French Open Getaway: Promenade Plantée

The Promenade Plantée in Paris lies on a former railway line that once linked Place de la Bastille to Varenne-Saint-Maur. The 3-miles long walkway is a winding blend of wild plant life and modern landscapes.

It begins behind the Bastille opera house and runs above Avenue Daumesnil to the Jardin de Reuilly. The Allée Vivaldi then comprises the shopping part of the walkway, before it continues through tunnels and trenches, ending at Porte Dorée and the Bois de Vincennes.

(Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

The original railway was built in 1859, and fell out of use by 1969. In the 1980s, the area got a makeover—the train station came down and the opera went up, but the railway remained. Architects Jacques Vergely and Philippe Mathieux turned it into a parkway in 1993.

Rising up over the city, open spaces give way to gorgeous views, while enclosed stretches of parkway have shops nestled in the arches that were once part of the rail system. Along the path lies the Jardin de Reuilly, the square Charles-Péguy, the square Hector-Malot, and the Jardin de la gare de Reuilly (that features a preserved railway station).

Address: 1 Coulée verte René-Dumont, 75012 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Métro: 1,5, 8 to Bastille

Hours: Open everyday: 8a.m. (9 a.m. on weekends) to 5:30 p.m. (winter) or 9:30 p.m. (summer)

Price: Free

Click here for more info.

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