Saint-Denis -- kings and proletarians

A town on Paris's northern fringe

that reveals contrasts of modern France

France's kings rest in this 12th-century church.

For more information, please CLICK "Saint-Denis" in

http://www.privileged-entries.org/english/daytime-suggestions/celebrated-sites.html

When streets are winding, they follow venerable paths.

Avenue de la République, once the trade and pilgrimage route that passed through Paris.

Painting of Saint-Denis toward 1900, in the City museum

Nineteenth-century industrialization engulfed the town that 
had been at the heart of monarchy.

City Hall, Communist bastion since the 1920's

U.S. teenager: "When you said 'Communist' I freaked out."

C.A. "I knew that would make you listen!" 

Most visitors are surprised to learn that Saint-Denis

is the most important Communist municipality in France.

They want to know what that means. The difference I see:

it does more for residents. For example, here are games 

for kids and families in front of City Hall.

Colorful store for cheap clothing

The town's most visible aspect is the large number of
immigrants and colorful stores with very cheap wares.

Near the museum, but independent of it

The City, however, sponsors a shop for hand-made copies

of medieval wares (I bought cup copied from a Merovingian
original).

Stencils are a specifically French form of urban art. The artist,
"Nemo", has become well-known.

The town does not have the grim look of the
turn-of-the-19th-century painting shown above. The
Avenue de la République and the three-
times-a-week market seem vibrant, not sad. And the
building that this huge mural decorates is on a street
that harbors the museum, the crafts store shown above,

a very good wine shop in a restored 17th-century

building, an airy Muslim bookstore (directly across

from the wine shop, which suggests tolerance on

both sides) and "chez Rochette", an inexpensive, cheerful

restaurant whose home-cooking is outstanding.

Saint-Denis gives an impression of activity, variety and

good cheer.

Concert for handicapped people in Africa

The town seems to encourage humanitarian projects. I have not seen a similar poster elsewhere.

Classical music within the church, modern music outside it.

"Night life" is absent here, because it is so easy to take the metro into Paris. On the other hand, the annual music festival (classical, jazz, slam...) is excellent and free of charge.