“Sixty-hundred kilometers!” That’s the length of the Sentier du Grand Paris. It links greater and smaller Parisian areas. It goes beyond the administrative borders of the Mètropole du Grand Paris.
The Sentier du Grand Paris is a metropolitan path. It shows two scales. First, there is the inner ring, the Grand Paris city center. Then come the new towns. The path links over 250 towns. These towns span seven departments. They include 77, 78, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95.
The Sentier du Grand Paris came from three sources. One was “Révolution de Paris”. This offered a route shaped like a triangle. It ran between Saint-Denis, Créteil, and Versailles. Another source was “Voyage Métropolitain”. This was an association of walkers. They explored the very large Paris area. It started in 2014. The last source was a project by artist Denis Moreau. He was a walker. He started his project in 1995.
After three years of public surveys came a guide. It was called “Le sentier du Grand Paris”. It is a hiking guide around Europe’s largest metropolis. It tells the story of this path. It helps people discover the area in depth.
The Sentier du Grand Paris uses digital markers. You can download maps for them. There are 39 free maps on the Sentier du Grand Paris website. The project uses the Avenza Maps app.
Imagine walking 615 km. It would take 39 days of walking. This is in the world’s largest French-speaking metropolis. Welcome to the Sentier du Grand Paris.
The Sentier du Grand Paris invites locals and visitors. They can experience a long journey. This journey is between the near and far suburbs. It lets you discover the Paris of the 21st century. It follows a continuous line. This line crosses three times. It sketches the shape of a trilobe. It’s an endless track. This track redraws the metropolis. It goes beyond its borders.
You can access digital markers. Just display the assembly plan of the 39 stages. Click on the map. To download paper maps, there are instructions available.
So, as you stand here on the Sentier du Grand Rû, remember its grand scale. Think of the many towns it connects. Consider the history and effort that created this path. It’s more than just a walk. It’s a journey through the heart of the Grand Paris.