Much less touristy and congested than other Parisian villages such as Montmartre or Mouffetard, La Butte aux Cailles extends on a gently sloping hill immediately west of place d'Italie. Wandering its cobblestoned streets bordered by low-rise buildings, you'll feel teletransported to another era in rural France. Its main thoroughfare is rue de la Butte aux Cailles, lined with numerous laid-back bars, shops and restaurants, but all the adjacent streets are well worth a gander, as is the super relaxing Jardin Brassaï.
A few bijou streets to stroll include passage Boiton, rue des Cinq Diamants, rue Samson, rue Alphand, passage Sigaud, passage Barrault and rue Michal, as well as the adorable rue Daviel with the Petite Alsace (Little Alsace) enclave, complete with brick and timbered houses, and Villa Daviel, which is lined with superb houses and gardens.