1. Just a few steps from the Bastille is a former railway line that used to lead to Vincennes that, in 1988, was converted into the promenade plantée or planted promenade, to be inaugurated five years later.
2. It’s not dissimilar to the highline in New York, though it predates it by several years (the highline was only opened in 2009).
3. A walk along the promenade offers views of the 12th arrondissement below.
4. A few years later, in 1989, the arcades beneath the railway line were converted into the Viaduc des Arts, a series of shops, most of which are devoted to arts or crafts, which line the area below.
5. If you visit during the week, you’ll notice that many people who work in the area spend their lunch hour here, for a brief break from Paris before returning to the office.