A trip within a trip: discover the ethnic districts of L.A.

Koreatown is less famous than Chinatown, even though it covers around 7 square kilometres south of Hollywood. Known for its liquor and grocery shops, it is often filmed for crime movies, as in the Bosch series, for example. This city within a city differs from other ethnic neighbourhoods: Koreans are in the minority here, making up only a third of the population, while one out of every two residents is Hispanic. In recent years, Koreatown has changed its face.

Like the Chinese, Koreans have historically had a talent for commerce. This is reflected in this particularly lively district, where shops and restaurants of all kinds abound. Like the Big Apple on the East Coast, which "never sleeps", these stalls and other businesses are often open 24 hours a day. This means that the streets are constantly crowded with onlookers, at all hours of the day and night. So if you're a night owl, you're sure to end up in one of K-Town's many Korean karaoke bars!

But the must-sees in this district are its KBBQs, or Korean barbecue restaurants, a veritable culinary institution, whether in Korea or here in K-Town. Quite simply, the whole of Los Angeles comes here to have a KBBQ! What's more, the choice of restaurants is vast. The special thing about KBBQ is the cooking grills on every table, the Asian condiments, the quality of the marinated meat and the way the vegetables are prepared. The smoke will perfume your evening and the folklore of this almost ceremonial moment will help to transport you to Korea. In short, a journey within your journey.

Direction Hollywood, but not to go to the cinema. Little Armenia is located in Central Los Angeles, East Hollywood. It's striking to go from the glittering world of Californian showbiz to this Armenian neighbourhood, steeped in an Orthodox culture marked by the genocide of 1915. Like the Jews, this large community fled persecution and pogroms. You never forget why you were uprooted.

A visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial Square, where the annual commemorations take place, is therefore a must, and is naturally well attended by the whole of Little Armenia. In recent years, the Armenian community has moved to Glendale, north of L.A., near Pasadena, leaving Little Armenia behind. It too is being diluted, as is the Korean community in K-Town.

Another interesting site is Hollyhock House. It was designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the same man who designed the Guggheinheim Museum in New York. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is well worth a look for its bold architecture. A pleasant, welcoming garden surrounds the building.

Once your visit is over, you can stop for Armenian food. Or head off to Thai Town, which adjoins Little Armenia to the north.

Let's stay in Hollywood where, interestingly enough, the ethnic neighbourhoods mix. So here we are in Thai Town East Hollywood, a neighbourhood within a neighbourhood, where people come to eat Thai food in particular. Smaller than L.A.'s other ethnic neighbourhoods, it's more of an 'area', as they say over there. So don't expect an experience that will turn your stay upside down. However, once again, the feeling of a change of scenery will be very pleasant if you are sensitive to the magic of travel.

The 6 identical blocks of Hollywood Boulevard will quickly give you an idea of this 'city' within a city. Bounded between Western Avenue and Normandie Avenue, you'll notice a number of grocery shops and small restaurants that will remind you of those in Bangkok. Here and there are small hotels whose signs are a mix of South-East Asian graphics and the English language.

As you can see from some of the signs, this is a "preserve America community", a federal programme designed to protect the country's cultural heritage. A way of explicitly recognising the indisputable fact that this culture is part of American society. These ethnic neighbourhoods, geographically integrated into the heart of Los Angeles, are also politically integrated. Thai Town is the only Thai town that the federal authorities recognise as such within their territory. It also includes Little Armenia.

To enter Little Tokyo is to enter one of only 3 Japanese towns ("Japantowns") in the United States. Separated from Chinatown, which it borders to the north, Little Tokyo is sure to leave you with a very distinct identity. Weller Court, for example, is a mall with Japanese shops, restaurants and an all-Japanese bookshop in the heart of Little Tokyo. Los Angeles City Hall is just a stone's throw away.

The Japanese community is concentrated here. To the north-east, Grand Park is worth a visit for the large green space it offers in the heart of the city, and also for its famous Los Angeles Music Center, its Walt Disney Concert Hall, the water features of the Arthur J. Will Memorial fountain lit up at night, and its exotic trees. Will Memorial fountain lit up at night, and its exotic trees. There's nothing Japanese about all that.

The Japanese American National Museum (JANM), also in the heart of Little Tokyo, is well worth a visit for its Japanese identity. This museum is dedicated to the history and culture of Japanese Americans. Although they are Americans, Japanese Americans suffered during the Second World War, when they were stigmatised, sometimes suspected of intelligence with the enemy and imprisoned. The museum has a remarkable collection of films retracing their history from the 1920s to the 1950s.

He also owns the "Ireichō", a sacred book listing the 150,000 Americans of Japanese origin who were unjustly repressed and imprisoned by the American authorities during this conflict, both by the army and the Department of Justice. Even though their parents or forebears had fled Japanese imperialism to become full-fledged Americans.

Let's put that out of our minds and enjoy the ride. If you're a fan of contemporary art, The Broad borders Little Tokyo to the north-east, just a stone's throw from Grand Park. But if you're not, head north to Chinatown: here you can cross from Japan to China just by crossing Highway 101 (the Santa Ana freeway)!

This neighbourhood is small and rather lost in the vastness of Los Angeles. But it is remarkable, once again, for what it has to say about the history of the people who had to flee the other side of the planet to come and settle here, in this land of freedom so far from home. That's the main reason these neighbourhoods are so moving.

So here you are, between Fairfax Avenue, Olympic Boulevard and Whitworth Drive. It's similar in every way to other parts of Los Angeles, but this is where you'll find some of the best Ethiopian coffees in California, with Ethiopian Arabica a must for any discerning coffee lover. There are also a number of Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants along the way.

If you are particularly interested in this culture, you are invited to visit the Little Ethiopia Cultural and Resource Center on Fairfax Avenue. Its mission is to improve the economic, social and cultural situation of Ethiopians in Los Angeles, as well as other communities in the city. This is achieved mainly by defending their rights, helping them to become entrepreneurs, finding affordable housing and educating the young.