, the burying of the unsanitary river and the end of the related industries, the aspect of Butte aux Cailles stayed relatively unchanged since.

Butte aux Cailles, a Synonym of Resistance

Similarly to Belleville, this neighborhood was branded with a red-hot iron by the tragic events of the civil war during la Commune in 1871 and kept a radical and supportive spirit until then.

Maison Blanche, a Serene Neighbor

At a few steps away, Maison Blanche is another secluded area with a working-class past, equally spared by Haussmann. It displays rows of beautiful detached houses and flowery alleys which were initially built for the factory workers.

The Butte aux Cailles & Maison Blanche Tour

On this tour, we’ll soak up the atmosphere of the district as we stroll through the cobbled streets, admiring the ornate houses and the many artistic collages and murals.

We’ll discuss the reasons why these districts have survived nearly a century and a half without changing much, and learn more about the milestones and curiosities specific to these neighborhoods. Keywords: precious water, monkeys.. and a balloon!

Along the way, we’ll enjoy the very local vibe of the cafés that dot the route and are the soul of the neighborhood.

Options

An extended 4-hour version can include a meal together in a local bistro at the end of the tour.