Country:
District:
Starting point and access: Place Félix Éboué.
- Metro - Lines 6 and 8 (Daumesnil station). Take exit 2 Rue Claude Decaen.
- Bus - Lines 29, 46, 64 and 71.
On this route, you will cross aGR® or GRP® trail in some places. In the description below, the corresponding signposting is only mentioned when necessary.
(S) When you exit the metro station, go straight ahead to Place Félix Éboué, then Avenue de Daumesnil. Pass by the Église du Saint-Esprit (recommended visit).
(1) Immediately turn right onto Rue Cannebière. At the end, at the side of the church, turn left onto Rue Claude Decaen. Continue straight ahead downhill.
At the traffic lights, turn right onto Rue de Fécamp. At the next intersection, go straight ahead. At the end, turn left onto Rue des Meuniers. Cross Avenue du Général Bizot at the traffic lights, continue straight ahead, ignore the stairs on your right leading up to the footbridge and go down the stairs that lead to the old Petite Ceinture railway line.
(2) Then turn left and follow the old railway line along a paved path. Go straight ahead and cross Rue Claude Decaen, Rue de Picpus and Avenue de Daumesnil (on the right, you will see Place de la Porte Dorée).
Then walk along the small vegetable gardens on your left, which are located along the old Bastille railway line. Cross Rue de Montempoivre and Rue du Sahel and continue along the old railway line for about 150 m.
(3) As the path ends in a cul-de-sac further on, take the exit on the right and you will come out onto a cobbled street (Villa du Bel Air) at number 15. Follow this street to the right and walk along the fence of the old railway line on your right. At the end, turn left into Sentier de la Lieutenance. Go down a flight of steps, which will take you to Boulevard Soult. Turn left and follow the road for about 100 metres.
At number 101, turn left onto Sentier des Merisiers. Follow this narrow path to the end (half-timbered house). Then turn left onto Rue du Niger and, at the crossroads immediately ahead, turn right onto Villa du Bel Air.
At the old railway bridge, cross straight ahead (do not go under the bridge) and go down the steps on the right. Then cross Avenue de Saint-Mandée at the pedestrian crossing and go up the steps. Continue along Rue du Gabon (red and white signs). Cross Rue Montéra. At the end, turn left onto Rue de la Voûte and go under the Petite Ceinture bridge.
(4) Continue along the street as it turns left, then take thefirst left, the picturesque Impasse Canart. Retrace your steps and turn right onto Rue de la Voûte.
(4) When the street turns right, turn left and climb the stairs (Passage de la Voûte). Pass under a red arch depicting a cat and you will come out onto Cours de Vincennes.
Turn right and then left to cross the tram tracks. Then turn left and right to cross Cours de Vincennes at the traffic lights and then the tram tracks. Continue straight ahead on Rue du Général Niessel.
At the next intersection, note the only level crossing in central Paris on your right and turn left onto Rue de Lagny. Go straight ahead at the next two intersections and pass the Saint-Gabriel Church. Cross Rue Mounet Sully and continue for about 50 metres.
(5) Then turn right into Square Sarah Bernhardt. Walk past the obelisk. Shortly afterwards, go down the steps on the left and continue along a wide, shaded gravel path. Walk along a playground on your left, then turn right towards the toilets. Take a small lane that goes around a small stage decorated with a lyre player on the right. At the corner of this small building, turn right and leave the square.
Follow the street on the right (Rue de Buzenval is signposted further on). At the crossroads, turn left onto Rue de la Plaine. Then take the first right, Passage Maigrot-Delaunay (private road but open to pedestrians; note the colourful wall of a school). At the end, cross Rue des Grands Champs and follow it to the left.
After about 50 metres, turn right into Square Emily Dickinson. Cross the square, come out onto Rue des Ormeaux and follow it to the right. At the end, turn left and then right to cross Rue d'Avron at the pedestrian crossing, and follow it to the left. Turn into the first street on the right, Rue Planchat, and ignore Rue des Haies immediately on the right.
(6) At the crossroads, turn right onto Rue des Vignoles. Follow this street, taking your time to explore the charming perpendicular cul-de-sacs: Impasses Rolleboise and Poule on the right, then Impasse des Souhaits on the left.
Cross Rue de Buzenval, then turn left into Impasse Saint-Pierre and walk back to where you started. Continue along Rue des Vignoles, cross Rue de la Réunion, then Sentier de la Pointe on the left. Turn right into Impasse Satan (small garden at the end) and walk back to where you started on Rue des Vignoles.
At the T-junction, turn right onto Rue des Orteaux. After about 40 metres, turn right into Passage Dieu, which soon turns left. Go back along Impasse Saint-Paul and continue until you reach the end of the passage.
(7) Then turn left onto an unmarked street (Rue des Haies; cabaret theatre on the left). At the crossroads, turn right, cross Rue des Pyrénées and follow Rue des Orteaux. At the next traffic lights, turn left, cross Rue des Maraîchers, pass under the Petite Ceinture bridge and immediately turn left into Rue Courat.
When Rue Courat turns right, turn left onto Rue Albert Marquet. At the next intersection, go straight ahead onto Rue Florian. Take thefirst right, Rue Galleron. When this turns left, continue straight ahead, go down a flight of steps, walk along a small sports field on your right and follow a cobbled alleyway (Passage des deux Portes).
At the end, turn left and follow Rue Saint-Blaise slightly uphill with the Saint-Germain de Charonne church in plain view. Cross Rue de Bagnolet and climb the steps leading to the foot of the church (recommended visit).
(8) Opposite the church entrance, you will find the entrance to the adjoining cemetery on your left. Go up a paved path and turn into thefirst path on your left. Note the plaque on your left in tribute to the federates who were shot in 1871. At the end of the path, turn right. At the opposite corner, turn right again and walk past the statue of Bègue dit Magloire. Continue straight ahead and you will find the exit on the left (note the lovely view of the church on the right).
Follow the unmarked cobbled lane to the right. At the end, turn left onto Rue des Prairies. Follow this street, ignoring all the side streets. When you reach Place Émile Landrin, turn right, cross Rue de la Cour des Noues and continue along Rue du Cher. At the T-junction, turn left onto Rue Belgrand until you reach Place Gambetta (cross the street at the traffic lights for direct access to the metro) (E).
To return home:
- Metro - Lines 3 and 3bis.
- Bus - Lines 26, 60, 61, 64, 69 and 102.
A very beautiful hike, definitely worth discovering. Magnificent locations, very well-explained route. Would do it again. Very pleased with this discovery. Thank you
Visorando member
Moderate 
Difficult 
