Running in Paris
Visting Paris in a couple of weeks, staying in the 7th. Would appreciate suggestions on running routes (even though I've read that Parisians frown on those who choose to exercise in public). Hotel is near Ecole Miltaire, can I run along the Seine? Looking for a scenic loop of 8-10K that I can run in the morning.
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Last visit I saw Parisians jogging along the Seine. Sure, you can do that.
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One of my favorite memories of Paris is of an American in shorts running down the Boul St Germain enveloped in a cloud of diesel fumes from a bus.
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Luxembourg Gardens is a good place to run. And I would think you could run on the Champs de Mars. Considering the hundreds of the Parisians who run there and other places, I don't expect Parisians frown on exercise in public.
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I always see runners in the Tuileries..and most of them are French and a lot are wearing Pompiers jackets!
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I too saw quite a few runners in Paris in Feb. and it was cold and snowy.
It'll give you a chance to wear those white sneakers and if you go fast enough their frowns will be blurred. Have a great time. |
I've jogged zillions of miles in paris - the course along the Seine is great - paths pretty much on each side of river and no traffic as you go under roads at the bridges - in summer the right bank near the Louvre is a notorious gathering spot for gay men so if barely clad 'sun bathers' here disturb you stick to the left bank, though i believe the paths on that side are not as complete in this area as RER C train line runs right along the river. right by the Ecole Militaire is a large wide open area popular with joggers - also cross river and head for the Tuileries - there have been many Parisians jogging for years in these areas so no stigma anymore. there is a good running track that seems open to public just west of the Eiffel Tower.
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Many Parisians do laps at the Champ Du Mars. It is crowded with runners day and night. When I stay in the Ecole Miltaire area I do the Eiffel Tower-Statue of Liberty run. I start with a lap around the Eiffel Tower, at the Seine go left and run to Pont de Bir-hakeem. Go half way across and take the stairs down to Allee des Cygnes, a narrow island in the middle of the Seine. Run to the end of the island, circle the statue of Liberty and head back. If your up early enough run across Pont de l'alma up Rue George V to Champs Elysees. A left there will take you to the Arc de Triomphe. A right there goes to Place de la Concorde and the Tulleries and Louvre beyond. www.runtheplanet.com has many descriptions of runs all over the world.
Ira,if that runner on Boul St. Germain was dressed in fashionable back shorts and running shoes it may have been me . The Paris diesel fumes are far superior to boring american gas fumes. |
Try jogging in the Jardin du Luxembourg. I know a few people who jog there and say its pretty pleasant. You can also go jogging in the Bois de Boulogne, near the 16th, or the Bois de Vincennes, near the 12th. Both are accessible by métro or bus.
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Early in the morning along the Seine. I saw so many runners as we walked (didn't run) from the Eiffel Tower to the 6th..There sure are a lot of Good Runners in Paris too, from the look of it :)
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Would someone remind me which side of the Seine is closed -- if it still is -- to motor traffic on Sunday morning?
Five years ago I had a half-marathon in Sweden and had to do one practice run in Paris on a Sunday. I did a loop from our "loaner" apartment in the 7th near the Pont de l'Alma to Bercy (with detours) and back. What a tour of the city! |
tedgale,Right Bank if I remember correctly.
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It's both sides of the Seine, in different spots. On the Left Bank, it's the part in the 7th arrondisement, and on the Right Bank, basically from the Tuileries to the Bastille area. There are lots of streets closed to traffic, more or less, on Sunday. Aside from all the parks, I think you can run along the Viaduc des Arts in the 12th arr, also, and there are folks on the broad boulevards in the 12th (Richard Lenoir and up to Canal St Martin). If one stayes in the 7th, might as well just go with the Seine and the park.
There is a name for this program for Sunday closures, Paris Respire. That have information and maps on the closures on the Paris Mayor's web site. I think this is the URL (split) www.v1.paris.fr/fr/ Deplacements/Circulations_douces/paris_respire.asp# |
Wow - great suggestions (but I've become accustomed to it on this site). I'll break out the map and check some of the routes you've described. Can't wait to go for a run! I sincerely appreciate all your responses. Glad to see not everyone is busy contributing to the "What to wear in Paris" and the "Don't touch the fruits and veggies" threads! Sorry, couldn't resist.
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wmkibler, I would be happy to tell you What to Wear while running in Paris as you pass the Fruit stands that you should Not Touch! :D
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How far do you jog? I've jogged around the Champ de Mars, which is so close to Ecole Militaire. I've also jogged all around the Luxembourg Gardens, so that I could say that I literally followed in the footsteps of history's famous people. However, I was marathon training at the time, so I had to run around those places many many times and in different formations to get my distance in!
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If you get to the Champs de Mars early, you'll be jogging with the cadets of the Ecole Militaire.
Parc Monceau is also a popular place for joggers. |
Scarlett, thanks for the offer! ha-ha
Melissa and Larry, thank you for the additional suggestions. I think I will be lucky if I can squeeze in 1 or 2 runs during my 5 days there, but something I will defintely try and do! |
Don't forget to greet your fellow runners with a friendly "Bon jour!" as you pass each other. Love that.
:) |
There is a book that may be of interest: "See how we run" by Terry Henderson that describes 7-9km running routes through 12 major cities fo the world, including Paris. He describes the route and the history behind monuments on the route as well as how it feels to run the route. Excellent book for giving you a feel for a city as an early morning runner (or my case walker!)
Paris route: Start at Colonne de Juilet in Place de la Bastile, run along Rue de la Bastile which borders the St Martin canal as it joins the Seine. Cross the Seine at the bridge called Port Austerlitz and turn right for 1000m run on the left bank of the Seine. Take the 3rd bridge named Pont de L'Archevoche to the Isle de la Cite. Bear left passing Notre Dame and head toward the Palais de Justice. You will come ot a statue of Henry IV at the end of the island. Here you go across the Pont Neuf to the right bank of the Seine. Turn left and run along the river front past the Louvre. At the Pont du Carrousel cross the street and head through an arched opening in the Louvre to enter a giant courtyard. Go to your left through the Arc du Carrousel into the sunken garden of Jardin des Tuileries. Go through the garden, across the Place de La Concorde to the Champs Elysees. You can pause at the Obelisk of Luxor in the centre of the Concorde roundabout to catch breath before making a dash for the other side to the Champs Elysees! Then follow either the 6 or 10 km route. (i) FOR A 6KM ROUTE: For the next 400M run up the right hand side of Champs Elysees towards the Arc de Triomphe.Turn left into Avenue Winston Churchill. Run down to the Seine (400m). Enter a narrow park -Place du Canada. Turn left and run back along the Seine. You will go back along the path you ran to get the Lourve to join back to the start of your run. (ii) FOR A 10KM ROUTE: For the next 2km run up the right hand side of Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. Turn left into Avenue D'Lena and run 1.3km to the Seine. Stay on the river bank pathway until you come to the Pont D'lena. This bridge will take you to the left bank. Run a circuit around the Eiffel tower and cross back over the Pont D'lena to return to the right bank of the Seine. From here run 2km back to the Lourve along the street that borders the river. This street changes it's name from Av.de New York, to Cours Albert then to Cours la Reine. At the Pont Invalides you can either run on the riverbank or on the roadside through a stand of trees for just over 1km to take you to the Pont Royal where the Lourve meets the Jardin des Tuileres. hope you have excellent runs and a great holiday cheers. |
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