Depending on where you live in the capital (or elsewhere), one section of the Petite Ceinture is bound to be more accessible than the others! If you're from Seine-Saint-Denis, the 10th or 19th arrondissements, or just curious to explore them all, head for the most northeasterly of Paris's routes, divided in two and offering the chance to stroll high and wide, from the Rosa Parks district to the Canal de l'Ourcq! As a reminder, the Petite Ceinture is 32 kilometers of railroad line, built in the 19th century and closed to travelers in 1934, less useful with the metros and stations within the city limits. The city of Paris is gradually rehabilitating parts of the line, creating a pleasant, yet little-known nature trail.
Let's start at the entrance next to the Rosa Parks station, 95 rue Curial, and glide along the tracks, taking in the city skyline. In the midst of the greenery, you'll admire the various, beautifully crafted tags, notably to dress up the back of the TLM, a former railway hall transformed into a place for living and creative experimentation by the"Au Fil du Rail" collective. Currently closed, the place is due to reopen for the summer season!
The TLM, the new living space on the Petite Ceinture in the 19th district, accessible and supportive of others
TLM is the spot that's waking up the Little Belt in Paris's 19th arrondissement. After closing for renovation, the TLM, located at 105 rue Curial in Paris's 19th arrondissement, reopened on March 26, 2024. This project, initiated by the Au fil du Rail collective following a call for projects from the SNCF, transforms a former railway hall into a living space dedicated to culture, sustainable fashion and responsible food, with the ultimate aim of bringing together all publics from all walks of life. [Read more]
We continue on this small 0.59km section, which we would have liked to be larger, and return to the urban area at the Pont de Flandre station, which has been home to the Gare Jazz since 2017. Inaugurated for the 1867 Universal Exhibition, the station became one of the busiest on the Petite Ceinture. In 1910, Corentin Cariou station on metro line 7 was built at the foot of the Petite Ceinture. Closed in July 1934, in 2014 it benefited from a call for projects to transform it into a cultural venue, and is now home to a jazz club, bar and restaurant, with access to the platforms, bathed in an authentic atmosphere with its graffiti.
To continue the stroll, simply walk along the Petite Ceinture, since unfortunately it's not possible to join the two sections, as the space in the middle has not yet been opened to onlookers by the City of Paris. We hope to see it open soon, though, as it passes between the buildings, looking like a set from a dystopian film and creating a particularly surprising atmosphere in the middle of the capital. It takes a good 10 minutes to link the two ends, and we've arrived at the Canal de l'Ourcq!
We climb up to the Passerelle des Ardennes, next to which are numerous barges and even a lock, since this is the junction between the two canals, with the Saint-Denis canal. Divided into two sections, the bridge has a pedestrian access, through which you can observe, through a grating, the rails and their wooden frame, left in their original state, mixed with the metal structure, for a truly exceptional urban style.
A few meters further on, at 30 rue de Thionville, you'll reach the second promenade for a few meters in the heart of nature, amid flourishing vegetation. If you're lucky, you might even spot a few wall lizards, or a forest warbler, a protected bird! Continuing the theme of preserving biodiversity, we stop off at the Ferme du Rail and its adjoining restaurant, Le Passage à Niveau.
You can enjoy a view of the Petite Ceinture, a vegetable garden and colorful flowers, depending on the season, while you dine. Thisurban agricultural space, open to all, also enables the integration of disadvantaged people, thanks to housing, a farm with workshops, a greenhouse, a mushroom farm and permaculture, as well as a restaurant where the cuisine is affordable and as local as possible. In short, a little corner of paradise!
Along the way, you'll come across a number of frescoes by street-artists, which we find particularly attractive, in very different styles, to delight all art lovers! In short, a bucolic stroll in the heart of nature, where you can stop for a bite to eat and enjoy all that the Petite Ceinture has to offer! If you like, you can also push on to the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, where you can catch a glimpse of a portion of the railway belt, as well as enjoying a breath of fresh air.
Do you know the Petite Ceinture? This abandoned railway line, 32km long, encircles Paris and offers nice green spots, far from the Parisian tumult. Shall we go for a walk off the beaten track? [Read more]
The TLM, the new living space on the Petite Ceinture in the 19th district, accessible and supportive of others
A guide to walks on the Petite Ceinture in Paris, for walks in the heart of nature
