A Seine solution

As of June 2013, the Seine Riverbanks between the bridges Pont de l'Alma and Pont Royal have been dedicated to pedestrians. Sports, recreation and respite for all!

Motor vehicle speedway, adieu! The section of the left bank of the River Seine situated between the Pont de l'Alma and the Musée d'Orsay is now an unbroken pedestrian zone 2.3 kilometres long.

Featuring running tracks, gardens, children's activities and much more, the new-look banks have drawn an enthusiastic public from the moment they opened. Runners of every level head for the tracks at the first blush of dawn (you can even run the banks under the supervision of a personal trainer if you book ahead). Hot on their tails are tourists out for a wee bit of relaxation before a busy day of sight-seeing. Daytime, children rule the riverside, while evenings a youthful crowd gathers along the many terraces and embankments for a drink or two.

What are the new Riverbanks - Les Berges de la Seine - like? Set here and there along the banks are large slab-like wood structures that can be used as tables or benches. The same wood has been used to create fitness stations. The ground is marked for games such as hopscotch, snakes and ladders and labyrinths, to the delight of younger visitors. The older crowd play parlour and board games on designated tables or head for the skating ramp.

Paris can be a very hectic city, and Riverbank designers have clearly made R & R their priority with this in mind. Visitors can even enjoy a snooze in one of four maritime containers surrounded by miniature gardens (reservations via internet) or on one of the five floating islands planted with endemic species according to different themes.

The Emmarchement - the steps that link the Quai Anatole-France to the banks of the Seine - is a prime spot for contemplating this magnificent urban landscape, a stretch of Paris that has belonged to the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1991.

More information....

Add comment

Www.Foodandtravel.Com.Au - Australia

Best Food Travel Website 2021

foodandtravel.com.au has been awarded

Best Antipodean Culinary Travel Expert, 2019

by the prestigious UK-based magazine...

Ready for a taste treat?

Embark on an unforgettable culinary adventure through the vibrant tapestry of Malaysia.

Led by the charismatic Malaysian ex-pat Chef Wanitha Tanasingam, this intimate journey promises to tantalize your taste buds and ignite your senses, sending you home with memories to last a lifetime.

Find out more....

The flipside of travel...

How not all of it is joyous.