This was originally written in 2015. Updated in 2023.
The walk is also known as La Coulée Verte. It is 4.5 kilometres long.
Over the past European summer, a Brazilian friend who has been living in Paris for a few years took me to see one of his favourite places to go for a walk.
I was very enthusiastic as I had never gone there before although I had heard about it.
---- In 2012, I had tried to make it a bit of a mission to see as much of I could within Paris that I had not been able to in 2010-2011, including those musées a little less known such ie. seeing the mould of Chopin's delicate hand at the Musée de la Vie Romantique (Museum of the Romantic Life), and visiting the Musée Nissim de Camondo, which served as the residence of a wealthy Jewish family that overlooks the Parc Monceau in the 17th arrondissement. The owner, Comte Moïse de Camondo left his mansion to the Arts Decoratifs on his death as all his family had died via air battle and Nazi concentration camps during WW1 ending the family bloodline. Again, I digress...
We met on the steps of Opéra Bastille and headed on our way.
 |
| Viaduct des Arts Photo credit: The Times |
Exploring the La Promenade Plantée with my dad, 2019
Photo Credit: Libby Crozier
To my delight and amazement, the course of the road was continuously changing. One moment we were walking on a now un-used metro viaduct called Viaduct des Arts surrounded by gorgeous flora in bloom then wandering through Parc Reully in warm sunshine to suddenly beneath a cool, dark tunnel, which then opened up into another bright tree-lined pathway.
 |
| Photo Credit: Messynessychic.com |
It was a swelteringly hot day but after we seemingly reached the end of the promenade, we sat at a cafe for a cool drink and a chat before walking to métro Nation to go home.
 |
| Photo Credit: Tourbytransit.com |
In summer we are greeted by roses, lavender and maple trees. The mixture of scents in the air and the surrounding beauty mean that it is a pleasure for all the senses.
Photo Credit: Libby Crozier
The views when I went with my dad in late 2019
The Promenade Plantée is somewhere to visit all year-long. Taking a stroll during spring means that you may catch flourishing cherry blossoms and in the autumn season, the crisp leaves float down to cover the the pathways in a multitude of colours.
 |
| Photo Credit: Margaretannekelly.com |
History:
The walk was designed in 1988 to make use of the abandoned tracks of the Vincennes train line that used to connect stations Varenne Saint-Maur and Bastille between 1859 and 1969.
It is also the first of its kind in the world and has inspired others ie. in New York.
 |
| Photo Credit: myviewfromparis.wordpress.com |
Practicalities:
Métro Bastille or Ledro-Rollin. If you continue following the promenade to the very end, it will lead you to the Bois de Vincennes. You can find more about the Bois de Vincennes and other green spaces in and around Paris on my blog by clicking here.