This is an anormaly for me right off the bat; this is one of my first areas visited in Paris as came by it with my then girlfriend in 1990 and later wife and later late wife Martine ,many more times by here over the years. I have come by here more often than I can remember and saw the transformation of this area from a low unknown to a vibrant lively area. I am talking about the area around the bassin de la Villette and its canals, and great entertainment for all, Of course, this is all in the 19éme arrondissement of Paris, I have found me pictures in my cd rom vault that should be here for you and me, Therefore, here is my take on the Bassin de la Villette and al, !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I
Before starting at Mareuil-sur-Ourcq to join the Bassin de la Villette in Paris, the Ourcq river is canalized and navigable from the Port aux Perches in the village of Silly-la-Poterie. The Canal de l’Ourcq along with the Canal Saint-Denis, the Bassin de la Villette and the Canal Saint-Martin, it constitutes the Parisian canal network, 130 km long and belonging to the city of Paris. Its construction began in 1802 and was completed in 1825. Entering Paris, the canal passes under the lifting bridge on Rue de Crimée to widen in the large water station of La Villette. It then feeds the Canal Saint-Martin and the Canal Saint-Denis. The bridges crossed are: Quai de la Marne, Quai de l’Oise, Pont levant de la rue de Crimée, Rue de Crimée, Rue de l’Ourcq, Boulevard Macdonald, Canal de l’Ourcq Bridge, and Boulevard périphérique de Paris.
The Pont levant de la rue de Crimée or Crimée street Lift Bridge is located at the intersection of the Bassin de la Villette and the Canal de l’Ourcq. It allows Rue de Crimée to cross the canal and connects the Quai de l’Oise to the Quai de la Marne. Commissioned in 1885, the capital’s last remaining lift bridge still in operation. When the lift bridge is in operation to accommodate a boat, pedestrians can cross alongside it on a fixed, elevated footbridge: the passerelle de la rue de Crimée. This site is served by the Crimée, and Riquet metro stations on line 7 ,and the Ourcq, and Laumière metro stations on line 5.
The Bassin de la Villette is the largest artificial body of water in Paris. It was filled on December 2, 1808. It connects the Canal de l’Ourcq and the Canal Saint-Denis to the Canal Saint-Martin and is one of the elements of the Parisian canal network. It is composed of two separate basins on either side of the Rue de Crimée lift bridge.
It has a first basin , rectangular of 699 meters long and 70 meters wide, opens a little after the Rue de Crimée bridge, the last lift bridge in Paris, near the general store, and ends at the Rotonde de la Villette, which adjoins the Place de la Bataille-de-Stalingrad. This basin also houses counters for river cruises, as well as an MK2 cinema complex whose originality, apart from its location in converted cast iron porticos, is ensured by an electric boat connection on either side of the basin. The basin is bordered to the north by the Quai de la Seine and to the south by the Quai de la Loire, which are connected in their middle by the Moselle footbridge. To the south of the basin, near the cinemas, the quays have been named in memory of personalities from the 7th art: Promenade Jeanne-Moreau and Promenade Signoret-Montand (left bank) and Promenade Jean-Vigo (right bank). To the north of the basin, where the marina and the nautical center are located, the quays have been named after personalities linked to the history of sailing: Promenade Florence-Arthaud (left bank) and Promenade Éric-Tabarly (opposite, right bank). The second basin is 30 meters wide and 730 meters long. This basin, which is often called the “Canal de l’Ourcq”, originally ran along the back of the old village of La Villette. At its northern end, we find the canal roundabout, where the Bassin de la Villette, the Canal de l’Ourcq, which has carried water from the Ourcq river for over 100 km, and the Canal Saint-Denis joins the Seine at Saint-Denis, converge, as well as the Fond-de-Rouvray dock (port for Canal service boats).
At the southern end of the basin de la Villette, on the quai de la Seine, four cast iron columns seem incongruous… They once supported the nearby metro viaduct. During the redevelopment of Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad, the relocation of supports made them unnecessary. Rather than discarding them, they were used to cover the ventilation system of the underground water treatment plant installed beneath the quay.
This former 19C building once housed the City of Paris’s canal services department. Just a few steps from the Bassin de la Villette, at 6 Quai de la Seine, the Maison des Canaux is a multidisciplinary cultural space showcasing Paris’s new generation! The Maison des Canaux or “House of Solidarity and Innovative Economies” is both the headquarters of the association, a showcase of Ile-de-France know-how in terms of solidarity circularity and an event space. The ground floor is an event space that can accommodate up to 120 people, with a terrace on the edge of the Canal de l’Ourcq. On the 2nd and 3rd floors, meeting rooms can accommodate between 10 and 20 people.
The Rotonda de la Villette ,the old tax authority converted into a Brasserie restaurant ,and very popular. It is now better known as the Rotonde Stalingrad, at no , 6-8 Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad. And it has the largest terrace in Paris ! I have come before all this was done and later back! A bit of history of what was here tell us that the building was built in 1784 just before the French revolution, This was the Le Grand Marché de Stalingrad that over time has become a gourmet & design space, a haven for gourmets eager to travel and Mediterranean flavors.
The Paris tourist office on the Bassin de la Villette: https://parisjetaime.com/eng/culture/bassin-de-la-villette-p1242
The Paris tourist office on the Canal de l’Ourcq : https://parisjetaime.com/eng/transport/canal-de-l-ourcq-p1872
The Paris tourist office on the La Rotonde de Stalingrad : https://parisjetaime.com/eng/culture/la-rotonde-stalingrad-p1326
The City of Paris on the Maison des Canaux : https://www.paris.fr/pages/les-canaux-une-maison-des-economies-solidaires-et-innovantes-4133
There you go folks, a wonderful spot in my eternal Paris, the area is awesome. You will do good to visit this up and coming area, it is very nice. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Bassin de la Villette and al, !!! as I.
And, remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 