The Zazie Hotel lies at the heart of a rich and green arrondissement of Paris, great for walks, sports activities and physical exercise.
To the Seine Banks, the Coulée Verte, The Bois de Vincennes, and the Saint-Martin Canal: Zazie is an ideal starting point to walk, run, ride or skate.
VISIT PARIS DIFFERENTLY
Here are our tips for getting off the beaten track, meeting another Paris, visiting with Parisians and bringing back other memories:
- The Parisian Greeters offer a subjective discovery of their neighborhood through personalised tours.
- PariSolidari-thé organises solidarity treasure hunts in several districts of Paris, including that of the Zazie Hotel, but also discovery workshops or visits-meetings. Tailor-made to discover urban and citizen initiatives.
- Ça se visite offers alternative tours of Paris and its inner suburbs: unusual encounters, pedestrian and scooter rallies, day or night, in the spirit of participatory, fair and united tourism.
- The Fresh street Art Tour takes fans and amateurs around Street Art, stencil and graffiti: take a curious and attentive look at the walls of Paris.
- The Explore Paris platform offers a vast program of visits to be booked online, available throughout the year, on original themes that gives priority to meeting locals: know-how, gastronomy, activities by the river, visit of special neighborhoods ...
- And for an even wide reaching Paris, Enlarge your Paris takes you beyond the ring road.
- Paris on foot is even better: check out our hiking suggestions in the Move section.
HIKING IN PARIS
Hiking in Paris ? Nothing more simple with a good pair of shoes.
The app Balades du Paris Durable suggest more than 20 walks all around Paris to discover la Petite Ceinture (former railway belt), the Coulée Verte (green corridor), the biodiversity in the Père Lachaise Cemetery or the Parc Floral (Vincennes).
Long Hiking Trails are also crossing Paris :
- The GR24 make a 50km journey around Paris.
- Three Paris Crossings (20kms each) from western Bois de Boulogne (16e) to eastern Bois de Vincennes (12e), from nothern La Villette (19e) to southern Cité Universitaire (14e), and western Porte Maillot (17e) to eastern Porte Dorée (12e).
The app Visorando guides and geolocalised many walks in Paris intramuros and extramuros.
Olympic Games in Paris : Transport, competition sites, activities around Zazie…
My.ParisJetaime find all the services, practical information, ticketing, activities during these Olympics. Transport: Almost all metro and RER stations will be accessible during the Olympics. In particular all those in our neighborhood and even in eastern Paris. Only the stations of Tuileries, Concorde and Champs-Élysées Clémenceau will be closed for the duration of the Games due to the events taking place nearby. Car traffic is not particularly recommended in Paris in general. Even less during the Olympics. If you absolutely want to, carefully check the security perimeters where car traffic will be limited or even impossible. In particular, it will be very difficult to drive in eastern Paris on July 24, the day of familiarization of the cycling time trial which takes place largely in the 12th, on July 26 for the opening ceremony on the Seine, and on July 27 day of the cycling time trial. Competition sites: Near Zazie, the Arena will be the site of artistic gymnastics, trampoline, basketball and wheelchair basketball competitions. The cycling time trial on July 27 will pass, very close to Zazie, Faubourg Saint-Antoine and avenue Daumesnil. Activities in the 12th near Zazie: the surroundings of the Jardin de Reuilly (photo) will become the site of the festivities in the 12th district. From July 26 to September 8, residents and visitors of the district will have the opportunity to enjoy sporting and cultural events, restaurants and the broadcast of the events around the Jardin de Reuilly in order to fully experience the Olympic enthusiasm with family and /or between friends. Cultural Olympics: And to be complete, art and culture will also be present all summer. A delightful program to follow. WALKING OR RUNNING
Here are four routes to walk or run from among the best of eastern Paris.
The Coulée Verte. From Bastille, the old rail track now rehabilitated, planted with vegetation and car-free, allows you to walk, run and for some of the way cycle or rollerblade along 4.5km from l’Opéra Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes.
The River Seine’s docks are easy to follow and have a pedestrian and cycle route along the left bank of the river, from Ivry to Notre-Dame. Some of the right bank of the Seine has also recently been made into a pedestrian- and cycle-only area.
Paris and its canals. From the Bassin de l’Arsenal, veer due north along the canals, first to Canal Saint-Martin under boulevard Richard Lenoir, open air further north and then along Canal de l’Ourcq up to Parc de la Villette if you fancy it.
The Bois de Vincennes. With its lake for canoeing, the zoo, hippodrome, funfairs, floral park and cultural events… there is always something to see and do at Paris’ largest public park Bois de Vincennes.
CYCLING OR ROLLER BLADING
Cycle through Paris using Velib-metropole. Visitors to the capital can also borrow a bicycle and drop it off at the many Vélib bicycle stations all over Paris by registering online on the Vélib website. Blue bicyles are electrics. Daily pass for 5€.
Roller bladding. If you didn’t bring your skates along, you can hire them. For example, at Nomadshop located at Bastille (37 boulevard Bourdon, 75004 Paris. +33 (0)1 44 54 07 44 37). Two rollerblade trails are organised every week in Paris: the family skate departs from Bastille around 2.30pm on Sundays, from in front of the store Nomade. The Friday night trail is more athletic and departs at 10pm from Montparnasse.
SWIMMING OR ICE SKATING
Reuilly swimming pool. Closest to the hotel along the Coulée Verte, the building opens onto the Jardin de Reuilly park. 13 Rue Antoine-Julien Hénard, 75012 Paris. +33 (0)1 40 02 08 08.
Joséphine Baker swimming pool. Swim on the River Seine all year round in a floating pool at the foot of the Grande Bibliothèque. In summer, the pool is open air and very busy. Port de la Gare, Quai François Mauriac, 75013 Paris. +33 (0)1 56 61 96 50.
Pontoise swimming baths. An old-style swimming pool listed as a historic monument with its balcony changing stalls. Located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. 19 rue de Pontoise, 75005 Paris. +33 (0)1 55 42 77 88.
Sonja Henie ice skating rink. With a 1,500m2 ice rink and 400-person seating capacity, the “best ice in Ile-de-France” is an absolute must location for sports and leisure in Paris. Open to the public on Wednesday afternoons and on weekends. Themed evenings, parties with DJs and events throughout the year make this ice rink also a place to party.
M° REUILLY DIDEROT OU GARE DE LYON