From Mairie des Lilas to Bagnolet via the parks and forts

(S) At the exit of Mairie des Lilas metro station (line 11), take Rue de Paris north-eastwards (with the town hall behind you).
At^{the second} junction, turn left onto Avenue Paul de Kock. As you pass, admire the Théâtre du Garde-Chasse, and learn about the history of the town of Les Lilas from the numerous information panels displayed on the railings on both sides of the park.
At the next junction, head straight on towards the clearly visible telecoms tower, taking Rue du Château.
Turn left in front of the large residence, walk along the fence until you reach Avenue du Président Schuman, and cross at the pedestrian crossing.

(1) Go through the open gate in the fence, which leads onto a path in a green area. A little further on, take the steps leading to Rue Barbusse. Follow the road to the crossroads, cross at the pedestrian crossing, and enter the fenced-off park opposite (Parc de la République).
Follow the main path which leads to a wide flight of steps. At the bottom of the steps (which lead to Rue des Buttes), turn right onto a small path (which may be muddy) that passes beneath reinforced cliffs (metal netting).
Continue to Avenue du Colonel Fabien, then follow it eastwards for about a hundred metres.

(2) Enter the Parc de Loisir de la Corniche des Forts via the wide south-facing road. After about a hundred metres, turn left onto a large esplanade, and take the gabion ramp which zigzags and then continues as a long footbridge.
At the park exit, take the Impasse de l’Ancien Château opposite, then turn left onto Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier. Pass Romainville Town Hall, turn left,

(3) Walk past the church on the left and enter the cemetery via the steps. Go down and head towards the tall trees on the right. (At Division 25, public toilets).
Exit through the gate on the right, turn left onto Rue Paul de Kock, then at the first junction turn right into “Le Parc” (the former Romainville municipal park).
Follow the main path for about 200 m, then take the sharp right-hand bend onto a path that climbs steadily. Pass the playground, then turn left to leave the park.

(4) Head straight ahead into a narrow alley running alongside a sports ground. Turn left and cross Avenue de Stalingrad, then enter a narrow alley almost directly opposite. After 50 m, at the T-junction, turn left into a sort of narrow passageway between two continuous solid fences (the Sentier Ferrand).
The “corridor” turns into a street. At the first junction, turn right, then left and immediately right onto Rue du Plateau. Cross Rue du Parc, then Rue Anatole France, which comes in sharply, and follow it to the left. At the next junction, keep to the right, running alongside the fenced-off green area.

(5) Enter the stadium grounds and turn right onto the path that climbs slightly up the slope. It runs alongside and then around the rugby stadium, before leading up some steps to Boulevard Salengro.

(6) Turn right and walk up the boulevard to the bridge over the A3.

(7) Cross the bridge, then head left down the road alongside the motorway. After 150 m, continue due east along Rue de la Chasse. At a pedestrian crossing, take the flight of steps leading up to the right.
At the top, cross Boulevard Gabriel Péri and take Rue de la Dhuys. Turn left onto Chemin de la Redoute, which leads to Square Pablo Neruda. Cross this small park, go down the stairs back to Boulevard Gabriel Péri and follow it to the right for about 700 m.
(On the way, you will pass the construction site for the extension of metro line 11, which runs above ground on the left and underground on the right).

(8) Shortly after the end of a long retaining wall, take a path that climbs diagonally to the right.
Follow this zigzagging path to the top, then turn left onto Rue Lucien Piron until you reach the Aqueduc de la Dhuys (well known to hikers in Seine-et-Marne), marked by its inspection chamber—an old hemispherical stone structure—and its green-painted metal door.
Head down to the left, go round the buildings, then turn right onto Promenade des Marronniers, which runs alongside the golf course. Continue to the Raspail schools, then take Rue Camélinat almost directly opposite until you reach Rue du^4e Zouave. Cross it.

(9) Opposite, at the end of a sort of cul-de-sac, go through the gate in the fence and continue along the path that goes round Fort de Rosny. The path becomes Rue Camélinat, which ends at a roundabout. Cross over.

(10) Enter Parc de Montreau. Walk along the rectangular pond, go round the Musée de l’Histoire Vivante and head down towards the east (a little way down is a small building housing public toilets) to go round the lower pond.
Then head back up along the southern edge of the park, go round the small pond bordering the south-western corner of the park, and exit onto an esplanade. As soon as you leave the park, cross the avenue (post office opposite), follow it 200 m to the left, then cross it again at the petrol station.

(11) Cross the petrol station and continue straight ahead onto Rue Anatole France. Go down the small lane running alongside the pond to the left of the street, come out and turn left into Rue de Tillemont. Take the^first right, pass the Jardin École, then turn left into Rue Paul Doumer.

(12) At the star-shaped junction, turn right into Parc des Beaumonts. Take the main path leading up to the highest point of the park, go round the Mare Perchée, head back towards the military ridge to enjoy a superb view, and follow the military ridge on the right until you reach the flight of steps leading down to Avenue Jean Moulin.

(13) Admire the beautiful bronze statue by Wang Keqing on your left, depicting the calligrapher Fu Mi, then take the avenue on your right, passing in front of the school. Cross over to pass in front of the cemetery via Rue Galilée, turn right after the cemetery, then take the^first left (Rue des Soupirs), then right and left (Rue des Gradins), then left and right (Rue Marguerite Yourcenar).
Turn left onto Rue Pépin, then left again into the small park marking the site of the old cemetery. Walk right to the bottom of the park, go round the church of Montreuil (which is well worth a visit), before taking Rue de l’Église opposite.
Cross Boulevard Paul Vaillant-Couturier, continue diagonally along Rue du 18 Août, then take the first left to reach Montreuil Town Hall station.

Note: you can break off the walk by taking the metro in front of the town hall.

(14) Walk round the town hall via the small park, and take Rue Rabelais opposite. Turn left (Avenue de la Résistance) then take the first right (Rue de la Beaune). Then take the^second right and immediately left onto Rue Mainguet. Cross Rue Désiré Préaux.

(15) Enter Parc Jean Moulin - les Guilands. Turn right onto the wide path that runs uphill alongside the fence. Turn left into Allée des Crécerelles, then left again onto a ridge path. After the descent, take the boardwalk that circles the reed-lined pond.
Then follow the main path which skirts as close as possible to the stadium (do not take the long flight of steps leading down to the left). When you reach a small kiosk, turn left to enjoy the view.

(16) Return to the main path, which continues north, then north-west, to a monumental statue (“À la santé de la Révolution”). Go down the steps leading to Galliéni metro station (line 3) (E) passing under the motorway flyovers.

Two public toilets: point (3) at the cemetery exit, and in Montreau Park, slightly below the Museum of Living History.