For three children born in Quebec, seeing the Eiffel Tower in a way other than between two buildings on the ring road is a little Christmas before its time… But as they’re not (yet) very citytrips, we decided to stop off there on the way to our vacation.
I chose the Yooma Urban Lodge Eiffel for its location and very nice family room. Via Indigo Neo I find a parking space in a nearby supermarket car park.
To us Paris… By the way, apart from the Eiffel Tower, what are we going to see?
The Saint-Martin canal
It’s impossible to see everything in one afternoon. It’s a beautiful day, and I swap my visit to the museum for a boat trip on the Canal Saint-Martin.
The cruise departs just a few minutes’ walk from Place de la République (36-minute journey on metro line 8, République stop). To the north-west of the square, take rue Beaurepaire. At the end of the street, the Canal Saint-Martin and the Chez Prune café. Given the number of people on the terrace, the place must be well known in the neighborhood.
A little further along the Quai de Valmy, La Cidrerie offers over 80 à la carte products. Cactus cider, Scotch whisky barrel-aged cider and the famous Neige, an ice cider discovered in Quebec.
Take a stroll along the chestnut tree-lined banks and you’re off for a 2-hour cruise along the Canal Saint-Martin.
Crossing the 10th and 11th arrondissements, the canal links the Seine to the Bassin de la Villette, via the Paris-Arsenal marina. 4.55 kilometers long, it was built at Napoleon’s request in the early 19th century to transport drinking water and relieve maritime traffic on the Seine. Inaugurated in 1825, the canal features nine locks and two swing bridges. Between 1860 and 1862, Prefect Hausmann decided to cover part of the canal with an arch. In 1906, a new vault was built in its extension. Both feature ventilation oculi to provide natural lighting in the tunnel. The atmosphere that emanates from these 2 kilometers of underground section is truly special…
On exiting the tunnel, you cross the marina to reach the Seine. Île Saint-Louis. Notre-Dame Cathedral. Passage under the Pont Neuf and the Pont des Arts. Superb views of the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and the long-awaited Eiffel Tower. The cruise ends on the Ile de la Cité, at the foot of the Conciergerie and the Sainte Chapelle.
➜ Although highly dependent on the weather, cruising the Canal Saint-Martin is a great experience for the whole family. It allows you to see many historic buildings while discovering a totally new side of the capital.
Rives de Seine Park
Once off the boat, we take the Quai des Grands Augustins to walk along the bookshops, opposite the Paris Correctional Court.
Descend the banks of the river, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to reach our hotel on foot (5.5km) via the Parc des Rives de Seine. Created following the 7-kilometer pedestrianization of the riverbanks, this park stretches from the Eiffel Tower to the Bastille. It offers superb views of Parisian monuments.
The park also offers a range of sports facilities, petanque courts, playgrounds and a climbing wall for children, cafés and terraces… There really is something for everyone.
Our favorite is the Traversée des Invalides, right next to the bridge of the same name. The route is fun, and the children repeat it several times…
A few meters away, Fluctuart is the world’s first floating urban art center. Offering free access all year round, the center showcases all trends in urban art, from street art to contemporary artists.
➜ The Parc des Rives de Seine is a wonderful discovery! Walking along the Seine, admiring the buildings and taking advantage of the activities on offer along the way, you can enjoy the city while feeling like you’re somewhere else.
The walk and the day end with a photo session in front of the Eiffel Tower. The kids are tired, but delighted 🙂
Montmartre and the Sacré-Coeur
We extended our visit the following day, heading for Montmartre. Enjoy the view from the bus (line 30, 45min). Passing the Arc de Triomphe and the Moulin Rouge. Pigalle, everyone gets off. Breakfast is taken in one of the many Parisian cafés on Rue des Abbesses, before a visit to the Mur des je t’aime on Square Jehan-Rictus. Made up of 612 glazed lava tiles, this mural by Frédéric Baron, Claire Kito and Daniel Boulogne reproduces 311 “je t’aime” in 250 languages.
From Place des Abbesses, Rue La Vieville leads to the foot of the Rue Drevet stairs, before those of Rue du Calvaire.
Leaving the Place du Tertre, we pass the Paroisse Saint-Pierre de Montmartre and the Château d’Eau de Montmartre. Still in operation today, it supplies drinking and non-drinking water to the inhabitants of the upper Butte. Visible for miles around at a height of 43 meters, the castle’s tower is clad in neo-Byzantine-style concrete cladding, in keeping with the nearby Basilica.
A few photos on the Parvis du Sacré-Coeur, and it’s time to head back to the hotel to get back on the road for the vacations… We’ve seen a lot in less than 24 hours!
