Promenade Plantee (May 12)

Starting just south of the "new" opera house near the place de la Bastille is the "Promenade Plantee".  Following the route of an old rail line, it stretches for 4.7 kilometres allowing walkers, joggers, and bike riders to enjoy a green landscape.  Sometimes it's at street level, but a lot of it is above the street on top of old viaducts.  There are plenty of arbours like this

and pleasant places to sit.

Some flowers are out

and there will be plenty more to come.

The walk allows you to see the tops of buildings at eye level

and you pass by an enormous sun dial, parks, across bridges and under tunnels - this one with water features.

A hint of the past.

There was no way forward except up this spiral staircase and it seemed to be the end of the road.

I had no idea where I was - it was beyond the limit of my map.  As it turned out I was in Saint Mande - just outside the peripherique, on the way to Vincennes.  It was time for a snack and this abbesses seemed like a good idea.

The chocolate case held chocolate ganache with some candied peel in the bottom.  Yes - and there's a touch of gold leaf on the top.  Lunch was an entree of hot chevre (a cylinder of goat's cheese, breaded and fried, making the inside gooey), and a large omelette with ham and frites.  Washed down with a pichet (1/4 litre) of chardonnay.