Paris 2.4
Promenade Planté (aka Coulée Verte) & Canal St Martin & Au revoir...
The Coulée verte René-Dumont or Promenade plantée is a 4.7 km (2.9 mi) elevated linear park built on top of obsolete railway infrastructure in the 12th Arrondissement. Beginning just east of the Opéra Bastille with the elevated Viaduc des Arts, it follows a 4.7 km (2.9 mi) path eastward that ends at a spiral staircase leading to the Périphérique beltway around central Paris. -- Wikipedia article (linked with lots more great photos)
This picture above was taken from the Promenade. It's of the Rue Abel. The Promenade is not only lovely to walk along and look at, but also the views from above the streets of Paris are wonderful. I'd never get tired of this walk.
There's great variety in design and gardening along the Promenade's 3 miles. Some sections are quite spare, or have ponds and benches. Others, like this floral bed are elaborately planted.
(These chrysanthemums won't look this nice by themselves! Someone put a lot of work into this. Trust me, I'm a gardener!)
One of the great discoveries of this visit was the canals of Paris. Paris has 2 major canals in the 19th Arrondissement (northwest corner ): the Canal Saint-Martin and the much more extensive Canal de l’Ourcq, which winds its way through the La Villette neighborhood. This picture is the Canal de l'Ourcq, not far from the Peripherique. I wonder if these barges is where they store the sand until next summer.
This is near the Bassin de la Villette, where the two canals meet. In July & August parts of the canal banks are transformed into a public beach (!) for ‘Paris-Plage,’ complete with imported sand, umbrellas, and beach chairs. At other times of the year people come and picnic or frequent the bars and restaurants along the banks. It's really pretty sweet.
This is farther down the Canal Saint-Martin, on the way to where it meets the Seine. The canals are pretty large until just past here, where the boats must enter narrow locks to accommodate the different elevations of water. (It's much wider than Regent's Canal in London but not as long.)
The canal goes under a bridge at this traffic circle.
(Be sure to turn on the audio for this clip.)
Au revoir, Paris, mon amour. Á bientôt!
Adios Paris, hasta la próxima. ¡Y ahora, a la gloriosa España!
Three Spanish Cities coming in Part 3!
