Passage Boiton, Living street in the 13th arrondissement, Paris, France
Passage Boiton is a narrow alley in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, running through the Butte-aux-Cailles area from the rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles down to the rue Bernard-Martin with a gentle slope. The passage is lined with low-rise buildings, some of which hide small courtyards or gardens behind their facades.
The area around Butte-aux-Cailles was once farmland worked by millers and farmers before it was absorbed into Paris around 1860. The ground beneath the street was hollowed out by old quarry works, which limited construction to low, modest buildings from the start.
The name of this alley comes from a former property owner who lived in the Butte-aux-Cailles area, giving it a direct link to the families who once shaped the neighborhood. Some walls along the passage carry graffiti and painted murals left by residents over the years.
The nearest metro station is Corvisart on line 6, just a short walk away, making the alley easy to reach from the center of Paris. The street has a gentle downhill slope, which is comfortable to walk but worth keeping in mind if you have mobility difficulties.
Part of the 1970 French film Dernier Domicile Connu was shot in this alley, making it a quiet backdrop in French cinema history that most passersby know nothing about. There is no sign or plaque marking this connection, so the detail goes unnoticed by almost everyone who walks through.
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