Rue Crémieux

Just a few minutes' walk from the Gare de Lyon, Rue Crémieux is a private street (technically a passage) that has become one of Paris's most-photographed locations. Each of the narrow townhouses along this 120-meter cobblestoned lane has been painted a different color: mint green, coral pink, pale yellow, lavender. The effect is remarkably cheerful and entirely unexpected in this otherwise conventional neighborhood.

Residents have asked that visitors keep noise levels down and avoid photographing their windows, particularly on weekday mornings. The best light is in the morning before 10am. The street is sometimes closed to non-residents on weekends due to overcrowding — arriving early or visiting on a weekday morning gives you a better chance of finding it peaceful.