The Area

This is the Grands Boulevards area of Paris with its stunning
Haussmann buildings as well as the wonderful Grands Magasins of
Galeries Lafayettes and Printemps. It is a lively, diverse area which
plays host to typical working "Parisiens", shoppers, bankers, lawyers
as well as tourists. Famous past residents of the area include writer
Alexander Dumas, composer Hector Berlioz, film director Francois
Truffaut, and painters Edgar Degas and Henri Toulouse Lautrec.

Rue de Bellefond is named after Madame de Bellefond who was abbess of
Montmartre in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The quiet
cobblestone street sits 12 meters above rue Pierre Semard and
straddles it by means of a bridge. By descending the 80 steps or so
from the bridge, you can reach one of the prettiest green areas in the
9th district, Square Montholon. The Sacre Couer basilica and the
picturesque streets of Montmartre are also within easy walking distance.

There is a bakery at the end of the street, less than a minute away on
foot. There are also plenty of neighbourhood shops close by and of
course food markets within walking distance at Anvers and Cadet. Rue
des Martyrs, one of the best gastronomical experiences in Paris, is
just over a five minute walk away. With five boucheries, a couple of
charcuteries, three fromageries, two wine shops, several boulangeries
and a few pâtissieries, it's almost impossible to return home
empty-handed.

Location

The metro stop "Poissonniere" is almost on the doorstep, just at the
end of the street and less than a minute's walk away. From there on
the 7 line, it's just three stops to the Opera and the most famous
department stores in Paris, with the Louvre and Pont Neuf just a few
stops further. There are also some excellent bus routes on rue La Fayette.

Gare du Nord is just over a five minute walk away so if you've had
enough of Paris, you might consider taking the 2 ½ hour trip on the
Eurostar to London for lunch. Brussels is only 1 hour 20 minutes away.

To travel to Charles de Gaulle airport, both the train from Gare Du
Nord and the Roissy bus from the Opera are easily accessible.