Belleville is located in northeastern Paris, on the border of the 10th, 11th, 19th, and 20th arrondissements. It is a neighborhood full of character – multicultural, diverse, and home to immigrants, artists, and working-class communities. It is known for its authentic atmosphere, narrow streets, colorful markets, and lively urban scenery.
Until the 19th century, Belleville was an independent town outside the city walls of Paris, filled with vineyards, workshops, and laborers. In the 1960s and 1970s, immigrants from North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia settled in the area, turning it into one of the most culturally and socially diverse neighborhoods in the city.
Today, Belleville is a neighborhood “in transition.” On one hand, it retains its multicultural authenticity, colorful markets, and long-time communities. On the other hand, it experiences gentrification, with trendy cafés, art galleries, young professionals, and students. This tension makes it an ideal place for street art – an art form that lives on the border between rebellion and tradition, protest and beauty.
Main Streets of Belleville
Visitors looking for graffiti and murals should know these key streets:
• Rue Denoyez – the most famous street in the neighborhood for street art.
• Rue de Belleville – the main street with shops, North African and Asian restaurants, and street art.
• Boulevard de Belleville – a main road connecting Belleville with Ménilmontant, home to both a famous market and street art.
Additional streets not to be missed: Rue des Cascades, Rue Julien Lacroix, Rue des Envierges, Rue de Ménilmontant, Rue Oberkampf.
To discover more locations, explore the Paris street art map, where you can find the main spots and see what to visit, photograph, or draw inspiration from.
The Spirit of Street Art in Belleville
Street art in Belleville is different from other parts of Paris. It is less planned and more alive and ever-changing. Murals are replaced, walls are repainted, and the streets are always in motion. The subjects vary – politics, identity, freedom, childhood, love, protest. Artists mix techniques: stencil, mosaic, mural painting, paste-up, and creative combinations. The atmosphere feels communal, giving the sense that art belongs to everyone, not just the artists.
Belleville has become home to many street artists, and here are a few of their reflections on the neighborhood:
Seth (Julien Malland), known for his colorful paintings of children, has several works in Belleville. As he says:
“Belleville reminds me of childhood – a place where cultures meet, collide, but always build something new.”
C215 (Christian Guémy), one of the world’s leading stencil artists, has created many portraits here.
“Here I find real faces. The people of Belleville – immigrants, artists, children – they are my inspiration.”
Jérôme Mesnager:
“Belleville is my open studio. The streets here welcome my paintings with love, as if they are part of everyday life.”
Visiting Belleville
Belleville is a perfect destination for a self-guided street art walk. Start on Rue Denoyez, continue along Rue des Cascades and the nearby side streets, and finish at Parc de Belleville, where you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the entire city. Along the way, you’ll pass by small cafés, authentic Asian restaurants, spice shops, and street markets – all part of the cultural experience that defines the neighborhood.
Street art in Belleville is more than art – it is a reflection of the local community. Immigrants, students, artists, and families together create a rich human mosaic. Artists from all over the world come here because Belleville offers a free, open, and accessible creative platform. As artist Fred le Chevalier summed up:
“In this neighborhood, the heart of Paris beats to a different rhythm. Here you can dream out loud and paint that dream on the walls.”
A Living Laboratory of Urban Art
Belleville is much more than a neighborhood – it is a living laboratory for street art. The colorful streets, the meeting of cultures, and the vibrant energy of its residents make it one of the most fascinating areas in Paris. A visit to Belleville is a journey into the city’s creative spirit – a journey where the walls speak, the figures look back at you, and every painting is an invitation to think, feel, and dream.
Among the artists whose works appear in the series of posts on street art and graffiti in Paris: SETH (Julien Malland), C215 (Christian Guémy), Vhils (Alexandre Farto), KASHINK (Maëva Martinez), Vale_Stencil (Valérian Lenud), The Pop Suréalist, The End of Animals (THE END), L’Empreinte Jo V (La Dactylo), IPDO (I Pixel di Oplontis), Mathieu 1976 (Mathieu Dussaucy), DJERADI LUDOVIC (Ludovic Djeradi), JR, Invader, Miss.Tic, Jef Aérosol, Blek Le Rat, Speedy Graphito, Hopare, Astro, Ardif, Ludo, Levalet (Charles Leval), Jo Di Bona, Monsieur Chat (Thoma Vuille), Zevs, Combo CK (Combo Culture Kidnapper), Alëxone Dizac, Tilt, Lek & Sowat, L’Atlas, Romain Froquet, Philippe Baudelocque, Jérôme Mesnager, Vinie Graffiti, Kalouf, Maye, A-MO, Clet Abraham, OakOak, Ender, Mosko et Associés, Codex Urbanus, Ella & Pitr, Dourone, Shaka (Marchal Mithouard), Raphael Federici, Pboy, Sismikazot, Kurar, Gregos, Tarek, Jace, Nasty, Doudou Style, FKDL, RNST, Zepha, Jerk 45, Onemizer, Bault, Polar Bear, Céz Art, Guy Denning, SP38, Zeer, Dume, Tanc, Kaldea, Antistatik, Reso, Woizo, MadC, Jober, Abys, Guaté Mao, Psyckoze, MonkeyBird Crew, Mantra, Aude Villerouge, Loraine Motti, Jean Faucheur, Jibé, Bom.K, Gris1, Aéro, JBC, Le MoDuLe De ZeeR, D*Face, Shepard Fairey, Banksy, 2Shy, Aroe, Babs, Bates, Brusk, Can2, Case Maclaim, Chanoir, Create, Darco, Dize, Gyz, Insane 51, Jaba, Jonone, Katre, Marko 93, Noé2One Mizer, Pro176, Remio, Schuck2, Snake, T-Kid, Tony Noel, Vision, Zenoy
Street Art in Le Marais Paris
Street Art Along Canal de l’Ourcq
LUDOVIC – Urban Chaos
Mathieu 1976 – Angels in Paris
IPDO – The Smurfs on the Wall
The Women of L’Empreinte Jo V
The Pop Suréalist
KASHINK – Paris’ Female Voice
Spot 13 – Paris
La Promenade Plantée – Paris
Street Art Avenue Paris
Street Art in Montmartre
The Giant Mural Project in Paris
THE END OF ANIMALS
The Belleville Character
VHILS – Carved in Stone
59 Rivoli – Alternative Art in Paris
The Children of SETH
Vale_Stencil – Colorful Stencil Art


