Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
En route, look out for the spectacular art-deco police station at the start of rue de Ram-
bouillet, which is topped with a dozen huge, identical marble caryatids.
The viaduct drops back to street level at the Jardin de Reuilly (1.5km), but it's possible to
follow the line to the Bois de Vincennes. This latter section, known as the Coulée Verte
(3km), can also be done on a bike or in-line skates. At square Charles Péguy, behind the
ping-pong tables, you can access a 200m section of another abandoned Parisian railway-
GOOGLE MAP
;
www.paris.fr
;
square Charles Péguy, 21 rue Rottembourg, 12e;
9am-8.30pm May-
Aug, to 7.30pm Apr & Sep, to 6pm Mar, reduced hours Nov-Feb;
Michel Bizot)
, which also has a
jardin partagé
(community garden).
OPERA HOUSE
OPÉRA BASTILLE
€12/6; Bastille)
One of the late President Mitterand's pet projects, this 3400-seat venue was intended to strip
opera of its elitist airs - hence the notable inauguration date of 13 July 1989, the eve of the
200th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille.
There are 75-minute
guided tours
of the building, which depart at wildly different times
01 40 01 19 70; 130 rue de Lyon, 12e;
2.30-6.30pm Mon-Sat;
Bastille)
. Tickets go on sale 10
minutes before tours begin.
GALLERY
MAISON ROUGE
11am-7pm Wed-Sun, to 9pm Thu; Quai de la Rapée)
Subtitled 'Fondation Antoine de Galbert' after the man who endowed it, this cutting-edge
gallery shows contemporary artists and seldom-seen works from private collections. Note
that everything closes between exhibits.
PARK
PARC DE BERCY
8am-sunset Mon-Fri, from 9am Sat & Sun;
Cour St-Émilion
or Bercy)
Built atop the site of a former wine depot, this large, well-landscaped park is a great place to
break for a picnic and let the kids run free. Bercy reached its height as the 'world's wine cel-
