Place Saint-Blaise, Pedestrian zone in the 20th arrondissement, Paris
Place Saint-Blaise is a small paved pedestrian zone in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, set within the old village of Charonne and framed by low stone buildings and the church of Saint-Germain-de-Charonne. The space is elongated rather than wide, with cobblestones underfoot and narrow passageways leading off toward nearby lanes.
The square was originally called Place de la Mairie because it served as the center of the independent village of Charonne, which was absorbed into Paris only in 1860. It was renamed Place Saint-Blaise in 1867, taking its name from a small chapel dedicated to Saint Blaise that stood within the nearby church.
Place Saint-Blaise sits at the heart of what was once the village of Charonne, and the cobblestones underfoot and low surrounding buildings still give the feel of a neighborhood that never fully became urban. Locals stop here on their way to or from the nearby church, especially on weekends, giving the square a quiet but regular rhythm of daily life.
The square is a pedestrian zone and easy to reach on foot from the surrounding streets of the 20th arrondissement. It is best visited during the day, when the nearby church and lanes are accessible and the area is at its most lively.
Right beside the square stands one of the last churchyards in Paris that remains attached to its church, a layout that was once common across the city. Most such burial grounds were moved outside Paris during the 19th century, but this one stayed in place.
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