S'amuser bien à Belleville

I liked the bar the minute we stepped in, but then I saw this tabletop and knew this was the place for me.

We had been in Paris for a few days - had climbed to the top of Notre Dame, had eaten falafel in the Marais, had strolled along the Seine. As wonderful as all of that was, we were in the mood for something different. So we went to the melting pot neighborhood of Belleville.

It was late afternoon and we had spent most of the day at Pere Lachaise, wandering through the beautiful old cemetery until our feet were sore. Coming out of the Metro station onto Belleville Avenue we were immediately bombarded by the sounds, sights and smells of an Asian city. It was chaotic and crowded and everyone was moving at a much quicker pace than we were. We wandered several blocks and found some great looking Chinese restaurants, but it was way too early to eat. Besides, we needed a little quiet time.

There was a bar not far from the station. It looked much like any Parisian bar, with rows of tiny tables spilling out of its storefront, each facing the street. And each table was filled with people drinking, chatting, relaxing and being French. Only these French people were were a little different - a mix of race, wealth, age and vocation - than those we had seen near the Louvre, or the Champs Elysees. This was a bit edgier and I liked it immediately.

This was Bar Aux Folies. When we arrived it was empty inside, so we grabbed a great spot in the corner (the one with the Che/Elvis - Marissa says "Chelvis" - table). Within 30 minutes even inside was packed, and everyone was happy and having a perfect French evening. I love finding a place where everyone around you is different, interesting and maybe even a little unpredictable, and yet you are made to feel comfortable and even a little bit at home.

So we played a round of Pass the Pigs, (a great game for hanging around, drinking beer) until it was time to head out for a little Chinese food. As we walked out into the cooling Paris night, I missed the place immediately.