Skip to main content

La Coulée Verte

Viaduc des Arts
La Coulée Verte or the Promenade Plantée is a 4.5 kilometer trail on what was once an elevated railway track that was decommissioned in 1969. The trail begins at Bastille and continues on to Bois de Vincennes. The Promenade has been planted with trees, shrubs and flowers. Every section has a landscaping theme such as the bamboo grove or the fountains. There are vine covered trellises and enough benches for those who wish to read their newspapers or chat with friends or just hang out.  

Of the flowers on the trail, I saw white roses and dark pink double impatiens. There were many shrubs with tiny flowers - one which I noticed looks similar to jasmine but minus the scent. And I was delighted to see holly, so perfect for this season. It's amazing to find many blooming plants this late in the fall. 

 Bamboo grove
I met several joggers along the trail which promises to be a good, long run all the way to Vincennes and back. But walking has its rewards. The path is flanked by 17th century and modern style architecture. It's nice to see that private balconies in the neighborhood are filled with greenery as well. The trail sometimes passes under a building. I wonder how the residents can sleep in summer when the crowds drop in.

Vertical garden
There are stairs and an elevator strategically located along the way if you wish to get on or off the trail.  One of these stairs has an attractive vertical garden.  I pas d by two gardens during my stroll and I stepped into Jardin de Reuilly with its patch of green that is traversed by a footbridge. The trees are stunning at this time of the year in all its golden glory. Interesting nude female statues are silent sentinels of the garden. 

Jardin de Reuilly Paul Pernin
La Coulée Verte was designed by Philippe Mathieux and Jacque Vergeley and was opened in 1993. It precedes New York's Highline which opened in 2009 by sixteen years. Plants that thrived along the old railway track have been thoughtfully planted on the Promenade.

 Modern architecture along La Coulée Verte
The arcades below the track are occupied by galleries, boutiques, and cafés. These shops face Avenue Daumesnil and is a short walk to Gare de Lyon.  The closest metro stops to La Coulée Verte are Bastille (the beginning of the trail) and Gare de Lyon. The trail is open weekdays from 8 a.m. and 9 a.m on weekends. Closing times vary depending on the season.

Have a nice walk!

*  *  *

Images by TravelswithCharie


Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by  Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with   Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...
Read more

Filipino Struggles in History - Carlos Botong Francisco

In 1968, Antonio Villegas (then Mayor of Manila), commissioned Carlos "Botong" Francisco to paint the history of Manila for Manila City Hall. The series of large scale paintings was called  Kasaysayan ng Maynila  (History of Manila).  The paintings deteriorated over time and no attempt was made to preserve these historical canvases until 2013 when Mayor Amado Lim sent them to the National Museum for extensive restoration. Four years later, in 2017, Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and the Manila City Council signed an agreement with the National Museum to leave the paintings at the museum so they may reach a larger audience in exchange for museum grade reproductions to replace the originals. Kasaysayan ng Maynila was later renamed Filipino Struggles in History and is now on display at the Senate Hall of the National Museum . Carlos "Botong" Francisco died in March 1969, a few months after completing the paintings. He is one of the first Filipino modernists and...
Read more

The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina

Church of the Beheading of St. John, Arbore Monastery Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Romania lies the enchanting region of Bucovina, home to a treasure trove of stunning monasteries. The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a testament to the region's rich history, spirituality and artistic genius. One of the most visited monasteries in Bucovina is Voronet. It was commissioned by Stefan the Great, Voivode of Moldova and one of its most admired rulers. Moldova was  a medieval state that once encompassed parts of present-day Romania, Ukraine, and Moldova. Voronet  was built in 1488 to commemorate his victory over the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Vaslui and it was miraculously completed in three months time. Succeeding  princes of Moldova continued the construction of more magnificent monasteries. The exterior walls of these structures were adorned with intricate frescoes, depicting biblical scenes, saints, and...
Read more