48 hours in New Athens

Paris - Île-de-France/2023

La Nouvelle Athènes. For many Parisians and tourists alike, this name remains an enigma. This was not always the case.

In the early 19th century, this lively micro-neighborhood in the 9th arrondissement was the capital's artistic mecca. Renowned writers, actors, musicians and painters laid the foundations of the French Romantic movement. A wind of modernity blew through the area. George Sand, Frédéric Chopin, Ary Scheffer, Gustave Moreau and many others were among those who flocked here. What remains of it today? Is it still an arty landmark? Situated between Pigalle and the Opéra Garnier, on the slopes of the Saint-Georges district, the Nouvelle Athènes contains beautiful traces of its avant-garde past, which still arouse the interest of scholars and young art enthusiasts alike. Yet few know that the district was originally a simple housing estate on the outskirts of the city, which was then booming. On the initiative of Receiver General of Finances Augustin de Lapeyrière, it was built in 1819. Under the guidance of architect Auguste Constantin, the facades of the townhouses took on an antique air, which was fashionable at the time. The artist-historian Adolphe Dureau de La Malle dubbed it the "New Athens" in 1823. New and beautiful, it attracted artists who began to settle here. Among them were Ary Scheffer and Gustave Moreau, whose former studios and residences are now the district's two main attractions. On weekends, you'll need to arrive early to take full advantage of the garden and pretty, shady courtyard of the Musée de la Vie Romantique, the former home of Dutch-born painter Ary Scheffer (1795-1858), built in 1830. Here, the artist entertained the world's elite, including Franz Liszt, Charles Dickens, Gioachino Rossini, Eugène Delacroix and his neighbor George Sand. Sand, along with Alexandre Dumas, Gustave Flaubert and Frédéric Chopin, lived in the Square d'Orléans, which is unfortunately no longer accessible to visitors. Not far from the hustle and bustle of the Grands Boulevards, this little bourgeois-style corner of the countryside now attracts curious minds looking for a little peace and quiet for a gourmet break in the Rose Bakery tea room. Here, in summer, they sit among climbing roses, or in winter, under the shelter of the glass roof. A focal point of Romanticism in its day, the upstairs pavilion houses a collection of works by Ary Scheffer and his contemporaries. The first floor houses paintings and memorabilia by George Sand. Portraits, furniture and jewelry are also on display. The permanent collection is a little dusty, but the dynamic museum offers a fine year-round program of concerts, readings and talked-about exhibitions, such as the one recently devoted to the fashionable artist Françoise Pétrovitch. Another emblematic figure in the area is Gustave Moreau (1826-1898). The French painter, engraver and sculptor settled here in 1852, in a modest house at 14, rue Catherine-de-La-Rochefoucauld. After making the top floor his studio, the precursor of French Symbolism produced much of his work here. Concerned about his posterity, Gustave Moreau asked architect Albert Lafon to transform the family home into a museum in 1895. Today, it's one of the capital's finest small museums, and a source of inspiration for many contemporary artists, including Frédéric Beigbeder, Pierre et Gilles and Clara Luciani, who marveled at the emblematic staircase. You can't eat or drink here, but just cross the street to the BVJ Opéra-Montmartre, 1, rue de la Tour-des-Dames. Proof of the district's vitality, the youth hostel boasts a courtyard adorned with a monumental fresco and a century-old fig tree. It has recently been converted into a chic bar, but remains accessible. Founded in 1948 in a magnificent mansion built by explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, it was the very first in the capital. It still welcomes tourists from all over the world. It was once home to the famous 19th-century actress Mademoiselle Mars. Not surprisingly, Nouvelle Athènes is still surrounded by legendary theaters and venues: the Casino de Paris, the Théâtre de Paris, La Nouvelle Ève and the Théâtre Actuel - La Bruyère. As a result, the area is quite lively in the evenings, and even throughout the weekend. The famous and much-frequented Rue des Martyrs, which starts here, opens its boutiques and trendy food shops on Sundays. Building on its rich past, Nouvelle Athènes contains few galleries worthy of note, but, as dynamic as ever, the district continues to gather a certain elite, notably at the Hôtel Amour, where artists and fashion personalities rub shoulders. It's not for nothing that Soho House, the trendy private club founded by Nick Jones, has set up shop here, in Jean Cocteau's former mansion. B.G.