Canal de l'Ourcq in Paris: walk from the Bassin de la Villette to Pantin, boat trips and guinguettes
The Canal de l'Ourcq starts at the Bassin de la Villette (19th arrondissement) and runs to Pantin and the north-eastern suburbs. The classic walk goes from the Stalingrad rotunda to Pantin in about an hour, on a free, flat towpath open to pedestrians and cyclists. You can also do it by boat (a Canauxrama cruise towards the Parc de la Poudrerie or the banks of the Marne), or by river shuttle in summer. It is the quieter, more local alternative to the Canal Saint-Martin.
Highlights
The canal at La Villette
The Canal de l'Ourcq runs along the Parc de la Villette and the Cité des sciences; it is the backdrop of the walk, with its lifting bridges and landscaped banks.
The Bassin de la Villette
In summer the banks of the basin host Paris Plage (2016 edition in the photo) and terraces; dates change every year, so check them.
The Géode by the water
The silver sphere of the Géode reflects in the canal: one of the best viewpoints of the walk.
Practical info
Tips
- On foot, start at the Stalingrad rotunda and follow the canal to Pantin (about 1 hour), stopping at the Grands Moulins de Pantin. By bike, the towpath is most pleasant on weekdays, when it is less busy. By boat, Canauxrama offers an Ourcq cruise ("L'Appel de la forêt") towards the Parc de la Poudrerie or the banks of the Marne; its times and prices change with the season, so check before booking. In summer, river shuttles ran in 2024 for 1 € on Saturday and 2 € on Sunday, with guinguettes and dances of the Été du Canal: confirm the programme for the year. In Pantin, the barge Antipode stays moored all summer. For a cruise that reaches La Villette from the Arsenal, see our page on the Canal Saint-Martin and the one on the Parc de la Villette.
How to get there
Metro Stalingrad (lines 2, 5, 7), Jaurès (2, 5, 7bis), Laumière or Ourcq (line 5), Porte de Pantin (line 5). To walk to Pantin from Stalingrad, allow about an hour along the canal. The canal begins at the Bassin de la Villette, near the Parc de la Villette.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
See on the map →
Comments
No comments yet.