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Starting point and access: Place Balard.
- Metro - Line 8.
- Tram - Line T3a. Pass under the bridge of the old Petite Ceinture to reach the square.
(S) With your back to Avenue Felix Faure, climb the metal staircase on the right at the base of the old railway bridge, at the entrance to Rue Leblanc (sign). At the top, turn left twice. Follow the old railway line for about 1.3 km, either on a paved path or on a wooden walkway covering the tracks. When you approach a tunnel that is not open to the public, cross the tracks and climb a series of metal stairs interspersed with wooden walkways on your right.
(1) Cross Rue Olivier de Serres at the pedestrian crossing. Turn left then right to climb a flight of steps and follow the Passage de la Petite Ceinture. Walk along a brick wall on your left, climb slightly and follow a narrow tarmac path between two wire fences. At the end, keep right, follow a stabilised path and pass under a painted porch. Continue along the stabilised path and you will come out onto Rue de Dantzig. Cross the street and first turn right then left to cross Place Romain Gary and reach the entrance to Parc Georges Brassens.
(2) Enter the park and turn right at the first fork. Walk along the vineyard, make a loop to the left and take a stairway that descends towards the central kiosk (belfry). Go up under the glass roof (wisteria) and descend on the other side. Go around the pond on the right (lawn) and head towards the statue of Georges Brassens leaning against a bush. Head towards the exit, which can be identified by the old Baltard-style horse stables.
(3) Continue opposite Rue Fizeau. Note the mosaic on the left depicting a horse's head (in memory of the horse stables). Cross a small square, then Rue de Lieuvin, and continue straight ahead. At the end, follow the street to the left and turn right shortly afterwards at an acute angle into Rue Jacques Baudry. After about 50 metres, turn left into the narrow (lit) tunnel that passes under the Montparnasse railway tracks and leads to a staircase that takes you to the old Ouest Ceinture station (sign at the entrance to the tunnel).
N.B. If you do not wish to use this narrow tunnel, see the practical information section for an alternative route.
(4) Cross Rue Vercingétorix and follow Rue Paturie opposite. Cross Rue Raymond Losserand at the traffic lights and turn right then left onto Promenade Jane et Paulette Nardal. Follow a paved path between a playground on the left and at the foot of a building on the right (red and white markings).
At the fork at the foot of a post bearing the name of the promenade, turn left, walk along a shared garden on your right and pass under a pergola. On the other side, at a fork, turn left. Cross Rue Huguette Schwartz and continue straight ahead on a pedestrian path at the foot of a large brick building on the left. At the end, cross Rue Didot at the pedestrian crossing.
(5) Go through the gate that leads to the Petite Ceinture in the 14th arrondissement and go down a large metal staircase. At the bottom, turn left and follow the old railway track between the two rails, which is now covered with wood chips. Go under the Rue des Plantes bridge, then under the Avenue Jean Moulin bridge. Then enter the lit tunnel on Rue Friant.
At the end of the tunnel, directly above the old Avenue du Général Leclerc station, climb a flight of steps on the right to reach the old platform. Turn right, then left to climb a staircase. You will come out onto Rue de Coulmiers. Follow it to the left. At the crossroads that immediately appears, turn right onto Avenue du Général Leclerc and you will immediately reach the Porte d'Orléans (E).
To return home:
- Metro - Line 4, immediate access to Avenue du Général Leclerc after Rue de Coulmiers.
- Tram - Line T3a, station in the middle of Boulevard Brune.
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