So nearing the end of this trip to Paris, I wanted to do something kinda epic and the Paris from East to West track made sense given that we were staying in Levallois-Perret, right up the street from the start of the track outside of Bois de Boulogne. Here’s the All Trails link.
Here are the stats:
- Distance: 23.13 km / 14.37 mi
- Moving Time: 3:01
- Elevation: 113 metres / 370 feet
- Temperature: 20° C / 68° F
- Humidity: 70%
Suffice to say, this isn’t my normal run. Typically I hate running streets, hate running flats and really don’t like cities. But hey, it’s Paris. If you gotta traverse the capital of a country, it’s not a bad one to tackle. It’s pretty unimpressive to start. Mostly just busy roads and, in this case, a lot of construction while they are expanding one of the tram lines.
This totally encapsulates the French love of their dogs. Some fresh air, watching the world go by and completely safe. Happy dog. More of the same working towards the river – the first of two Seine crossings – one at the beginning at the Eiffel tower and one at the end.
Nice to get near the water and what a view. It’s always stunning – especially at night when the searchlight is rotating.
Yep – sunscreen and a beard and a surrogate mask cause this is right in the middle of COVID. Crossing the bridge with the tower in the background is pretty special. I wandered underneath and along the Champ de Mars towards the Grand Palais Éphémère and École Militaire. Leaving the park, you pass by Les Invalides (impressive) and wind down some back roads.
Perhaps most important of all is Joséphine Chez Dumonet along Rue du Cherche-Midi – with the absolute best duck in the city. If you have the opportunity – Do. Not. Miss. It.
This run really is like a greatest hits of Paris. Luxembourg Gardens has been a gem in the middle of the city since it started up in roughly 1612. Yep. 1612. At 23 hectares/56.8 acres it’s a peaceful respite in the city. Unless, of course (like every single time I’ve been there) it appears that most of Paris is there. Honestly it’s fantastic.
This is one of the reasons I loved this city run. I was cruising down some random street and ran across this – just your average gigantic, imposing, impressive building in the middle of a breathtaking square. Otherwise known as every single block throughout Paris. I jest because the Place du Pantheon is an bona fide landmark.
Because this was during the COVID times and, well, it’s France, there was a protest. France has had one of the most strict approaches to monitoring the vaccination / recovery of the population with the Pass Sanitaire. It’s an app on the phone with a QR code that shows your vaccination, negative testing or virus recovery status. The kicker? You have to show this and have it scanned to do just about *anything* in France. While I did this run the pass was in full effect and those opposed to it were not happy about it. While I was curious, anytime there’s any sort of gathering I find it best to make myself scarce. I’m not really into finding myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Especially when there are Gendarme on horseback…
Heading back towards the second crossing of the Seine, the run travels through some admittedly sketchy looking areas (but that were probably actually really quite safe) and around Austerlitz station then along the University Hospitals Pitié Salpêtrière. The crossing is great (especially because you know you’re getting close to done!).
The run is just about done at Bois de Vincennes in the 12th – a gigantic park on the east side of the city. It’s the biggest park in Paris at 995 hectares/2,459 acres, and is relatively new as construction finished in *only* 1866. (Side note: many of the events at the 1900 Paris Olympics happened here!) It’s pretty impressive and worth a wander even if you’re not into running here.
It’s a bit of a strange end to such an epic trail – personally I thought it would have ended in the park but it doesn’t – it ends at this monument to the veterans of the French Indochina war from 1946 to 1954. Perhaps the subject matter isn’t pretty but I did find the fountain and small grassy area pleasant – albeit in the middle of a very busy intersection with a crazy amount of people and public transport.
Speaking of public transport, I had to get back to the start. So after a rewarding reward it was off to the pharmacy to get some heavy duty masks and onto the metro for an hour back home. Well worth it!