The Petite Ceinture in the 16th arrondissement and the Serres d'Auteuil

An eclectic journey through Paris's 16th arrondissement. After an initially urban start, the route takes you along the Sentier Nature trail, on the embankment of the former Petite Ceinture railway line. The walk ends with a stroll through the Square des Poètes and a visit to the Serres d'Auteuil, which will delight amateur botanists.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: La Petite Ceinture de Paris

Details

123290
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.28 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 8 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 21 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 57 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 35 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Paris (75000)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 48.864134° / E 2.277987°
  • ⚑
    End: N 48.847614° / E 2.257846°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2314OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Starting point and access: Rue de la Pompe underground station.
- Metro - Line 9. Take the only exit and then the stairs on the left.
- Bus - Lines 52 or 63.

(S) When you exit the metro station, go straight ahead, cross Rue de la Pompe and follow Avenue Henri Martin on the right-hand pavement. At the next traffic lights, turn right into Square Lamartine and go to the end of this small garden, where you will find the fountains of an artesian well.

(1) Retrace your steps, either along the street or through the square itself. Cross Avenue Henri Martin and continue straight ahead on Rue Mignard. Cross Rue de la Tour. At a small square, turn slightly right onto Rue Edmond About. This street leads to Boulevard Emile Augier and a bridge over the former Petite Ceinture railway line (now dismantled).

Take the boulevard on the left (do not cross the bridge) and walk along the old railway line on your right. Stay on this main road, pass the Italian Consulate and you will come out opposite the old La Muette station. Cross the avenue, go around the station on the left and turn right onto Boulevard de Beauséjour. Walk along this boulevard for about 200 metres.

(2) Opposite No. 27 (left-hand pavement), turn right through an opening in the gate and immediately turn left onto the Sentier Nature (nature trail) (information sign). This stable, shaded path runs along the old railway platform, where traces of ballast can still be seen in places. Follow the path for 1.2 km, which starts off heading south-west, crosses Rue Ranelagh (gate) and gradually curves southwards. At the end of the path, in a more open area, take the stairs on the left.

(3) Turn right onto Boulevard de Montmorency. Pass Rue Poussin on your left and walk alongside the former Auteuil station on your right. Cross Boulevard Knoll, either at the traffic lights or via an underpass, and walk past the Fontaine d'Auteuil fountain. Ignore the small street opposite leading to the Bois de Boulogne and turn left to cross Avenue de la Porte d'Auteuil at the traffic lights.

Continue straight ahead towards the Stade Jean Bouin and the Parc des Princes (signposted), staying on the right-hand pavement. Roughly level with the telephone exchange (rotunda), you will find the entrance to the Square des Poètes on your right.

(4) The square is ideal for a stroll. The route described here is for information purposes only: turn left and walk in a circular route to the bust of Victor Hugo (gatehouse), turn left again and, after passing a statue in the middle of the lawn, turn right and then left to enter the gardens of the Serres d'Auteuil. There are several possible variations, but the main thing is to finish up towards the west to reach the Serres d'Auteuil (map and information panel).

(5) Here again, there are several possible routes, especially as most of the greenhouses are open to the public and are well worth visiting. The route shown on the map includes visits to certain greenhouses: the Plateau Est greenhouses (cacti), a detour to the hot greenhouses in the south, and the palmarium. This route is provided for information purposes only.

To leave the Serres d'Auteuil, after exiting the palmarium and turning your back on it, turn left, go down a staircase and turn left again to find the exit on the right onto Avenue Gordon Benett (opposite the Roland Garros stadium), which you take to the left.

(6) At the traffic lights, turn left onto Boulevard d'Auteuil. Pass the ochre-coloured Molitor swimming pool, then cross the Boulevard Périphérique. Just after this and before a bus stop, turn left towards the entrance to a supermarket. After a few metres, climb a concrete staircase on the left. At the top, enter Square du Tchad, located on the roof of the supermarket. Go around a sports field on the left and leave the square via the opposite exit.

Cross Avenue du Général Sarrail at the pedestrian crossing and follow it to the left, slightly uphill. At the top, turn right, cross the bus station and find the Porte d'Auteuil metro station (E).

To return home:
- Metro - Line 10. N.B. At this station, all trains go in the direction of Boulogne-Pont de Saint-Cloud. To return to central Paris, towards Gare d'Austerlitz, take the connection at Boulogne-Jean Jaurès station, on the same platform opposite.
- Bus - Lines PC1, 32, 52 or 123.

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 56 m - Rue de la Pompe underground station - Place du Trocadéro
  2. 1 : km 0.32 - alt. 52 m - Artesian well in Square Lamartine
  3. 2 : km 1.41 - alt. 51 m - Nature Trail - Beauséjour Access
  4. 3 : km 2.56 - alt. 51 m - Nature Trail - Montmenrocy Access
  5. 4 : km 3.2 - alt. 41 m - Square des Poètes
  6. 5 : km 3.53 - alt. 41 m - Serres d'Auteuil
  7. 6 : km 4.52 - alt. 36 m - Boulevard d'Auteuil
  8. E : km 5.27 - alt. 43 m - Porte d'Auteuil

Notes

Good sports shoes are recommended for this urban route.

The time indicated is mainly walking time with short stops. A detailed visit to the Serres d'Auteuil can add at least an hour to this time.

Drinking water (free of charge) is available from the artesian well in Square Lamartine (1). There are numerous bars, cafés, tea rooms and restaurants along the route.

Opening hours of public spaces:
Square Lamartine: 24 hours a day.
Petite Ceinture Nature Trail:
- Opening hours: 8 a.m. on weekdays; 9 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- Closing time: 7.30pm or 8.30pm depending on the season. See detailed opening hours.
Square des Poètes and Serres d'Auteuil:
- Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. on weekdays; 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- Closing time: 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. depending on the season. Please note that the greenhouses close earlier. See detailed opening hours.
Square du Tchad:
- Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. on weekdays; 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- Closing time: 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. depending on the season. See detailed opening hours.

Variations:
- The density of the network allows you to tailor this walk to your own preferences: start at La Muette station (metro, line 9), return directly to the metro at Porte d'Auteuil after the Nature Trail, etc.
- Depending on the presence of construction work or sporting events (Roland Garros tournament in late May-early June), access to the Serres d'Auteuil via Avenue Gordon Benett may be closed. In this case, the exit is at No. 2 Boulevard d'Auteuil, near the greenhouses and opposite the Molitor swimming pool.

Hike completed by the author on 29 May 2015.

Worth a visit

From Rue de la Pompe (S/E) to Sentier Nature (2):
- Marie in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, Avenue Henri Martin, after Rue de la Pompe (left-hand pavement).
- Square Lamartine (1): fountains from an artesian well drilled in 1855 and still in operation. See municipal information on the artesian wells of Paris.
- Rue Mignard: 1930s architecture.

Nature trail on the embankment of the former Petite Ceinture railway line, between (2) and (3). Train traffic was stopped in 1985 and the embankment was dismantled in 1993. Apart from the path, the space has been left to be recolonised by plants and animals. Several information panels line the path.

Opposite the exit of the Nature Trail (3) is the Parisian studio of sculptor René Quillivic (1879-1969), with two statues of women in Breton costume representing two communes in Finistère, Ploaré (now part of Douarnenez) and Audierne.

Square des Poètes (4), paying tribute with a few busts and numerous plaques with excerpts from poetry.

Serres d'Auteuil (5), whose primary function is to supply flowers to Paris City Hall. Most of the greenhouses are open to the public. Unfortunately, some have had to be closed due to repeated thefts.

At the corner of Avenue Gordon Benett and Boulevard d'Auteuil (6) stands the former customs house, a reminder of a bygone era when entry into Paris was subject to a toll.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
ladrange
ladrange

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Due to Roland Garros, part of the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil was not accessible. What a shame!

Machine-translated

petitepierre
petitepierre

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful walk with some useful information to help you get the most out of this hike.
Just before entering the nature trail, we made a short detour to the Ranelagh Garden opposite to see the statue of Jean de Fontaine.
Thanks to Alemannia 92 for the idea of continuing along the trail to the old Auteuil station, but it's a shame to miss the studio of sculptor René Quilllivic.
To continue on to the Square des Poètes, it's best to use the pedestrian crossings, as the underpass isn't very clean.
The Square du Tchad on the roof of the supermarket is a good initiative. It's a shame that the view and noise from the ring road spoil it!
Continue straight ahead at the bus stop and then turn left to find the underground.
Thank you to the author and other hikers for your ideas.

Machine-translated

pmjamelot
pmjamelot

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

An urban route with a green corridor surrounded by cars and partially transformed into a public toilet for dogs and cats.
The end of the route was to be crowned by a visit to the Auteuil greenhouses, which were unfortunately closed during the pandemic.

Machine-translated

Alemannia92
Alemannia92

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

You can exit the nature trail by continuing straight ahead to the stairs. You will arrive at the right-hand side of the old Auteuil station, avoiding the streets.

Machine-translated

ma.delbauffe
ma.delbauffe

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The route is very clear.
The section along the inner ring road is very pleasant and quiet.
I was a little disappointed by the poets' garden.
On the other hand, the magnificent greenhouses of Auteuil were a very pleasant surprise.

Machine-translated

mich92
mich92

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk. An excellent compromise between a beautiful urban environment and a country stroll along the old railway line, ending at the magnificent Auteuil greenhouses. Worth repeating and sharing with others.

Machine-translated

amonica
amonica

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

very pleasant surprise

Machine-translated

Tudwal
Tudwal

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good


An original route in a quiet neighbourhood. An almost rural walk along the old railway line from Passy to Auteuil and among the greenhouses of Auteuil.

Machine-translated

PatiGil
PatiGil

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk through some beautiful areas of Paris, with an unexpected nature section and plenty of descriptions on the website. Good description of the route.

Machine-translated

jeanluc18e
jeanluc18e

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The route was well explained throughout. Thanks to Visorando, we discovered another part of Paris on foot.
Every time we had to turn, everything was very well marked.
So, I'm going to download the app to discover other places in the capital.

Machine-translated

Fifou92
Fifou92

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk in Paris.

Discover the natural side of the 16th arrondissement and the Auteuil greenhouses... a wonderful place to have a picnic if the time is right for you.

Thanks to the author.

Machine-translated

Filup
Filup

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, very well described and informative, presenting no difficulties, and full of contrasts! Highly recommended. Well done!

Machine-translated

Camyou
Camyou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A wonderful walk in a part of Paris that I didn't know very well. As I was walking alone, I felt a little uncomfortable on the nature trail, which is a long, pleasant path but very quiet and with no exits on either side. I was relieved to reach the end without any unpleasant encounters!
Otherwise, it was a lovely surprise to discover the Auteuil greenhouses, which I found magnificent.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.