A real sense of village still colours the square which spreads out in a semi-circle before the Église-Sainte-Marie-des-Batignolles. The church itself is an elegant, neoclassical affair, built in the 1830s. Stretching out behind it is a Haussmann-era park, landscaped less formally in the style anglais. Equipped with a children’s mini-kart track and swings, it’s a favourite with nannies and their charges from more moneyed Monceau. Along rues des Batignolles and des Dames, antique shops and craft studios have gained a foothold, eventually petering out just short of place de Clichy’s working class bustle. Add to that a good sprinkling of trendy restaurants and bars, and you might be persuaded to linger. A short walk west, beyond the rue de Rome, rue de Lévis is home to one of the city’s more vibrant markets, open daily, except on Mondays.