Pont d'Austerlitz walks

First stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR® 11, starting from the former confluence of the Bièvre and the Seine at the Pont d'Austerlitz in Paris, to the Massy-Palaiseau station in Essonne. It consists of climbing up the lower part of the Bièvre valley, where the river flows mainly underground but is sometimes exposed to the open air following rehabilitation programmes.

This marked GR® route around the Île-de-France region (with a few forays into neighbouring departments and regions) complements its "little brother", the GR®1, by forming a circular route around Paris, generally with a slightly larger radius. It follows the same overall pattern: first, a radial section starting from Paris (more precisely from the Pont d'Austerlitz, near the former confluence of the Bièvre and the Seine), going up the entire Bièvre valley, then continuing to Villiers-Saint-Frédéric, in the Yvelines. From there, it is a circular route that loops around the Île-de-France region, close to its borders with neighbouring regions. The route passes through beautiful regions, often untouched by intensive urbanisation, regional nature parks and other protected natural areas, and takes in some architectural wonders.

This walk, part of the GR® 75, allows you to discover a large number of parks situated on the edge of Paris’s southern ring road. It serves as an intermediate stage and allows you to explore the southernmost section of the GR®. There are many notable spots along theGR® and in the surrounding area, such as the Butte aux Cailles, Montsouris Park and the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil. As you pass through the many parks, you’ll feel as though you’re far removed from the city.

This route on the right bank of the Seine takes us on a journey from medieval times to Art Nouveau. First, we discover the most important remains of Philippe Auguste's city walls and former mansions. We then wind our way through the Sentier district to explore several of its covered passages. This walk is best done during the week, as the covered passages are closed on certain days.

Retrace the steps of Bourvil and Jean Gabin in Claude Autant-Lara’s film. Of course, all this remains rather imaginary, as very little of the film was shot on location. But there is still the route from Rue Poliveau to Rue Lepic and the pleasure of strolling through the streets of Paris. There is one more filming location that lies too far off the main route: 158 Boulevard Hausmann, now the Jacquemart-André Museum, where the scenes of the arrival at the Kommandantur were filmed.

The René Dumont greenway is built on the platform of the former railway line that ran from the Gare de la Bastille. After briefly following the Canal Saint-Martin before it flows into the Seine, you follow this green space through the city, first at a height and then at ground level or through short tunnels. The Jardin de Reuilly, Square Charles Péguy and the Friche Ferroviaire at the junction of the former Petite Ceinture line add to the charm of this route.

An urban circular walk in search of the French Revolution routes in two Parisian sites: the Bastille, whose capture had a very strong symbolic impact, and the Odéon suburb, where several key figures of the period lived, worked and gathered, including Marat and Danton. It's also an opportunity to discover the signs of other insurrectionary episodes (July 1830, May 1968) and a superb heritage ranging from the Gallo-Roman to the Middle Ages period.

A short walk through the Marais, which may take a little longer for a photographer… A detour via the National Archives (Hôtel de Soubise and its gardens) is possible, and indeed recommended. However, some parts of the gardens will be closed in 2025 due to building works.

Le Quartier Latin is a labyrinth of streets, each as important as the next, as there is a strong history behind. The Sainte-Geneviève Mountain is home to several prestigious schools, and the presence of numerous students adds to the atmosphere of this magnificent suburb.

Just like Paris’s oldest arrondissement, the gardens of the fifth evoke the past: the Cluny Medieval Garden, Square Viviani, where the capital’s oldest tree, the famous black locust, has watched Paris transform for over 400 years; the Arènes de Lutèce or the Jardin des Plantes, the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants. A tour through bustling neighbourhoods, blending bookshops, student cafés and ancient alleyways in an authentic, timeless atmosphere that embodies the intellectual soul of Paris.