The tranquil, 4.5km-long Canal St-Martin was inaugurated in 1825 to provide a shipping link between the Seine and Paris' northeastern suburbs. Emerging from below ground near place de la République, its towpaths take you past locks, bridges and local neighbourhoods. Come for a romantic stroll, cycle, picnic or dusk-time drink. From the iron footbridge by the intersection of rue de la Grange aux Belles and quai de Jemmapes, watch the vintage road bridge swing open to let canal boats pass.
Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.33 MILES
There are different ways to experience the Eiffel Tower, from a daytime trip or an evening ascent amid twinkling lights, to a meal in one of its…
1.01 MILES
Home to Europe's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, Centre Pompidou has amazed and delighted visitors ever since it opened in 1977, not…
1.5 MILES
Visit Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day when Paris’ oldest, finest stained glass (1242–48) is at its dazzling best. The chapel is famous for its stained…
1.48 MILES
It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, with its glass pyramid and ornate façade, that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.
3.08 MILES
It’s gruesome, ghoulish and downright spooky, but it never fails to captivate visitors. In 1785, the subterranean tunnels of an abandoned quarry were…
2.49 MILES
Even if you're not an art lover, it is worth visiting this high-profile art museum to lose yourself in its romantic gardens.
2.14 MILES
This famous inner-city oasis of formal terraces, chestnut groves and lush lawns has a special place in Parisians' hearts.
2.04 MILES
Elegant and regal in equal measure, the massive neoclassical dome of the Left Bank's iconic Panthéon is an icon of the Parisian skyline. Louis XV…
Nearby Montmartre & Northern Paris attractions
0.3 MILES
Built in the Flamboyant Gothic style from 1429, this church took two centuries to complete. As a result the nave was designed separately, in the classical…
0.47 MILES
Commemorating victories by Louis XIV’s armies, this triumphal arch was – like the Porte St-Denis – built in the late 17th century, replacing gates in the…
0.57 MILES
Along with the Porte St-Martin, this triumphal arch was built in the late 17th century to commemorate a victory by Louis XIV’s armies. At the time of its…
0.64 MILES
The Arts and Crafts Museum, dating to 1794 and Europe's oldest science and technology museum, is a must for families – or anyone with an interest in how…
0.67 MILES
One block east of bd de Belleville, narrow rue Dénoyez was known for years as Paris' most dazzling street-art street, with everything from litter bins and…
0.69 MILES
Built on the site of a former prison, this magnificent 1844-completed church has a richly decorated, colonnaded interior inspired by Roman basilicas…
7. Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson
0.71 MILES
Founded by renowned French humanist photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004) and his portrait-photographer wife Martine Franck (1938–2012), this…
0.81 MILES
Meaning 'the wall' but also standing for Modulable Urbain Réactif (Modular Urban Reactive), street-art canvas Le MUR, on the southern side of the building…