Having read Francesca's wonderful overview of the Paris arrondissments, I am intrigued by the idea of going for a walk along Canal St. Martin. Are there any areas along the canal that are particularly recommended for a walk? Or, alternatively, should any areas of it be avoided?

No area is to be avoided during the day

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The area around the Bastille is very pretty; lots of houseboats. It's here that the canal goes "underground".<BR><BR>At la Villette, the canal is wider. There are locks along this stretch; there's also an old sailing ship that I keep meaning to research. The canal narrows as it goes past the park, and becomes tree-shaded.<BR><BR>I sometimes walk along the canal i/o city streets when I need a break from the hurly burly.

Clairobscur and Elvira, thanks very much for your help - greatly appreciated!

Sorry for not giving much more informations, but I don't think there's much to say about the canal and its surroundings. I sometimes walks along it, and it's quite pleasant, but nothing more. From the Bastille you follow first a large avenue, the central part of it (above the subterranean part of the canal) being occupied by little parks/gardens which are mainly used by parents with little kids from the neighborood.<BR><BR> Then you follow the canal itself. The area has a "parisian" feeling, but there's nothing extraordinary to see, and the canal's banks aren't particularily pretty. If you're lucky (or unlucky, depending on your tastes), there could be a flea market on the banks during the week-end.<BR><BR>You eventually cross cross the "Place Jean Jaures" which can be shaddy at night but is perfectly fine during the day, and is of no interest and enter the "bassin de la villette" where a lot of people living in the neighborood walk their dog, play "petanque" on the week-end, go to the movie theater, rent a boat, etc...During the summer, there are sometimes street shows, or markets, etc...during the week-end.<BR><BR>Eventually, you enter the Parc de la Vilette, that I personnally like a lot. It's a modern park, very different from more traditionnal parisian parks, and divided in several sub-sections (lawn here, bamboo garden there, etc..). There are several attractions, like the museum of Sciences or the very interesting (IMO) museum of music, for instance. A lot of people lie on the lawns when the weather is pleasant, parents with kids here, street musicians and teens there...<BR><BR><BR>It's difficult to give you any advice. Walking along the canal can be pleasant but it won't be an unforgettable experience. It's an ordinary place to relax for locals, not a great attraction for tourists.

clairobscur -- thanks so much for your description of exactly why I like the canal I love Paris precisely because people go about their daily lives in this incredible city. After the big tourist sites -- Paris is just these small things. I'll be back on October and I can't wait