Les Berges River Path

Between the Pont de l’Alma and the timeless Musee d’Orsay on the Left Bank of the Seine is the beautiful Les Berges river path. Until a few years ago, this was a busy Parisian thoroughfare, but thanks to the prolonged hard work of co-ordinator Annette Poehlmann and the community-minded funding of former mayor Bertrand Delanoë, this 1.4-mile stretch of riverbank is now a great place to chill out in the sunshine.

Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon

In an effort to provide some contrast with the hustle and bustle of central Paris, Les Berges was given a light-hearted design. There is an area where tepees are free to reserve for children’s birthday parties, a bright yellow maze and a large map of the world in green. Impromptu games of football spring up on the lush grass, while old men sit at tables nearby playing backgammon and chess. Elsewhere families and couples stretch out on picnic blankets between flowerbeds and enjoy their time in the sun. In the summer, the sun does not set until nearly 10pm, and many a lazy evening has been spent lounging here in the warm twilight as the sun goes down over Paris.