Coulée Verte René-Dumont (formerly Promenade Plantée), Paris

The disused railway line begins at Place de la Bastille, although the stairway is a tricky find, and reaches all the way out to the Périphérique and the Bois de Vincennes. There was once a station on this high-rise line, where the Bastille Opera House now stands. The track was raised in order to skim across the densely populated area along Avenue Daumesnil.

Traffic along the line ended in 1969 and some parts were incorporated into Line A of the RER. The Paris-Vincennes section though, was abandoned. Renovation plans began in the 80s, with the arrival of the Opera Bastille, and the Promenade was finally inaugurated in 1993. The spaces underneath have been filled up with craft and art shops, especially at the Bastille end, where the section of the line is known as the Viaduc des Arts. From pottery to glass-blowing, and textiles to musical instruments, high-quality crafts have infused the archways.

The promenade pauses in the middle at the Jardin de la gare de Reuilly, an open green space with benches, a café and a children’s playground. From this point on, the pathway wavers between below, above and at street level, and the Bois de Vincennes can be reached at the other end. The eastern end is open to cyclists as well as pedestrians, but the western end is foot-passengers only. The long strip is a common route amongst the jogging population, so expect to be lapped several times if you’re one of these. Benches in rosy nooks abound along the full length of the promenade, so take a stand and sit out the run.

Coulée Verte René-Dumont (Promenade Plantée)

Begins at Avenue Daumesnil and Rue de Lyon, Paris, 75012, behind the Opéra Bastille.