The 10th arrondissement is perhaps best known as the home of the Canal Saint-Martin, a pleasure canal that survived potential destruction in the ‘60s following threats of highway construction along its route from Bastille to the Canal de l’Ourcq. Luckily, the project was abandoned in 1971, and today, the canal has become the pulse of the neighborhood. In summer, locals love to find a spot along its banks for an apéro or picnic; in winter, its bridges provide beautiful views of the night sky.  Canal aside, the 10th may well be defined as much by what it’s not as what it is. Sandwiched among trendy neighborhoods like SoPi to the west, the 11th to the east, and the North Marais to the south, the 10th manages at once to be quieter than its hipster neighbors and to showcase the best of what they have to offer. Here, you’ve got nearly as many contemporary restaurants and bohemian wine bars, though you can also take advantage of the host of international enclaves that call the neighborhood home. Little India sprawls around Passage Brady, and La Chapelle is home to a host of Sri Lankan immigrants, food shops, and restaurants, while Château d’Eau is Paris’s capital of Black barbers, hairstylists, and shops. And if that weren’t enough, the 10th is also home to two of the city’s biggest train stations and two of its best covered markets. The Canal St Martin and its footbridges by @lain G/Flickr Where to Eat  The 10th is bubbling over with creative artisans and chefs, and there’s no shortage of great places to eat. For breakfast, my personal picks include:  5 Pailles (79, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis) whose brunch is my favorite in Paris, thanks both to the fact that it’s on the demure side (no 35-euro prix fixe here!) and the fact that it’s delicious (particularly the Turkish eggs with yogurt, avocado, brioche, and loads of herbs and spices.)