Maurice-Chevalier square, Pedestrian zone in Belleville, Paris, France
Place Maurice-Chevalier is a small pedestrian zone in the Belleville neighborhood of Paris's 20th arrondissement, roughly 14 meters (46 ft) wide and 32 meters (105 ft) long. The paved space is lined with residential buildings and includes benches, a few trees, and a Wallace fountain.
The square was created around 1975 as part of a reorganization of nearby streets, including sections of Rue Étienne-Dolet and a former dead-end alley called Liban. In 1978, it was officially named after Maurice Chevalier in honor of the entertainer born in the surrounding neighborhood.
The square takes its name from singer and actor Maurice Chevalier, who was born just a short walk away in Ménilmontant. Each summer, the Ciné Ménilmontant festival turns the space into an open-air venue for film screenings, debates, and small concerts.
The square is within easy walking distance of the Ménilmontant metro station on line 2, making it simple to reach on foot. Walking the surrounding streets gives a good sense of the broader Belleville neighborhood.
Although the square honors Maurice Chevalier, there is no statue or memorial plaque dedicated to him on the site. The Wallace fountain here was originally funded in the 19th century by a British philanthropist named Richard Wallace, whose name is far better known in France than in his home country.
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