Le Petit Ney: a focal point of neighbourhood life
Paris 18e
The 18th arrondissement was created in the area covered by Montmartre and La Chapelle, two of the very old parishes on the outskirts of Paris that became municipalities in 1790. On 1 January 1860, they were replaced by the 18th arrondissement, one of the biggest by area (600 hectares) and today one of the most densely populated, with 210,000 inhabitants. It is made up of four districts: Grandes Carrières, Clignancourt, La Goutte d'Or and La Chapelle.
The Clignancourt district, now called Porte de Montmartre ? Porte de Clignancourt, is situated between the Boulevard périphérique ring road and the Boulevards des Maréchaux and is mainly made up of red-brick buildings, the vestiges of the cheap dwellings that were the precursors of today's social housing for low-income working class households in the capital. Classified in 1995 as an area to benefit under the "Politique de la ville" urban renewal policy, the district is experiencing certain difficulties with regard to its socio-economic, cultural and educational situation.
The term "Politique de la ville", which refers to urban renewal policy, should not be confused with the general policy of the City of Paris. It concerns a specific scheme to rehabilitate certain districts that are experiencing difficulties from the point of view of housing or their socio-economic, educational, cultural or environmental situation.
The 18th arrondissement has three districts covered by the "Politique de la ville" policy in the north and east of the arrondissement: Porte Montmartre - Porte de Clignancourt; Goutte d'Or; and la Chapelle - Porte d'Aubervilliers. Their situation justifies their benefiting from additional human and financial resources as well as from the joint efforts of the various players: the state, the city and the arrondissement, the region, public institutions and services, associations and the inhabitants, as well as businesses.
The challenge is considerable: the aim is the social and urban rehabilitation of areas that have been neglected for a very long time and are regarded as being on the social margins of the city.
(French source: www.mairie18.paris.fr)
In 1994, a number of inhabitants of the district joined forces to publish a monthly newspaper, Le Petit Ney, which was sold for the modest sum of 2 francs, which was just enough to cover the printing costs. The publication quickly gained popularity and played an important role in the establishment of contacts: the search for information encouraged the amateur reporters to take an interest in the various activities and events and approach the inhabitants of the district.
When the district was designated a beneficiary under the "Politique de la ville" scheme, the association, in the hope of receiving grants, wanted to develop these contacts by establishing itself in a particular location. The members submitted a plan to the City of Paris for a publicly subsidised neighbourhood café (café associatif). They wished to receive financial support while at the same time holding on to the inhabitants' right to manage the location themselves. This was in fact difficult to achieve as the Paris City Council was used to retaining the right to make decisions and take action on projects drawn up in the "Politique de la ville" context. Three years of negotiations and of efforts to fine-tune the project finally resulted in March 1999 in the opening of the subsidised neighbourhood café Le Petit Ney in the Avenue de la Porte de Montmartre.
Its purpose being primarily cultural, Le Petit Ney quickly became a district focal point where people could have something to eat at midday, participate in various workshops and enjoy the events held at weekends.
Le Petit Ney: a meeting-point and place of activity that fosters social contacts through culture, creates jobs and raises awareness of the need for sustainable consumption
The location, like the newspaper, is managed by the association of the district's inhabitants. While everyone was previously involved on a voluntary basis, Le Petit Ney now employs seven staff. It opens from Tuesday to Sunday and provides a family lunch service. The kitchen obtains its supplies exclusively from local traders, and the drinks are of fair-trade origin (Le Petit Ney does not serve any alcohol). The café also recently created an area for selling fair-trade products.
Various cultural events take place at weekends. The programme includes reading evenings, theatre performances and concerts and is in most cases open to everyone, sometimes for a small entry fee. Regular activities are organised by the local residents: the monthly meeting of the editorial board of the Le Petit Ney newspaper is open to all, and a play area with games for all ages is available every day during opening hours (children must be accompanied by an adult). Several workshops are on offer, the programme depending on the availability of the people who run them and on public demand. Examples are: Books are good for babies! (an activity aimed at the very young and their parents), Story time for children (reading of books to children aged 4 to 12), the Writing workshop, Slam music and open stage, the Sewing and fashion design workshop, and the Cooking workshop.
The location has thus become an essential meeting-point: groups of inhabitants or associations with a need to meet can do so at the café, which opens its doors to everyone. It is frequented by about 5,000 people a year, most of them inhabitants of the district, who keep the café alive during the week and whose numbers are bolstered at weekends by the devotees who come from all four corners of the Paris region to enjoy the events taking place.
Le Petit Ney has thus found its true vocation, which is to create inter-generational contacts through cultural activities and neighbourhood meetings, all of this in a context of social commitment and responsibility, with regard to both its approach and the values that it upholds.
