SE Paris (11th, 12th, 20th + Vincennes & Montreuil)

Suggestion for things to do:
Pere Lachaise Cemetery
Atelier des Lumieres
Promenade Plantée/Coulée Verte
Place de la Bastille
Ground Control
Gardes Républicains

Drinks/Eats (There are so many places over here that I just going to list places that popped into my head and not go back through my trip notes):
Le Baron Rouge
La Biche Au Bois
Bistrot Paul Bert
Septime
Clown Bar
Ober Mamma or East Mamma
Clamato (have not been but my niece loves it)
Pierre Sang
Le Servan
https://www.eater.com/2016/10/19/13311756/paris-11th-arrondissement-cafes-bars

@ 75020, I love posts like yours. I have walked past the church many times and had no idea. Thank you.

@75020, thanks for the memories! For 6 months in 1973, when I was 11, we lived in the 12th. My parents dragged us to mass at Saint-Esprit every Sunday. It definitely had a different feel inside compared to Paris' Gothic cathedrals. Didn't realize the locals called it "Little Hagia Sophia".

Lots of fond memories of that area... Shopping for groceries and errands on Avenue Daumesnil. Playing in that park around Lac Daumesnil. I remember a man-made "mountain" inside the zoo that we could see from our living room window. Rode the Metro every morning from Porte Dorée to school at Ecole Saint Michel de Picpus.

Horrified that a Burger King and McDonalds replaced the brasseries where my dad got his daily espresso, but it looks like our favorite boulangerie/patisserie is still there! Gonna have to spend some time in that area the next time I visit Paris.

hubestur-I like the "Cursor of Wheat" one gets when surfing that site!

The Promenade Plantee runs from Vincennes to Bastille
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/promenade-plantee-turning-discarded-public-space-into-a-pleasant-place-for-parisians/
Picpus Cemetery contains the tomb of Lafayette and is quite interesting.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/lafayette-we-are-here/
And on the far side of Parc Vincennes is the ruins of the exposition early in the 20th century where they had a human zoo -- different colonial possessions had pavilions where families from the culture lived and were observed by visitors to the site. You can still wander through this area.
There are also two small lakes in the park with rental rowboats and with the ones near Port Doree yu can row past a pretty little temple/follie on the lake.

I’d be interested to know if there’s anything of interest in Montreuil. I lived there for a year in the 70s, nothing of interest then but there may be now.
It was a nice enough area then, hope it still is. Does anyone know?

A couple of months ago, there was an article in the NY Times written by a person who sort of walked around the outer edges of Paris: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/travel/paris-on-foot.html. I am not sure how useful it will be but the article may have some ideas for things to do and see in the southeastern parts of Paris and the southeastern suburbs.

@75020, Thanks for the second building suggestion. I have a meeting in late June with an artist in that area and I will be sure to pop into the church.

@ Philip Z, The appointment I have is related to this event in the 20th: http://ateliers-artistes-belleville.fr/en/les-portes-ouvertes/edition/. If you are going to be in Paris in late May, this could be of interest. At this point now with all the suggestions , I think you may have about two weeks (never mind two nights) worth of stuff to do in eastern Paris 😊

Thanks for the recommendations (and more are still welcome). JHK, that NYT article is really interesting and pointed out a couple of things that I might look into. The ateliers exhibitions are interesting, too, and I was considering a picnic in the Parc de Belleville anyway, so I might peruse some workshops while I'm up there.

JHK, the NY Times article was great, blister and all. Thanks!

You are welcome, Susan and it even listed one thing to do in Montreuil.

Back when Moncoeur was O'Paris, my husband went there one a rainy Sunday in November 2013 and fell in love with the place. It became our Sunday spot for spending the afternoon listening to live music, eating, and drinking wine. We always had a great time and at first, I would not suggest it to anyone because it is not exactly in tourist central and I was sort of selfishly trying to keep it to myself. Then I started suggesting it but whenever we suggested it to people, they came back complaining about poor service so I stopped. I have not had been back since the name change because I thought the feel of the place would change with the new name and ownership. Now that I see 75020 is suggesting it, I think I will finally head over there when I am in Paris in June and see how I like the spot now.

@75020, I had never heard about this tram! Have you used it? Does it take the standard t+ ticket, or does it have it's own ticket price/structure?

I second the suggestions for Atelier des Lumieres and Bistrot Paul Bert. We'll be staying in the 11th in September and both are on our "must do" list...along with a day trip to Chateau de Vincennes & it's park. I'm sure you'll find wonderful things to do :)

The tram just takes the regular tickets, same ones as for metro/bus.