ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD . . .

The Ninth wins the prize for the most diverse district in the city of Paris. It stretches from the foot of Montmartre, made famous by the presence of famous artists from Toulouse-Lautrec to Picasso, to the seedy but gentrifying Pigalle area to Boulevard Hausmann, home of the stately department stores, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. Other landmarks include the Palais Garnier, home to the Paris Opera. All these centers of activity make the Ninth a bustling area even on weekends and late nights when other parts of Paris slow down considerably. Lower rents have attracted young people and artists to the district, setting off an explosion of hip little restaurants, hamburger joints and wine bars. Despite the upgrade, Pigalle has not completely escaped its reputation as a pleasure district with its cabarets, theaters and sex shops. For ordinary people who live there, rue des Martyrs is one of the most authentic of the shopping streets, crowded with shops selling cheese, wine, fruit and vegetables, bread and pastry, Corsican products, books and jewelry.