Promenade Plantée

Getting There

 Where is it? 12th District. The main access point is off Avenue Daumensil above Viaduc des Arts, although there are also several smaller ones
 How do I get there? Metro Bastille, or Metro Montgallet / Dugommier
 When is it open? Daily during seasonal daylight hours
 What does it cost? It’s free

When You Get There

Parisians love their City, and they plant gardens everywhere essentially creating a green city. And these wonderful recreational facilities range from extensive parks like Bois de Boulogne and Jardin de Tuileries, to secret gardens behind villa walls, and colorful flowerpots on windowsills high above the traffic. Perhaps the most amazing public garden of them all is Promenade Plantée, it is 100% above the ground but accessible directly off the street.

Only the French could take 4.7 kilometers of abandoned railway viaduct, create niche shopping experiences within the elegant curved arches, and then plant an exquisite garden above them where the railway tracks once were. Sometimes strollers seem almost lost along a forest trail. Then there is a break revealing a water feature and a lovely view across the city. What a classic way to convert an unwanted ruin into a place of such beauty, that’s also known as La Coulée Verte.

The plantings are exquisite in every detail, in fact a gardener’s delight that vies with any public park. Along the way are opportunities to see architectural detail on older buildings not always visible from the street below. These include wrought-iron balustrades and decorative moldings from graceful, more leisurely times. Keep an eye out as you approach Avenue Daumensil for the police station adorned by draped feminine sculptures.

The Insider Edge

 The elongated design of the gardens makes them perfect for light exercise. The western end of Promenade Plantée is about 300 meters from Bastille and is reached by stairways and an elevator. This is the place to spot lovers sharing time together and young families pushing prams on sunny days. The eastern portion is accessible by stairs and ramps and cycling is permitted there.

 Take the stairs down to street level when you reach the Viaduc des Arts. Here are shops, galleries and live craft workshops where artists ply crafts as varied as making music instruments, restoring textiles and renovating antique furniture. Here also are small cafés and restaurants to while away a relaxing lunchtime break.

 In the spring the Promenade becomes a profusion of cherry blossoms and sprouting chestnut trees. Elsewhere roses flower in profusion on decorative trellis that perfectly complements the flower beds beneath. The French believe that love flowers in springtime too. Could you not love Paris even more when blossoms bloom? Or could something even more romantic perhaps be waiting for you there.

Things You Didn’t Know

 The Bastille Railway line was opened in 1859 to connect Paris and Strasbourg 360 kilometers away, but closed 110 years later when it no longer competed with other transportation methods. The Viaduct became a derelict eyesore and was scheduled for demolition. Fortunately a far-sighted architect proposed the conversion which was finally completed in 1989.

 Promenade Plantée was a world first although other cities like New York have emulated it on elevated railways since. Its greatest distinction is the wide variety of plants and trees. These include hundreds of rose bushes, shrubs like acanthus and lavender, decorative bamboos and wisterias, and a wide variety of graceful trees. What an absolute delight to behold!

Can You Afford to Miss It?

The true visitor to Paris is like a lover wanting to experience a deep relationship, not just a voyeur after fashionable attractions. Promenade Plantée and the Viaduc des Arts offer rare opportunities to touch the very soul of Paris. Experienced travelers place the Promenade high up on their lists, although you may see few tour guides there.