"Petite Ceinture" Park in the 15th Arrondissement of Paris, France

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• published: 29 Aug 2013
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If I understood my Parisian spouse correctly, this park is new and was inaugurated only last weekend. The "petite ceinture" (little belt) was a circular train line around Paris built during the Second Empire period of the 19th century. It was used for passengers and freight, and here in the 15th arrondissement served many factories. This park has bike and running/walking alleys, wildflowers and encouragement of local fauna such as birds, toads and beetles, and it closes at night but seemed a safe place to wander during the day, with many access points using excellent elevators as well as ramps and steps for access. I saw children playing far from supervising adults, happily, and saw a stunning variety of architecture. You get unusual views here -- it is generally not possible in Paris to see far into the distance, unobstructed, but you can here. Many locals were in this park carrying food to eat together al fresco, as there are some places to sit. This is surely a tremendous plus for local residents and now visitors to Paris have yet another free thing to see and enjoy. I really recommend this and even if you've been to the city before, this wasn't open yet. It will be extended soon and they are redoing various stretches of this old rail path around the city. At the beginning of this, you see an old train tunnel used for storing maintenance materials, you can see the elevator I used to get down here instead of the steps, and some of the late Summer wildflowers which are already flourishing. There are several points of access to this park so look on new, updated maps for how to get in and out. If you're visiting Paris and are looking for a free place to get some exercise, you might want to try this, as it was very peaceful and the boardwalks and paths were kind of bouncy somehow. Some were wood and some were another thing I didn't really recognize. copyright 2013 Lisa B. Falour, B.S., M.B.A. cutecatfaith.com Dailymotion: LisaFalour YouTube: SLOBOMOTION, CUTECATFAITH