Promenade Plantée

Métro:  Bastille ( line 1 or 6 ) for the entrance Viaduc des Arts
             Porte Dorée (line 8) or Porte de Vincennes (line 1) for the entrance Porte de Montempoivre
Entrance: Viaduc des Arts- Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris
                 Porte de Montempoivre- Boulevard Soult, 75012
Hours: 9:00 am to 8:30 pm (Summer Season) -Check the website for details because it varies from day to day.
Cost: Free
Website: www.paris.fr  (includes a printable map)

So have you ever felt like it's time to burn some calories (mostly from the chocolate éclairs you have been indulging in) but you don't want to spend money on a gym pass ( rather spend it on the next round of chocolate éclairs)? No problem! You can just walk the 5k of the Promenade Plantée! This old train line received a nice makeover and was transformed into a park.

Plan of having good shoes because it ain't a 10 minutes walk for it goes from Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes! But the nice things about this park is that a/ you can't get lost, b/you won't get run over by a car and c/ it gives you an elevated view of the streets of Paris. So enjoy this walk, or run if you are brave.  However, if you don't feel like spending hours in it, you can just exit just about anywhere (check the printable map on the website to find the numerous exits).

                 

The last part of the park: Reuilly-Vincennes is a bit more wild and secluded. You also go through a few tunnels. Although, during the day it's perfectly safe, I wouldn't recommend it in the evening, especially in winter season where it can be isolated and dark- just saying.