Beaubourg, the Marais and Bastille
France > Paris > Beaubourg
The Pompidou Centre, or Beaubourg, as it's known locally, lies a few blocks away from Les Halles across boulevard Sébastopol. Built in the 1970s and hailed for its groundbreaking architecture, the Pompidou remains an enduring, popular focus for the surrounding quartier Beaubourg, with its art galleries, cafés and crowded pavements.To the east lies the Marais, one of the loveliest areas of central Paris and perfect for wandering; no major thoroughfares disturb the aristocratic mansions (many now housing museums and galleries), medieval lanes, Jewish quarter and plethora of small, appealing restaurants, shops, cafés and bars. The Bastille used to belong in spirit and in style to the working-class districts of eastern Paris. Since the construction of the new opera house, however, it has become a magnet for artists and young people who have brought with them an energetic nightlife, making this very much one of Paris's central hotspots.
Pages in section ‘Beaubourg’: Pompidou Centre, Beaubourg, Marais, Bastille.
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