If you do an internet search for “the coolest,” “the most hipster,” or “the poshest” neighborhoods of Paris, Alésia will surely not appear on the list. “Is it too far out?” one tourist inquires before making a reservation there. But Alésia holds delights for unsuspecting visitors. Article by Cathy Yandell for Secrets of Paris.
In this Article
The History
The name “Alésia,” a street, neighborhood, intersection, and metro stop in the 14th arrondissement, commemorates the site of a shattering Gallic defeat by the Romans in Burgundy. All the other battles highlighted in Parisian metros and streets seem to be victories (think Austerlitz, Iéna, Fleurus, Wagram, Ulm …). Why choose a name commemorating defeat? I can’t answer that question, but one whimsical idea comes to mind: to keep the tourists away from this irresistible neighborhood. In all the streets radiating out from the multi-point intersection, discoveries abound.
The Charms
Eglise Saint-Pierre-de-Montrouge
You might hear it before you see it — the bells of Saint-Pierre-de-Montrouge (82 Avenue du Général Leclerc) mark every hour and resound lengthily ten minutes before each mass (three a day!). Built in the mid-nineteenth century, it looks at first glance like a nondescript Neo-Romanesque church with semi-domed chapels. But if you step inside, surprises await. Above the altar (decked by 19th-century chandeliers) stands a marble ciborium (pictured), a kind of canopy that stood atop Byzantine tombs. The gold-surrounded Christ figure on the ceiling of the Virgin Chapel stuns by its brilliance. Saint-Pierre is possibly the most eclectic church in all of Paris, with elements from various times and cultures, from paleo-Christian times to the 21st century. Welcome to a mixture of France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey! It is a visual treat.
The Cafés of the Place d’Alésia
The cafés on the Place d’Alésia seem to call out to passers-by, depending on the time of day, the sun, and the temperature, since Zeyer faces southeast and Le Bouquet d’Alésia faces northwest. They both have those oh-so-Parisian wicker-looking chairs, and both welcome lively crowds depending on the time of day. Le Bouquet’s (75 Avenue du Général Leclerc) claim to fame seems to be its ample imitation wisteria draped above the terrace. Le Zeyer (62 Rue d’Alésia) has a happy hour from 4 to 8pm every day, with the ever-popular Apérol Spritzes and Mojitos at €5.50 a glass. Both cafés are glorious outposts for people-watching at any time of the day or evening.
For Cheese Lovers
The Fromagerie P. Boursault (71 Avenue du Général Leclerc) is another merveille. While I have been wowed by other cheese shops in Paris (notably in the rue Montorgueil and around Montparnasse), I have never found a more spectacular one than this. Every piece of cheese is a curated jewel, each aged to perfection. The Saint Marcellin and the Beaufort are to die for, and the vendeurs Fasile and Emilie (pictured) will kindly explain the difference between St Marcellin and St Lucien (and all kinds of other cheese information) if you’re so inclined. The manager, Yann, tells me that this little shop (under different names) has been selling cheese for over a hundred years. In 1952 it belonged to Pierre Boursault, one of the creators (along with his cousin Henri) of the renowned “triple cream” Boursault cheese. It was also where the world-famous Maître Fromager Roland Barthélemy first apprenticed as a young man before opening his first cheese shop.
The Finds: Déstockages
Alésia was once known for its déstockages (clearance stores), and vestiges of those days are still present in several streets radiating out from the Place: dresses can be had for €10, skirts for €5, even shorts for €3. There seem to be styles for everyone! Also worth checking out are the half-price “grandes marques” (leading brands) in the Rue d’Alésia and on the Avenue du Général Leclerc.
Some Addresses
- Stock Rodier, 82 rue d’Alésia
- Évolutif, 109 rue d’Alésia (for men)
- Stock Ober Jeans, 111 bis, rue d’Alésia
- Eco’ Outlet, 137 rue d’Alésia
- Stock Market 120 bis, avenue du Général Leclerc
Nearby Nature: Parc Montsouris
The inimitable Parc Montsouris is less than a 15-minute walk from Alésia (48 Avenue Reille or Metro Cité Universitaire). Those who have seen Agnès Varda’s New Wave classic, Cléo from 5 to 7, will immediately recognize the romantic tenor of the hilly paths and the waterfall. The lower part of the park features a lake with an island (artificial but lovely), graced with authentic black swans. The steps made of wood — or rather, concrete fashioned to look like wood — remain a nostalgic reminder of late 19th and early 20th centuries’ nature-fashioning, as in the Buttes-Chaumont and the Vincennes Zoo.
When I visited the Parc most recently in the late afternoon, it was a fabulous sight. While the regulations in small print at the entry to the park explicitly forbid alcohol, a young couple sitting on the grass was clearly enjoying a picnic with a bottle of rosé and two glasses perched in the middle of their blanket. Little groups of friends, families, and lovers of various backgrounds dotted the grassy hillsides. If you visited Paris a few decades ago, you may remember the signs in all the parks of Paris, “PELOUSE INTERDITE” (literally “grass forbidden,” but a more precise translation might be: “Don’t even think of putting a toe on the grass, or a policeman will blow his whistle and sternly shoo you away”). Given this history, the sight of young and old lounging, laughing, reading, picnicking, sleeping, and playing in the grass is a joyous revenge.
With all these treasures and pleasures to be uncovered, “Alésia vaut le détour”: this little-known neighborhood is certainly worth an exploration.
About the Author & Bonus Video
Cathy Yandell is the author of The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World (2023). Secrets of Paris Community Members can watch Heather’s interview with Cathy about her book and her experiences living in France throughout several decades of her life.