Traveling by bicycle can be - when caught up in the traffic of the city - a harrowing experience.  At other times though - when coasting along an empty path in the early morning sun - it can feel as if you've been levitated to a completely different world.  One that smiles in the morning, pulls you closer, and says hello.  

A 4.5 km strip of pure tranquility, Coulée Verte has this kind of intimate feel to it.  The kind that brushes the sleep from your eyes, hands you that first cup of coffee, and leans in for a kiss.  

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Built in the early 1990's on the site of an abandoned rail line, this unique passageway will take you above, below, and through a sliver of the city in the 12th Arrondissement - presenting a different side of Paris as seen through the eyes of its creators, Jacques Vergely (landscape architect) and Philippe Mathieux (architect).  

Access can be interesting to find if you're unfamiliar with the area.  Perhaps the easiest, if traveling by bicycle, is to approach via Allée Vivaldi.  At the east end of the street you'll see the bike path, with a gated entry across the first of a handful of tunnels.  At the west end, a pedestrian walkway streches past Piscine Jean Boiteux towards Jardin de Reuilly - Paul Pernin to a island-like footbridge.  Just beyond is where you'll see the pathway appear again, like a crack through the city below.

Hours change by the season, day of the week, and holidays.  If you're an early riser like I am, the best rule of thumb that I've found is to come prepared just in case you need to wait for the gates to open (bicycle beneath butt, coffee and paper in hand).