Saint-Denis

[apres]

Back in 2008 I spent a day in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris- although it's not really that far north, since it's on the metro (line 13 Basilique de Saint-Denis). I don't see an existing thread about Saint-Denis, so I'm making this one

The famous Basilica was beautiful and extremely interesting, but I also had fun just walking around Saint Denis itself. It was a warm, sunny Saturday in April, so lots of people were out and about. I was also lucky enough to encounter a wedding at the city hall, which meant musicians hanging around at one of the cafes in the main square.

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(there was a football game, too!)

I found Saint-Denis to be a very colourful, working class neighbourhood with a lot of families out enjoying the sunshine. Sometimes, especially in some of the side streets, I felt a little self-conscious because the staring from the men (which you can see a bit in the photos) but I got over it quickly. I had a great time walking around.

[nycgirl]

Very nice photos. I really like all the portraits you took. You captured the feel of people enjoying themselves on a lovely sunny afternoon.

[Deleted]

Excellent report, apres, and you are a braver photographer than I, because Saint Denis can indeed be considered to be a "sensitive" area where the locals might question a photographer's motivations.

You got absolutely great shots of the diversity of the city, and I suppose that it should be mentioned that the area has the highest percentage of people of foreign origin in France -- about 60% of the populations are immigrants or whose parents are immigrants.

I think it should also be mentioned that during the period of so-called suburban riots a few years back (actually nights of car burning but no actual rioting), Saint Denis remained completely calm.

[apres]

Thanks guys.

Mostly it was all families and very friendly, but there were some guys along the quieter streets who were a bit gruff. But they were frowning and staring at me anyways, even without the camera. And while I was definitely trying to get photos of the people I saw, I would take all sorts of random pictures at the same time, to make it look like I wasn't deliberately trying to get them (even though I was!)

[Deleted]

That's my technique in such areas, too.

[bixaorellana]

What a delight! Apres, this really felt as though I was right there, and your photos give a great feeling of movement from place to place. I love the hint of "foreignness" that runs through the thread, teamed with such "classically French" shots such as the men sitting at the cafe table in the shade.

So many areas for pedestrians -- nice!

[bjd]

Definitely not Woody Allen's Paris!

It's great that you are showing that there is more than the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysées.

[mich64]

Enjoyed looking at all the photos. So many interesting portraits of family fun and colorful surroundings even in such an urban setting.

Cheers,
Mich

[lagatta]

Oh, I loved this thread! I think I may have posted a pic or two of St-Denis a while back, though it might have been on another travel board.

I also really like the ambiance in the centre of St-Denis - remember that there is also a major university campus in the town, Paris VIII, and it is known for its openness to "mature" students (still somewhat the exception in France, compared with other developed countries). St-Denis also has a beautiful public market building, similar to those in Les Halles in Paris (we've seen one in the gardens of desolation thread) fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Marché_de_Saint-Denis_93.jpg being restored in this photo.

It is very multi-cultural indeed - not just the former French colonies of North and West Africa, and Southeast Asia.

[apres]

Thanks everyone!

Saint Denis is certainly a change of scene from central Paris- it's always interesting to see places outside of the usual tourist bubble. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the town, as most of what I had read about it beforehand was negative (dangerous, seedy, etc.). I wouldn't want to walk alone on the side streets late at night, but a daytime walk after a visit to the basilica is certainly fine.

And I should say the basilica itself is amazing- beautiful Gothic architecture and stained glassed windows, and the effigies of the French monarchs in the crypt are fascinating.

A lot of my inside shots didn't turn out very well because I'm not a photographer and I have a cheap camera, but they might give an idea of what the basilica is like, at least. And also how devoid it was of tourists!

[apres]

I was especially fascinated by the graffiti on some of the statues.

[ssander]

Great photos...

The Basilica is one of our favorite places to visit...even better, imho, than Notre Dame. Maybe we've just been lucky, but it has never been crowded on our visits, so it gives a very mystical experience -- also caused by the fact that the light comes in beautifully.

SS