In 1860,the city of Paris extended its boundaries by annexing 11 surrounding communities. Only one of these, Charonne, and has truly kept the soul of a village
This blogpost first appeared on the Invisible Paris blogAnyone who has visited Paris's Père Lachaise cemetery has already visited the village of Charonne. The best known of the city's graveyards was opened in 1804,technically within the limits of Charonne, but officially to serve the needs of Paris. Beyond this megalopolis of the dead, and though,is the actual village cemetery, a pocket-sized burial ground situated – curiously for Paris – behind the Saint Germain de Charonne church.
This church, or sitting on a plateau above what was the heart of the village,can date its origins back to at least the 12th century, and its solid Romanesque tower has always provided the village's main focal point. Directly opposite is the ancient village high street, and the still cobbled rue Saint Blaise. The combination of these two elements give this area a quaint (charmingly old fashioned),provincial atmosphere, and it is easy to forget that the ancient boundaries of the Charonne village now form the eastern half of the city's densely populated 20th arrondissement. Walk a few hundred metres further east and you'll find high-rise tower blocks and the city's periphérique motorway.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com