Exasperated residents of a picturesque Paris street are demanding that city authorities erect gates to keep out social media devotees who flock there to pose for selfies outside the pastel-coloured houses.

Rue Crémieux is a cobbled, largely car-free street lined with potted plants, but residents say their peace is being disturbed by tourists and Parisians seeking pretty pictures to post on Instagram and other social media.

Dozens of would-be social media stars show up each day. With more than 31,000 images posted, residents say Rue Crémieux, in the 12th arrondissement, near the Bastille, is becoming “the most Instagrammed street in Paris”.

Antoine, a member of a neighbourhood association lobbying for gates to protect their privacy, said: “It may be a photographer’s paradise but for us it’s turned into hell here. At weekends we often get 200 people outside our windows. Our dining table is beside the window, and there are people just outside taking photos — rappers who take two hours to film a video under our windows or hen parties with people screaming for an hour. Frankly, it wears you down.”

Alexandra, a student, said she went to Rue Crémieux to pose after seeing it on social media. “Influencers come here, they give the name of the street, so people following them also come.”