Paris is usually about the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre, but if you look down from certain bridges, you’ll see something else entirely. A ghost. A 32-kilometer loop of rusting tracks, wildflowers, and silent tunnels known as the petite ceinture chemin de fer. It circles the entire city. It’s been "dead" for nearly a century, yet it’s more alive now than it was in the 1930s.
Honestly, it’s kinda weird how many people walk right over it without realizing what’s beneath their feet.
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What actually happened to the petite ceinture chemin de fer?
Back in the mid-19th century, Paris was a mess of disconnected train stations. If you arrived at Gare du Nord and needed to get to Gare de Lyon, you basically had to take a horse-drawn carriage through crowded streets. Not efficient. Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann decided they needed a "little belt" railway to connect the main lines and move troops and goods around the city's fortifications.
Construction started in 1852. For decades, it was the heartbeat of Parisian transport.
Then the Metro happened.
By 1900, the Paris Métro began opening its first lines, offering faster, more frequent service directly through the city center rather than around the edges. Passenger numbers on the petite ceinture chemin de fer plummeted. By 1934, the passenger service was officially scrapped. While freight trains hung on for a few more decades—carrying livestock to the Vaugirard slaughterhouses or cars from the Citroën factory—the tracks eventually fell into a deep, leafy slumber.
The nature take-over
Nature doesn't care about city planning. Once the trains stopped, the "Little Belt" became a linear forest. Because the tracks are often set in deep trenches (tranchées) or on high embankments, they created a microclimate sheltered from the wind and noise of Paris traffic.
Botanists have found over 200 species of plants and more than 70 species of birds living along the tracks. It’s a literal biodiversity corridor. You’ve got pipistrelle bats nesting in the tunnels of the 19th arrondissement and red foxes scouting for food near the 15th. It’s sort of a miracle that in one of the most densely populated cities on Earth, this wild, green ring just... exists.
The struggle between graffiti and gentrification
If you visit today, you’ll see two very different versions of the petite ceinture chemin de fer.
In some spots, like the 16th arrondissement near Porte d’Auteuil, it looks like a manicured park. It’s clean. There are benches. It’s safe for strollers. But then you head over to the 18th or 19th, and it’s a totally different vibe. There, the tracks are covered in layers of spray paint, some of it incredible street art, some of it just messy tags.
The city government, the Mairie de Paris, is in a constant tug-of-war with SNCF (the national rail company that still technically owns the land). The city wants more public parks. SNCF wants to keep their options open in case they ever need the tracks for future transit—though, realistically, that seems unlikely given the narrow tunnels and modern safety standards.
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The "Third Way" of the Recycleries
One of the coolest things to come out of the abandoned tracks is the "Recyclerie" movement.
- La Recyclerie (18th): An old station turned into a cafe, farm, and repair shop. You can eat lunch on the platform while looking at the tracks.
- Le Hasard Ludique (18th): A vibrant cultural venue where you can actually walk on the rails during specific events.
- Poinçon (14th): Located in the old Montrouge-Ceinture station, it’s now a chic spot for brunch and jazz.
These places prove that the petite ceinture chemin de fer doesn't have to be a museum or a wasteland. It can be a functional part of the neighborhood again.
Is it actually legal to walk on the tracks?
This is where it gets tricky.
Technically, most of the petite ceinture chemin de fer is off-limits. There are heavy iron gates and "Interdit au Public" signs everywhere. If you get caught by SNCF security in the non-authorized sections, you can face a hefty fine.
However, the city has officially opened several sections as public nature trails (Sentiers Nature). You can legally access stretches in the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th arrondissements. Each "tronçon" (section) has its own personality. The 15th is elevated and feels like a mini High Line (like the one in New York). The 16th is lush and quiet. The 19th is rugged and feels like you've stumbled into an urban jungle.
People still jump the fences to explore the forbidden tunnels, especially the long one under Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. It's dark. It's muddy. It's honestly a bit dangerous because of falling debris and the lack of lighting. If you’re going to explore, stick to the legal paths—they’re plenty atmospheric on their own.
The engineering that most people miss
The petite ceinture chemin de fer was a masterpiece of 19th-century engineering. Because it had to navigate an already crowded Paris, the engineers had to get creative.
They built massive viaducts, like the Point-du-Jour bridge which was unfortunately destroyed during WWII and replaced with the Garigliano Bridge. They dug deep "tranchées ouvertes" so the steam engines wouldn't smoke out the wealthy residents above. If you look at the stone work on the retaining walls in the 16th arrondissement, you can still see the precision of the masonry. It wasn't just built to work; it was built to last.
The "inner" and "outer" loops
One misconception is that there’s only one belt. There’s actually the Grande Ceinture further out, which is still very much in use for freight and some passenger RER lines. The Petite Ceinture is the "inner" one, staying strictly within the old Thiers wall fortifications. This proximity to the city center is why it’s so valuable today—it’s prime real estate that somehow stayed wild.
What you need to know before you go
Don't just show up and expect a continuous loop. You can't walk the whole 32km in one go because parts are still closed or used for modern rail maintenance.
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- Check the gates. Each section has specific opening hours, usually matching the public parks (roughly 8:00 AM to sunset).
- Wear real shoes. Even the "tame" parts have gravel and uneven sleepers. If you’re heading to the 19th arrondissement section, expect some dirt.
- Entrance points. The best legal entrance for beginners is near the Villa de l'Adour in the 19th or at 99 Rue de l'Abbé-Groult in the 15th.
- Photography. It’s a dream for photographers, but keep an eye on your gear. Some of the more secluded stretches can be very isolated.
The future of the tracks
Will the trains ever come back? Probably not. The cost of retrofitting the tunnels for modern electric trains or light rail would be astronomical. Plus, the residents who now have "private" views of a quiet forest would likely protest any return of noisy locomotives.
The most likely future is a "Green Loop." The city is slowly connecting the open sections, aiming to create a continuous walking path around Paris. It’s a slow process involving a lot of bureaucracy and environmental impact studies, but it’s happening.
The petite ceinture chemin de fer is a reminder that cities have layers. Underneath the modern glitz is a skeleton of iron and stone that refuse to disappear. It's a place where time moves slower. If you want to see the real Paris—the one that isn't on a postcard—get off the Metro and find a way down to the tracks.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Visit:
- Start at La Recyclerie (Porte de Clignancourt): It's the easiest way to see the tracks without feeling like you're trespassing. Have a coffee, look at the urban farm, and see the tracks from the platform.
- Visit the 15th Arrondissement Section: This is the most "High Line" style experience. It’s elevated, beautifully landscaped, and gives you a great perspective on the architecture of the south side of the city.
- Download a Map: Use the official "Petite Ceinture" map from the Paris.fr website. It clearly marks the legal entry points (marked in green) versus the closed sections (marked in red).
- Check for Events: Groups like the Association de Sauvegarde de la Petite Ceinture (ASPC) occasionally host guided walks or history talks. They are the real experts on the technical history of the line.
The petite ceinture chemin de fer isn't just a railway; it's a living museum of how Paris evolved from a fortified city to a modern metropolis. Whether you're there for the history, the street art, or the rare birds, it offers a silence you won't find anywhere else in the City of Light.