- 06 Jun 2007 13:04
#1229175
"Their economy produces things cheaper than ours, so we need to send them some manufactured viruses to level the playing field." - Freedom and Democracy Inc.
Biking around "le 93"
(le qat-raw-van TRAYS)
The 93 district north of Paris, is famous among Parisians for being a rough part of the city. It is also very Maghreb, and along the canal de l"Ourcq, has some dazzlingly landscaped "natural" scenery such as the park in Sevran that is called la Poudrerie.
First, to get out of my hood, I have to pass through Barbès-Rochechouart - one of Paris's most colorful and "alternative economy" neighborhoods. I love it here. It is a most alive part of Paris, thought a bit on the sleazy side - even for me. The vehicle that is parked in the bike path above is also someone's home. It is probable that the mechanical part of this vehicle is no longer functional. Post-modernism in a most crude, unmitigated state of environmental analogy.
This is just north of la gare du nord, the main commuter transfer point for commuters from le 93.
This is a metro bridge between Barbès and le Bassin de la Villette, which leads to the canal de l'Ourcq, the waterway that you bike along when you tour le 93 on two wheels.
The bassin itself is full of people and fun things to do for kids. I saw a crowd of teenage boys skinny-dipping (in undees) here on my way to le 93 yesterday. A good time being had in the hot-blooded heart of the northwestern part of Paris.
This is the entrance to Parc de la Villette, a large NW Paris park that has a lot of attractions aimed at children, but also some needed green space to play football, read, or just people-watch. Some of the pavillions are pretty lame, though the entire park works at being multifunctional.
Because you are following an old canal, there are a lot of dramatic bridge structures from different eras in engineering history like this one.
Bienvenue au 93. This is the condo from hell, an abandoned building that is just crying out for a little love. There is some empty land next to this building that might be ideal for volleyball courts or some other community gathering place.
An abandoned mill of some kind. This one seems to be getting the kind of "love" that office developers usually have for prime property. Dramatic scale, it would make a really nice residential tower. But at least it is being saved from demolition.
This is an urban district, and the graffiti is as beautiful as the people putting it onto the walls.
In about 10 minutes, you can bike from this St-Denis suburban housing cité...
...to this bucolic path just a few km up the canal.
And you pass quite a few compact industrial zones along the way.
This is the best long-distance bike path in Paris, and is severely under-used considering the density of the districts it goes through. From my house in the 17e to the city limits of Ville Parisi, is about 30 km. With all the variety of scenery along the way, you don't even notice the length. And if you feel ambitious, the path continues on compacted granite for many km more all the way to the country.
Gentlemen, start your pedals...
(le qat-raw-van TRAYS)
The 93 district north of Paris, is famous among Parisians for being a rough part of the city. It is also very Maghreb, and along the canal de l"Ourcq, has some dazzlingly landscaped "natural" scenery such as the park in Sevran that is called la Poudrerie.
First, to get out of my hood, I have to pass through Barbès-Rochechouart - one of Paris's most colorful and "alternative economy" neighborhoods. I love it here. It is a most alive part of Paris, thought a bit on the sleazy side - even for me. The vehicle that is parked in the bike path above is also someone's home. It is probable that the mechanical part of this vehicle is no longer functional. Post-modernism in a most crude, unmitigated state of environmental analogy.
This is just north of la gare du nord, the main commuter transfer point for commuters from le 93.
This is a metro bridge between Barbès and le Bassin de la Villette, which leads to the canal de l'Ourcq, the waterway that you bike along when you tour le 93 on two wheels.
The bassin itself is full of people and fun things to do for kids. I saw a crowd of teenage boys skinny-dipping (in undees) here on my way to le 93 yesterday. A good time being had in the hot-blooded heart of the northwestern part of Paris.
This is the entrance to Parc de la Villette, a large NW Paris park that has a lot of attractions aimed at children, but also some needed green space to play football, read, or just people-watch. Some of the pavillions are pretty lame, though the entire park works at being multifunctional.
Because you are following an old canal, there are a lot of dramatic bridge structures from different eras in engineering history like this one.
Bienvenue au 93. This is the condo from hell, an abandoned building that is just crying out for a little love. There is some empty land next to this building that might be ideal for volleyball courts or some other community gathering place.
An abandoned mill of some kind. This one seems to be getting the kind of "love" that office developers usually have for prime property. Dramatic scale, it would make a really nice residential tower. But at least it is being saved from demolition.
This is an urban district, and the graffiti is as beautiful as the people putting it onto the walls.
In about 10 minutes, you can bike from this St-Denis suburban housing cité...
...to this bucolic path just a few km up the canal.
And you pass quite a few compact industrial zones along the way.
This is the best long-distance bike path in Paris, and is severely under-used considering the density of the districts it goes through. From my house in the 17e to the city limits of Ville Parisi, is about 30 km. With all the variety of scenery along the way, you don't even notice the length. And if you feel ambitious, the path continues on compacted granite for many km more all the way to the country.
Gentlemen, start your pedals...
"Their economy produces things cheaper than ours, so we need to send them some manufactured viruses to level the playing field." - Freedom and Democracy Inc.
- By Tainari88
- By wat0n
- By FiveofSwords