The Petite Ceinture expands: extending the promenade area in the 15th arrondissement

The Petite Ceinture is the former railway line that once circled Paris, built to move passengers around the capital’s belt. Out of service since 1934, and no longer carrying passengers since then, some long-distance routes persisted until the late 1980s (per the City of Paris). Since 2006, in partnership with the National Society of Railways (SNCF), the City of Paris has been working to rehabilitate the sections of track that once formed the Petite Ceinture. This is particularly true in the 15th arrondissement, where the Petite Ceinture of the 15th is especially popular with passersby.

• To be read
• This week’s best deals in Paris and Île-de-France, August 24–30, 2026
• Free museums in Paris and free monuments in Île-de-France: the top cultural deals
• 10 outings for this weekend in Yvelines, August 22–23, 2026 — great ideas

Since August 2026, a 300-metre tunnel has opened to pedestrians, linking the Balard/Olivier-de-Serres sections (to the West) with Dantzig/Brancion (to the East) to extend the stroll. It’s now possible to walk along the Petite Ceinture of the 15th arrondissement on a two-kilometre route, making it the longest stretch of this rehabilitated former railway. In the 15th, the Petite Ceinture now connects you from Balard square to the bucolic Parc Georges Brassens.

In fact, the City of Paris has fresh plans for this promenade, with an art center set to open near Rue de Vaugirard (according to Paris.fr), hosting temporary exhibitions and artist residencies.

Did you know? Of the original 32 kilometers of the Petite Ceinture, only about 12 to 13 kilometers are currently accessible to the public. The remaining stretches are slated to reopen in the coming years, after extensive safety work.

Walks along the Petite Ceinture in Paris, for strolls in the heart of nature
Have you heard of the Petite Ceinture? This abandoned 32-kilometer railway line encircles Paris and offers pretty green spaces, increasingly open to the public, far from the hustle and bustle of Paris. Shall we go for a walk off the beaten track? [Read more]