Coulée Verte René-Dumont: Opening Hours, Access, Walk Time

Updated on October 8, 2026

The Coulée Verte René-Dumont is a free planted walkway on a former railway line, running from Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes, open daily from 8am. It is 4.5 km long, opens at 9am on weekends and public holidays and closes, depending on the season, between 5:45pm in winter and 9:30pm in summer (7:30pm in October); allow about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours on foot with a few stops. Originally called the "Promenade Plantée," it follows the former Vincennes railway line through the 12th arrondissement. Designed by landscape architect Jacques Vergely and architect Philippe Mathieux, it opened in 1993. To walk it step by step, follow our dedicated walking itinerary.

Highlights

Opening hours and practical info

Opens at 8am Monday to Friday and at 9am on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Closes at 5:45pm from November to February, 7:30pm in October, 8:30pm in April and September, and 9:30pm from May to August. Free entry; toilets, drinking fountains and wifi along the way; dogs allowed on a leash.

Entrances and stairs

At the Bastille end, the walk starts on top of the Viaduc des Arts, on avenue Daumesnil near rue de Lyon, reached by stairs. There are lifts, notably on rue Hector-Malot and at 34 rue de Lyon, but some are occasionally out of service. Other entrances are spread along the route, in particular at the Jardin de Reuilly and toward rue du Sahel, near the eastern end.

The end of the route

For the more athletic, the eastern part of the route is open to cyclists as well as pedestrians. The vegetation here is surprisingly varied, and many joggers come for an early-morning run. At the end of the walk, carry on on foot toward the Bois de Vincennes.

The Viaduc des Arts

The Viaduc des Arts houses a variety of arts and crafts workshops beneath the vaults of the old railway viaduct built in 1859, which the City of Paris decided to restore in 1990 by renovating its arches.

The Promenade

Sometimes up in the air, sometimes below street level, the Coulée Verte is a genuine breath of fresh air, far from the bustle of Paris. Along the way you'll pass all kinds of plants: rose bushes as well as lime trees, hazel trees and cherry trees.

Practical info

Tips

Halfway along, the Coulée Verte crosses the Jardin de Reuilly. Instead of taking the footbridge, head down to the right: near the avenue Daumesnil entrance, a public fountain offers free chilled still and sparkling water. The raised section on the Viaduc des Arts is for pedestrians only: bikes and rollerblades are not allowed there. The route starts a few steps from the Place de la Bastille, with the July Column at its centre. Wi-Fi is available along the route; our guide to free Wi-Fi in Paris shows where else to connect and whether it is safe. Near the Gare de Lyon, rue Crémieux, a short cobbled street of pastel-coloured houses, should be visited discreetly: it is above all a residential street.

How to get there

At the Bastille end: Bastille metro (lines 1, 5 and 8), then a few minutes on foot along rue de Lyon to avenue Daumesnil. Gare de Lyon (metro lines 1 and 14, RER A and D) is also very close to the Viaduc des Arts. Buses 29, 87 and 91 stop at Bastille. To the east, the walk ends near the boulevard périphérique ring road, at the edge of the Bois de Vincennes.