Parisians from all parts of the city come to stroll the lovely Promenade Plantée (the planted walkway), which stretches from the Bastille to the west entrance of the Bois de Vincennes.
Sitting three stories high, this hidden gem was once a part of the Bastille Railway Line, which opened in 1859 and connected Paris to Strasbourg. The run ended 110 years later in 1969 and the tracks lay barren and abandoned for nearly two decades.
In 1988, landscape architect Jacques Vergely, in collaboration with architect Philippe Mathieux, designed and built the world’s first elevated parkway along the viaduct where the tracks ran through Paris’ 12th arrondissement. Beneath the renovated viaduct––in the area called the Viaduc des Arts––galleries, fine craft workshops, restaurants, and cafes offer a great excuse to step down for a browse and a break. Above, blooming botanicals create a serene environment for those who enjoy an urban walk... or anyone in search of an insider’s look at a very local Paris.
