Description

The Petite Ceinture aka the PC is a former circular railway inside Paris, built in the mid 19th century. It aimed at connecting the 5 independently owned train stations of Paris and transported people until the 1930s when it was abandoned in favor of the metro and bus lines. It remained for freight purposes until the end of 1980s when it was completely decommissioned.

The northern section of this derelict railway goes through the edges of the 18th and 19th arrondissements of Paris, historically modest and ethnically blended neighborhoods, in the shadow of the fancy and touristy Montmartre hill and the cultural park of la Villette nearby, and still under the influence of the former industrial suburbs of Saint Ouen and Aubervilliers up North.

However, for a decade now, these neighborhoods have been undergoing a very interesting transformation, mainly through a repurpose of the PC: while in the South the focus is on the promenade (see #9 Petite Ceinture in the South), in the North cultural development takes centre stage.

On this tour, after a quick passage through a typical Parisian neighborhood garden, we’ll be venturing out on the PC to discover several former train stations repurposed into mixed-use third spaces, either run by businesses or charities. Theses cultural venues offer a wide range of activities among food catering, art, nightlife but also project development, do-it-yourself, talks, always under a resolutely eco-friendly, inclusive and supportive banner.

We’ll keep the Petite Ceinture as our guideline, following the railways or enjoying a stroll on the publicly open sections.

The 3-hour tour will be concluded by a drink, while the extended 4-hour version of the tour can either include a concert in one of the most alternative jazz venue of Paris or a diner in a hidden spot by the tracks of the PC.