If you’ve never experienced the widespread influence of North Africa on a culture then you haven’t really been to Paris. Though the exotic touches don’t extend into the daily life of every citizen, the sensation that Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco are present is more than colonial legacy. Both generations who count themselves of North African origin and recent immigrants contribute to the diversity of the French experience, nurturing the culture (though some may say tainting it) with not only food and drink, musical tastes, and everyday language, but with a important national dialogue. We meet outside line 2 metro stop Menilmontant and discover an intriguing and often gritty lens to the evolution of French society.