Looking for hours, the price of the column tour and every way in? It is all in our page Bastille: square, July Column, neighborhood and access. This guide tells the story of the neighborhood around the square.
A neighborhood born of a fortress and of craftsmanship
The Bastille is first of all a symbol: the storming of the fortress on 14 July 1789 made the square a political gathering place, and Parisians still use it for parades and demonstrations. Our guide to 14 July in Paris explains how the national holiday ties in with it.
Just to the east, the faubourg Saint-Antoine has for centuries been the district of furniture and woodworking craftsmen. Cobbled courtyards and passages open to the street still survive from that tradition, where you can make out former workshops. As soon as you leave rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine and step into one of these courtyards, the traffic noise disappears.
The walk, step by step
- The square and the July Column: leave the Bastille metro station and walk around the column, then look for the bronze studs that trace the outline of the fortress.
- The Opéra Bastille: cross the square to the forecourt. See our page Opéra Bastille for the backstage tour and performances.
- The Arsenal harbor: head south to the basin, follow the quays and the garden, then come back up via boulevard de la Bastille.
- The faubourg Saint-Antoine: walk along rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine and push open the doors of the courtyards and passages that are open, such as the cour du Bel-Air or the passage du Cheval-Blanc.
- Rue de Lappe and rue de la Roquette: return toward the square and take rue de Lappe, then rue de la Roquette, for an aperitif.
- Possible extension: the Coulée verte on foot starts from avenue Daumesnil, and the Marais begins a few minutes' walk to the west.
| Stop | Where | Best time |
|---|---|---|
| Square and July Column | Place de la Bastille | All day |
| Bastille market | Boulevard Richard-Lenoir | Thursday and Sunday morning |
| Arsenal harbor | South of the square | Morning or late afternoon |
| Rue de Lappe and rue de la Roquette | North-east of the square | Evening, especially at weekends |
The market, the Arsenal and the Coulée verte
The Bastille market stretches along boulevard Richard-Lenoir, under which the Canal Saint-Martin runs underground along this stretch of its course. Further south, the Arsenal harbor is where the canal joins the Seine; for the rest of its route, see our guide to the Canal Saint-Martin.
The Coulée verte starts above the Viaduc des Arts, where art-and-craft workshops occupy the stone arches. You climb up by stairs, and there is a lift at some entrances, though not always in service. For bargain hunters, the Aligre market in the 12th arrondissement is about ten minutes' walk away along rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine; see our guide to flea markets and brocantes.
Where to eat and drink
The neighborhood has many restaurants but few long-established houses. A few places that have been around for a long time are worth naming:
- Le Balajo (9 rue de Lappe): a dance hall that opened in 1936, heir to the bals musette that made the street's reputation; people still dance there, and the program varies from night to night.
- Bofinger (5-7 rue de la Bastille): an Alsatian brasserie founded in 1864, known for its large early-20th-century glass dome.
- Le Train Bleu (Gare de Lyon): a restaurant opened in 1901 in a monumental decor of paintings and gilding, a quarter of an hour's walk from the square.
For the rest, rely on the terraces of rue de la Roquette and rue de Charonne, and look at the menus before sitting down. Our page on tourist traps gives the useful reflexes. To carry on into the night, see Paris at night.
Getting there and when to go
Bastille station is served by metro lines 1, 5 and 8. Ledru-Rollin (line 8), Bréguet-Sabin (line 5) and Chemin Vert (line 8) give other ways into the neighborhood. For the network map, see our guide to the metro and RER. Gare de Lyon (lines 1 and 14, RER A and D) is about a quarter of an hour's walk away.
Come on Sunday morning for the market, at the end of the day for the light on the column, and in the evening for the atmosphere. Avoid demonstration days if you want calm: the square is a traditional venue for them.
Going further
To the south-east, the Bercy district and its restored wine warehouses can be reached on foot or by metro: see our Bercy guide. To the north-east, the Père-Lachaise cemetery is within walking distance up rue de la Roquette.
