La Villette - Buttes Chaumont


Paris offers many faces, and the 19th is one of the most contrasting and least well known. Shunned by tourists and even some Parisians, the 19th has at least two features worth discovering: La Vilette and les Buttes Chaumont.

La Vilette park offers strikingly modern architecture, spacious playgrounds for children, cultural and scientific exhibits...and instead of the Seine, the St. Martin canal and the Ourq canal. The contrast with the historical Paris center is unmistakable, yet it is only La Vilette is only fifteen minutes away by metro.

Haussmann created the Buttes Chaumont as a romantic park featuring a large rocky cliff with a 32 meter waterfall plunging into a circular lake. On top of the cliff is the Sybille temple,  modeled after the ancient Roman Temple of Sybil in Tivoli, Italy. The park also boasts a grotto, a 63 meter-long suspension bridge and the 'suicide bridge' which is more than 30m (98 ft) above ground le vel. The park's 5km (3 miles) of walks also lead you past lawns and a large variety of plants and trees.



  • La Rotonde de la Villette   

    The 19th arrondissement also has it's share of historical monuments. This is the rontonde de la Villette, once serving as a tax collection station for incoming merchandise on the canal.

  • Boat on canal de l'Ourq   

  • Canal de l'Ourq-2   

  • Buttes Chaumont   

  • Garden at la Vilette   

  • Pedestrian street at la Vilette   

  • Cité de la musique   

  • Salon de la musique   

    Credits : David Lefranc, Office de tourisme de Paris

  • Rotonde de la Villette   

    Credits : Marc Verhille, Office de tourisme de Paris

  • Le Zénith, boat   

    Credits : David Lefranc, Office de tourisme de Paris

  • Le Zénith   

    Credits : Amélie Dupont, Office de tourisme de Paris

  • La Géode   

    Credits : David Lefranc, Office de tourisme de Paris

  • Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie   

    Credits : Jacques Lebar, Office de tourisme de Paris

  • Outdoor cinema   

    Credits: Office de tourisme de Paris, Amélie Dupont

  • Canal de l'Ourq, boat   

    Credits : Office de tourisme de Paris ; Photographer, Jacque Lebar

  • Canal de l'Ourq   

    Credits : Office de Tourisme de Paris ; Photographer : Amélie Dupont

  • La Villette 1   

    Photo courtesy of D. Lefranc - Office de tourisme de Paris