Discovery of the Small Belt of the 15th.

An easy and not very long walk (less than 2 kilometers) to discover the Petite Ceinture in the 15th district of Paris.

The Petite Ceinture is a former railroad line converted into a promenade. The part open to the public is not very long (1.3 kilometers). The walk can start at the Balard metro station, it is not very difficult to find the entrance, then you just have to follow the railway. The comparison with the promenade planted in the 12th district, which is also an old railway line, is inevitable, and it does not turn to the advantage of the Petite Ceinture. The designers' decision to leave the Little Belt in a pseudo-natural state to make it a sort of biological reserve in the heart of the city is not really visible to the naked eye. One day, we will have to stop using the terms ecology and biodiversity anywhere and everywhere.

Interest: ratinggood (4 users)
Difficulty: difficulty
Duration: 2 h.
Departure point (Google Maps)

The comments

Inconnu03/02/2023 17:14:02 rating great

Ravie de ce "poumon" ! Dommage qu'il y ait des dégradations... et que les "km" ne se voient plus !

Inconnu11/27/2020 18:27:18 rating disappointing

L'état se dégrade. La portion recouverte de planches n'est toujours pas réparée et dceux ascenseurs sur trois sont en panne depuis des mois

Inconnu08/09/2019 19:41:02 rating disappointing

Était bien. Maintenant laisse à désirer. L'ascenseur côté Balard en panne depuis de nombreux mois, planches des rails déchaussées, etc.

Departure from the Little Belt

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Departure from the Little Belt
The start of the walk is located near the Balard metro station. It is difficult to miss.

Schedule of the Little Belt

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Schedule of the Little Belt
The promenade is closed at night, the opening hours are those of a Parisian park.

The start

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The start

Along the way

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Along the way
The designers left the railroad track as a reminder of the Little Belt's past. The railway line was built during the Second Empire (1852 - 1869). It carried passengers until 1934 and goods until the 1970s.

Passage through the buildings

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Passage through the buildings
You can admire the architecture of the buildings of the 15th. It is not the most beautiful district of Paris.

The Promenade

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The Promenade
Even the benches along the boardwalk are made from railroad ties!

Along the tracks

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Along the tracks
To tell the truth, the walk is a bit monotonous. One does not feel the natural side of the project. The term "ecological corridor" used in the notices presenting the walk is a bit exaggerated.

Explanatory panels

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Explanatory panels
There are many signs to explain the fauna and flora. There are not so many along a trail in the Alps.

The fin

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The fin
The tunnel indicates the end of the walk, you have to go back on the road.

Georges-Brassens Park

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Georges-Brassens Park
We can continue the stroll towards the Georges-Brassens park. The park is just worth a look. On the photo we see the Sylvia Monfort theater.

The Little Belt suite

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The Little Belt suite
This part of the Petite Ceinture is uncultivated and is not open to the public. You can end the walk at the Porte de Vanves metro station a little further.

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