Depending on where you live in the capital (or outside of it), a portion of the Petite Ceinture is inevitably more accessible than the others! If you live in Seine-Saint-Denis, the 10th or the 19th arrondissement, or if you're just curious to explore them all, head for the most northeastern section of Paris, divided in two, which offers a walk in the middle of nature, 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 subways and stations within the city. The city of Paris is gradually rehabilitating portions of the line, for a nature trail still unknown and very pleasant.
Let's start with the entrance near the Rosa Parks station, 95 rue Curial, and slide along the rails, taking in the view of the city. In the middle of the greenery, we admire the different tags, nicely done, especially to dress the back of the TLM, a former railway hall transformed into a place of life and creative experiments by the collective"Au Fil du Rail". Currently closed, the place should 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 portion of 0.59km, which we would have liked to be larger and we return to the urban area at the level of the Pont de Flandre Station, which hosts since 2017 the Jazz Station . Inaugurated on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of 1867, the station became one of the busiest on the Petite Ceinture. In 1910, the Corentin Cariou station on line 7 of the metro was built at the foot of the Petite Ceinture. Closed in July 1934, it benefits in 2014 from a call for projects to transform it into a cultural place and now hosts a jazz club, bar and restaurant, with access to the platforms, which bathes in an authentic atmosphere with its graffiti.
To continue the stroll, you just have to go along the Petite Ceinture, since unfortunately you can't join the two portions, the space in the middle not being authorized to the onlookers by the city of Paris. We hope to see it opened soon, because passing between the buildings, it looks like a dystopian movie set and gives a particularly amazing atmosphere in the middle of the capital. Count 10 good minutes to make the junction between the two ends, and here we are arrived at the Canal de l'Ourcq!
We climb on the Passerelle des Ardennes, next to which we find many barges, and even a lock, since it is the junction between the two canals, with that of Saint-Denis. Divided in two pieces, the bridge has a pedestrian access, by which one can observe, through a fence, the rails and their wooden frame, left in their juice, mixed with the metallic structure, for a really exceptional urban style.
A few meters further on, at 30 rue de Thionville, we join the second walkway for a few meters in the middle of a flourishing vegetation. If you are lucky, you may be able to admire some wall lizards, or a forest warbler, a protected bird! In the continuity of the preservation of the biodiversity, we stop at the Ferme du Rail and its adjoining restaurant named Le Passage à Niveau.
You can enjoy the view on the Petite Ceinture but also on a vegetable garden and beautiful colored flowers, according to the seasons, during a meal. This space ofurban agriculture open to all, also allows the integration of precarious people, thanks to housing, a farm with workshops, greenhouse, mushroom farm, permaculture as well as a restaurant where the cuisine is affordable and as local as possible. A little corner of paradise, in short!
On your way, you will cross different frescoes of street-artists, which we find particularly nice, with very different styles, to delight all art lovers! In short, a bucolic stroll in the middle of nature, where you can stop for a bite to eat and enjoy all that the Little Belt has to offer! If you wish, you can also push on to the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, where you can see a portion of the railway belt, in addition to enjoying a good breath of 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]
Prices
Free
Average duration
1 h
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
