Last Updated on: 24th May 2024, 09:43 am
La Coulee Verte René-Dumont, also known as Promenade Plantee or Planted Walkway, is a urban garden, a linear park that stretches alongside a former railway in Paris.
This elevated walkway starts near Opera Bastille, at Viaduc des Art and it is one of the most unusual things to do in Paris.
It sits right on top of the former viaduct, above a wide array of small artisan shops, running alongside Daumesnil avenue.
Main Topics of La Coulee Verte – A Satisfying Walk in Paris
How To Find the Entrance to Coulee Verte René-Dumont
To start with, get to Place de la Bastille.
Place de la Bastille is a Paris metro stop on lines 1, 5 and 8.
This is the nearest Metro exit
If you prefer the bus, use Line 29 or Line 91 to the stop Bastille Beaumarchais.
On Place de la Bastille, search for Opera Bastille, the giant, shiny building that looks like a futuristic cylinder, with a banner that says Grand Palais Immersif.
Pass by it to take Rue de Lyon and walk for 2-3 minutes.
You’ll see a stairway and a red brick gate with the sign “Viaduc des Arts – metiers de creation“. That’s the entrance to the Coulee Verte Rene Dumont.
The access to the linear park is free of charge.
Promenade Plantee Opening Hours
The Promenade Plantee is open all year round, but only during daylight hours, as follows:
Opening time
- Weekdays: 8am
- Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays: 9am
Closing time
- May 1st – August 31st: 9:30pm
- September 1st – September 30th: 8:30pm
- October 1st to Winter Schedule: 7:30pm
- Winter Schedule – end of February: 5:45pm
- March 1st – April 30th: 7:00pm
Promenade Plantee Rene-Dumont’s Accessibility & Convenience
There are two elevators that grant wheelchair access to the Promenade Plantee.
The access at the start of the walk, at Bastille Opera is via stairs only.
The first access with elevator is located at 29 or 33 Avenue Daumesnil.
This is the first elevator that grants access to wheelchairs and people with walking difficulties
Acces Coulee Verte no 6, near 196 Rue de Charendon, Paris, offers both stairs and elevator access.
This is the second lift to the coulee Verte
As of May 2024, none of the elevators worked (at least by the time I visited the park).
Click here to check the official website of the Coulee Verte Rene-Dumont to see whether the situation has changed since the date of my visit.
There are two or three public toilets along the walk from Opera Bastille to Park Reuilly.
The Two Sections of the Linear Paris Promenade Rene-Dumont
The Coulee Verte has two sections:
- Bastille – Jardin de Reuilly – 1.7km
- Jardin de Reuilly – Bois de Vincennes – 2.9 km
I walked the first one from its start, at Bastille, to Reuilly Park.
This is a pedestrian-only section.
There are lots of plants along the way, as well as benches, panorama points, and even a water feature.
The walk goes like this for a long while
Spring is a good time to visit, thanks to the mild weather and the blooming flowers.
Summer is also a good season to take this walk, provided that you wear sunscreen and a hat.
At the date of my visit the bridge crossing Park Reuilly was closed. I’ll have to check it out the next time I get to Paris.
The second section of coulee verte appeared to be closed, so I had to stop here
Here’s a video I made while walking this elevated linear park in Paris:
Jardin de Reuilly-Paul-Pernin
I was impressed with Reuilly garden.
This park attracts lots of people in search for a slumber space. It boasts a circular lawn surrounded by several themed gardens.
By one of the entrances there is a water fountain where you can refill your water bottle for free, with either still or sparkling water.
The first and only sparkling water public fountain I’ve seen
Half of the water is groundwater coming from 150km distance. The other half comes from two rivers, Seine and Marne.
The water is treated and controlled, safe and balanced, delivered without packaging.
This water source is offered by Mairie de Paris, the City hall of Paris.
As far as I understood, this is the only fountain of its kind in Paris.
Photos of the Promenade Plantee
Here are a few of the photos I took during my walk.
How cool is this? A long walk above the city traffic, among plants, with beautiful views, right inside Paris is the perfect place to take your daily 10,000 steps.
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