Paris Walking Tour: Place de la République to Bassin de la Villette
Paris, France
Trip Type: Walking Tours
Duration: 3 hours
Step off the tourist trail and discover a side of Paris that many visitors miss on this 3-hour walking tour from Place de la République to Bassin de la Villette. Starting from a bustling pedestrian square symbolizing France’s national identity, walk along the leafy Canal St-Martin, crossed by some of the prettiest bridges in Paris. Pause at traditional cafes to enjoy coffee and pastries, and end at Paris’ largest artificial lake, once a busy trading hub and now a cultural hotspot. Your tour size is limited to eight to ensure a personalized experience.
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Step off the tourist trail and discover a side of Paris that many visitors miss on this 3-hour walking tour from Place de la République to Bassin de la Villette. Starting from a bustling pedestrian square symbolizing France’s national identity, walk along the leafy Canal St-Martin, crossed by some of the prettiest bridges in Paris. Pause at traditional cafes to enjoy coffee and pastries, and end at Paris’ largest artificial lake, once a busy trading hub and now a cultural hotspot. Your tour size is limited to eight to ensure a personalized experience.
Meet your guide at Place de la République in the early afternoon. Straddling the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements, this historic square has been a living part of Paris’ history since the 14th century, when the Porte du Temple bastion was erected there. It was enlarged as part of Haussmann's extensive urban reconstruction in the mid 19th century. Crowning the square — recently transformed into a pedestrian-only area — is a fountain statue symbolizing the French Republic.
Follow your guide from the hustle-bustle of Place de la République along the Canal St-Martin, which connects the Canal de l'Ourcq to the Seine River. It was Napoleon I who ordered the construction of this waterway in 1802 with the aim of supplying Paris’ growing population with fresh water.
Stop here and there to gain insight into how Parisians live out their daily lives. Cross pretty bridges, visit a shared garden, duck into bars, poke your head into shops, and pause to take in the quintessential Parisian scene: outdoor cafe terraces full of locals sipping espresso, puffing cigarettes and chatting over the day’s drama.
Make like a Parisian and relax with a cup of coffee and two traditional French pastries at a local cafe, soaking up the atmosphere in this delightful corner of Paris.
Crossing into the 19th arrondissement, arrive at the Bassin de la Villette (La Villette Basin). Paris’ largest artificial lake, la Villette was a busy industrial port when the waterways of Paris were used for trade, but today it is a lively hub of cultural and leisure activities. Enjoy views out over the water as you learn about the lake's history. Your 3-hour tour ends here and you can then continue exploring Paris independently.
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