Want to explore Paris off the beaten track? With its sections turned into bucolic promenades and stations converted into restaurants and cultural and alternative spots, the Paris Petite Ceinture, a former railway line encircling the capital, has become a unique place to go for unusual walks and to discover Paris from a different angle.
Did you know that Paris is home to a little-known place called the Petite Ceinture with paths that are open to the public, enabling people to enjoy a walk in a natural setting while remaining in the city? On this former railway line built from 1852 and gradually abandoned from 1934, nature has reclaimed her rights and biodiversity is flourishing. Railway installations are still in place, and you'll also come across graffiti and street art along the way. If you want to get out into a green environment, whenever the weather is fine - summer or winter - head for the sections of the Petite Ceinture that are open to the public and designed for walking.
If you enjoy long walks, the longest along the Petite Ceinture can be found in the 12th arrondissement. This haven for biodiversity takes you from rue de Charenton to avenue de Saint-Mandé over a distance of 1.6 km and includes a 200-metre-long nature trail, as well as a community garden. In the 15th, take a 1.5 km walk, from 101 rue Olivier-de-Serres to place Balard, and in the 16th, a 1.4 km nature trail immerses you in a green setting, from boulevard de Beauséjour to Porte d'Auteuil. A walking itinerary also links sections in the 15th, the 14th (750 metres, from rue Didot to avenue du Général Leclerc) and the 13th (500 metres, from place de Rungis to rue du Moulin-de-la-Pointe).
In the north of Paris, there are several circuits. In the 17th arrondissement, a section in a cutting leads from rue de Saussure to rue Alphonse-de-Neuville (700 metres). In the 19th, follow the railway lines to discover an ecological corridor 230-metres-long, between rue de Thionville and 2 bis, rue de l'Ourcq, where you'll find the Ferme du Rail, a place based around solidarity that brings agriculture into the city. In the 19th arrondissement, a 500-metre section leads from the Rosa Parks station to avenue de Flandres, and in the 20th arrondissement, there is a 200-metre-section laid out between rue des Couronnes and rue de Ménilmontant.
Another attraction of the Petite Ceinture, the former railway stations restored and converted into bars, restaurants and cultural venues. These are original spots to have a drink, eat or attend a concert. Housed in the former Montrouge-Ceinture train station (14th), the Poinçon has a warm and friendly vibe where you can have something to eat and enjoy the cultural programme. In the 15th, drop into Voie 15, a restaurant with a friendly atmosphere, which also has a coworking space. In the 16th, you have a choice of three restaurants for eating in a stylish setting: Auteuil Brasserie, La Gare and Le Flandrin. In the 18th, head to Hasard Ludique for a concert or to the Recyclerie, a café-restaurant promoting the values of eco-responsibility with an urban farm and community garden. At Gare Jazz (19th), enjoy free jazz concerts or dance to the sound of electro music. The landmark Flèche d'Or venue in the 20th offers a bar, canteen, concerts and a cultural programme.
Let’s wind back the clock to 1852, when the Petite Ceinture opened in Paris. This railway line was created to facilitate the transport of goods and passengers in Paris. Built within the boulevards des Maréchaux, it encircled the capital and connected with Paris stations. The Petite Ceinture railway was at the height of its popularity in 1900 during the Exposition Universelle, when it transported 39 million passengers. With the arrival of the metro and buses, the Petite Ceinture closed to passengers from 1934, then to the transport of goods in 1993. If you would like to know more about the history of the Petite Ceinture, take a guided tour organized by the Association Sauvegarde Petite Ceinture.
The ‘Association Sauvegarde Petite Ceinture’ offers many guided tours.
As the district of Montmartre is situated close to Hasard Ludique and the REclyclerie, take a look at our Top Guided tours of the Montmartre District. Explore other districts by bus, on foot, by boat, by bike, aboard an unusual vehicle... during an exciting, themed visit!
Piaf, Brel, Aznavour, Dalida... Between songs, anecdotes and more confidential addresses, Montmartre en chansons takes you back to the "Time of Cherries in the Time of Flowers".
You start your walk wherever you like on one of the sections of the Petite Ceinture that are open to the public. There is no beginning or end, as the Petite Ceinture is a former railway line encircling the capital.
The Petite Ceinture was closed to passengers in 1934 due to competition from the metro and the PC (for Petite Ceinture!) bus line, which ran more frequently. The exception was the Auteuil line, which remained operational until 1985. Goods traffic continued until 1993.
A train operates twice a week on the railway lines of the Petite Ceinture at the Parc Clichy - Batignolles Martin Luther King, eliminating the need for the passage of around fifty lorries in the area.
The total length of the Paris Petite Ceinture is 32.5 km. But only a small part is open to the public.
