square Samuel-de-Champlain

The Square Samuel de Champlain sits behind a tall iron fence, marked by a massive, weathered bronze statue of the explorer himself. He stands with his gaze fixed toward the horizon, far removed from the surrounding modern apartment blocks. The park occupies the site of the old Saint Blaise churchyard, which served the village of Charonne for centuries before the area was absorbed into Paris. The bones of local farmers and laborers still rest beneath the gravel paths where children play today.