Suzanne2

On the shuttle ride to CDG a man told us he had come across a beautiful hanging garden while out jogging in Paris. Does anyone know where this is? I'd like to see it next time we visit Paris. We've been to Paris many times and this was the first I'd heard of it and I forgot about it until the other day.

PJK

I don't know about hanging gardens, but if you love gardens, so to the rose garden in Bagatelle. It is rarely mentioned on any post, but it is incredible. Of course, you would need to be there in spring, summer, or fall. We have gone as early as the first week of May and there were beautiful flowers. There are iris and clematis galore as well. I will watch your thread because I would like to know about the hanging garden too. PJK

Patrick

Well, there is the long Blvd. of Plantes, which is built along the abandoned rail line which leads eastward from Bastille. You can walk for miles and areas of it are indeed "hanging gardens".

dln

Sazanne, this piqued my curiosity so I googled it and came up with two leads that might have been what the man was talking about.

One (the most likely I think) is that they're the gardens of the Viaduct des Artes on Avenue Daumesnil just south of the new Opera Bastille. This a planted garden on the roofs of an old disused railroad viaduct. It goes on for several city blocks. It's very beautiful walk. My husband and I strolled it last September and smelled some of the most fragrant roses ever!

The other things I came up with was a reference to Paris' largest hanging gardens being the ones at La Defence. My husband and I saw fireworks at La Defence and it was dark so we didn't notice any gardens, hanging or otherwise, but who knows? Maybe if you do more googling with me you'll come up with more than I did on that one.

dln

Suzanne, Patrick and I are referring to the same thing. The part of Ave. Daumesnil on which the gardens are is indeed referred to as the Ave. des Plantes.

Patrick

Ooops. Avenue, not Blvd.
Yes, it is a most enjoyable walk where you will see lots of locals who really use these parks. If you start way out at the far end, once you get in close to Bastille, you can come down to the street level and walk along the many artist shops of the Viaduct.

PatrickLondon

It's a good long walk, but a fascinatingly different view of Paris. You can extend that as aspect of the experience if you carry on walking from the far end via new housing developments to Place Félix Eboué, where you can take metro line 6 all the way back to the more touristy west end. Or of course you could do it in reverse.

Suzanne2

Thanks everyone. I always try to find something to do that is relaxing and away from the hustle and bustle, at least one day of our trip. Last time we went to a park that was a butte. We spent a very enjoyable afternoon there. Has anyone been to Bercy? I was wondering what that is like. It is amazing how many places in Paris there are that we don't know about because so much attention is placed on the tourist sights.

Sally

ttt

Keren

Yes, smelling the roses of the Promenade Plantee...I did just that last September, quite memorable experience indeed...
I think walking almost the whole length of the promenade have become something of a Sunday morning tradition for me, I've done this for my last 2 visits and will probably do it again in April. Everything is peaceful and quiet and the views are wonderful. A beautiful patisserie/boulangerie where you can get exquisite pastries stands on the corner of rues Emilio Castelar and Charenton, close to the Aligre market.
I like Bercy as well. It's a new area. The Village Bercy has some shops (I liked wandering the stunning Musees de France shop) and restaurants and the Parc de Bercy is next door, which I loved strolling and relaxing in.
So I think Bercy is worth a visit, you might want to do the Promenade and Bercy on one day, then pick up the line 6 metro to the left bank and the Etoile and watch Paris goes by...

Suzanne2

I watched that movie Before Sunset. Is that where they are walking in the movie??