La Petite Ceinture is a former railway ring around Paris, built in stages from 1852 to 1869 for freight, passengers, and military transport. In the 15th arrondissement, its trackside corridor now links parks and neighborhoods while preserving railway traces and supporting urban wildlife.
Quick facts
The Petite Ceinture railway was built in stages between 1852 and 1869 to connect Paris rail networks and support freight and military transport.
Passenger service on the circular line ended in 1934, though freight use continued on some sections for decades.
Since August 2026, the 15th-arrondissement promenade connects Place Balard and Georges-Brassens Park along about two kilometres of continuous route, including a 300-metre tunnel.
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La Petite Ceinture is easiest to understand from a path beside the rails. The track cuts through Paris at a different level from the street, slipping behind walls, beneath bridges, and through tunnels. In the 15th arrondissement, an old railway corridor now holds both industrial traces and a surprisingly varied urban habitat. The whole line is not a continuous public walkway: only selected sections are open, and this pin marks a segment of the Petite Ceinture du 15e.
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