Itinerary
Tired of the Latin Quarter, the Champs-Elysées, the Marais or the 1st district ? Already tried Belleville and Ménilmontant ? Well, even further north, Paris still have surprises to spare.
A luxury hotel in a low-profile area near La Chapelle subway station ? An Hindu Temple between railways ? A still functional drawbridge in Paris ? Former slaughterhouses transformed into architectural playground ? Yes, Paris has all of this, too.
This itinerary will get you far from the most common tourist areas, in a sequence of surprising places. It will end in the biggest park of the city, where many activities will be on hand.
To get there, a nice stroll by the water along the very pleasant Bassins de la Villette will be waiting for you. You will also have to opportunity to visit one the most recent art centers in Paris.
5 stops
1. Kube Hotel
A luxury resort located in an otherwise more authentic neighbourhood, the Ice Kube Hotel has earned its reputation for its interior design, notably its bubble-chairs by Eero Aarnio, and above all for its Ice Bar.
Here, equipped with a warm jacket and a pair of gloves (they will be handed to you), optionnaly a bonnet hat, you’ll taste 4 Grey Goose vodka drinks during half an hour, at… below minus 10 degrees !
As in other similar places in the world (such as in Milano or London), everything is carved in ice in this bar, from the bar itself to the chairs and the whole decor. Be warned again : this feels cold, very cold. Reservations are mandatory.
2. Hindu Temple of Pajol Street
The Sri Manicka Vinayakar Alayam Temple is dedicated to Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity, son of Shiva. Created in 1983, the temple is the only Hindu temple in Paris. On weekends, Abhisehka ceremonies are held, during which a vegetarian meal is offered to every attendee.
In september, during the Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganesha festival), the Temple is a rally point for many followers, some even coming from abroad. A march is organized across the streets of the 11th and 18th districts, featuring statues of the Elephant Deity, and plenty of expansiveness in a wam and friendly atmosphere.
3. The Cent Quatre
Open since 2008 at 104, d’Aubervilliers street (hence the name “Cent Quatre” which is the number 104 in French), this art center is located in the building of the former undertaker service of the city. The building itself is from 1874 and was conceived under the supervision of the then official city architect Victor Baltard. It is build in the typical style of industrial architecture at that time, using a lot of glass and bricks as well as iron structures.
Now the site hosts each year between 30 and 35 art projects, for a period ranging from 1 month to 1 year. Two media rooms are located at the heart of the building. At the basement, the old stables have been renovated to house a variety of events such as exhibitions, fashion shows or business seminars.
Source : translated from Wikipedia Contributors, “Cent Quatre (établissement culturel)“
4. Drawbridge of de Crimée Street
Also named de Flandre bridge, it is located at the junction of de la Villette basin and de l’Ourcq canal. It allows de Crimée street to cross the canal, and links de l’Oise and de la Marne embankments.
Operated since 1885 (from the controls at the first lock on Saint-Denis canal), the last drawbridge of Paris is maneuvered each year about 9000 times.
When ships pass under the bridge, pedestrians have to take a fixed footbridge, the Passerelle de la Rue de Crimée, to cross the canal. Both the drawbridge and the footbridge have been renovated in summer 2011, and are registered as historical monuments.
Source : translated from Wikipedia contributors, “Pont levant de la rue de Crimée“
5. La Villette Park
One of the largest parks in Paris, it was designed by Bernard Tschumi, a French architect of Swiss origin, who built it from 1984 to 1987 on the site of the huge Parisian abattoirs (slaughterhouses) and the national wholesale meat market, as part of an urban redevelopment project.
The park houses one of the largest concentration of cultural venues in the city, several of them having been designed by noted contemporary architects, including Christian de Portzamparc or Jean Nouvel.
These include the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (City of Science and Industry), the largest science museum in Europe ; the Géode, an IMAX theatre inside of a 36 metres (118 ft) diameter geodesic dome ; the Cité de la musique (City of Music), a museum of historical musical instruments with a concert hall, also home of the Conservatoire de Paris ; or the Zénith, a concert arena.
Dividing the park is the Canal de l’Ourcq, which has boat tours that transport visitors around the park and to other sites in Paris. While some of the gardens are minimalist in design, others are clearly constructed with children in mind. Festivals (such as an annual open-air film festival) are common in the park along with artist conventions and shows by performers.
A contemporary melting pot of cultural expression, the Parc de la Villette also features thirty-five architectural follies (a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs)
Source : Wikipedia contributors, “Parc de la Villette“
Leisure
Map, navigation, practical information, extra pictures and more are available on the Paris Parcours app.