A romantic walk through the "New Athens" district

Did you know that to get from our hotel to Athens, you only need... to walk 10 minutes ! On a more serious note, there's a very pretty district of the capital called "New Athens", and it's far too good to pass up ! 

Located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, New Athens forms a triangle between the rue de Châteaudun in the south, the place Saint-Georges to the east, the rue Blanche to the west and the place Blanche in the north. The district takes its name from the architectural style of its mansions and majestic houses, inspired by ancient Greece and featuring the columns, friezes and pediments so dear to Hellenic architecture.

When it was built in the early 19th century, the district attracted many artists, including painters Eugène Delacroix, Gustave Moreau and Claude Monet, and writers George Sand, Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo. They spearheaded the Romantic movement and made the faubourg the heart of the capital's cultural and intellectual life at that time. The Musée de la Vie Romantique, which we have already mentioned on this site, is located on rue Chaptal.

In addition to this museum, here is a short list of places to discover in the New Athens district during your visit: 

• Orleans Square (pictured above) and its inner courtyard with a magnificent fountain. The musician Frédéric Chopin lived in one of the buildings on the square. 
• Place Saint-Georges
• The Gustave Moreau Museum, housed in the family home of the famous painter.
• The town houses in the rue de la Tour-des-Dames
• Square Alex Biscarre
   

Practicalities : 
Metro Blanche (line 2), Pigalle (lines 2 and 12), Notre-Dame-de-Lorette (line 12) or Trinité d'Estienne d'Orves (line 12)
Bus 26 or 43 stop Saint-Georges - Châteaudun

Photos Amandine Goetz