What today feels like an urban oasis 10 meters above the street level were once rail tracks, which linked Place de la Bastille with Varenne-Saint-Maur since 1859. The Coulée verte René-Dumont, also known as the Promenade Plantée, was converted into the world’s first elevated park walkway in 1993. At that time most residents thought that redevelopment of train tracks was a waste of money. Today this is a place enjoyed by many – city panorama across Parisian rooftops and terraces is spectacular; however, still some people down on the streets don’t even realize that the walkway exists just above their heads.
During our recent visit we discovered just a small part of this 4.5km green belt – the part above the Viaduc des Arts. The other parts are definitely on our bucket list for the next times we visit Paris.
