Hidden Gems

Canal Saint-Martin and the Covered Passages

From the footbridges of the Canal Saint-Martin to the glass-roofed passages near the Grands Boulevards, a walk through the Paris that sits one street back from the postcards.

Duration

4 hr

Distance

6.1 km

Difficulty

Moderate

Stops

Best time

Weekday afternoon, from about 14:00

Photo: Passage des Panoramas, Paris 10 April 2017

Start

Jaures metro station

Finish

Passage Verdeau

Route map: Canal Saint-Martin and the Covered Passages

A Google My Maps embed drops in here. Until then, follow the numbered stops below, they are written so the route works without a live map.

Overview

What this walk is like

This walk covers two very different kinds of hidden Paris. It starts on the Canal Saint-Martin, where the locks and iron footbridges have a slower, more residential feel than the Seine, and finishes among the covered passages near the Grands Boulevards, glass-roofed arcades from the 1800s that most visitors walk straight past without noticing the doorways.

The canal stretch is where Parisians actually spend a Sunday, picnicking on the stone quays or queueing at a small bakery rather than posing for photos. The passages further south are quieter still, some almost empty even in high season, holding secondhand bookshops, stamp dealers and the odd workshop that has not changed its window display in decades.

It suits anyone who has already done the Louvre and Notre-Dame and wants to see how ordinary Parisians actually spend a free afternoon, plus anyone who likes 19th century architecture without the crowds that come with the big sights.

The canal quays are genuinely residential in stretches, with apartment windows looking straight down onto the water, so keep noise reasonable if you stop for a picnic, and the passages are semi-private arcades with shops and homes above, so browse rather than linger loudly.

4 hr

6.1 km

Moderate

Weekday afternoon, from about 14:00

The route

8 stops, in walking order

Each stop gives you the direction from the previous one, what to look at, a practical tip and roughly how long to stay.

1
Jaures metro and Bassin de la Villette
Direction
Exit the metro at Jaures and walk two minutes north to the wide basin where the canal opens out.
What to see
A broad stretch of water lined with cinemas, a swimming barge and cafes, popular with a younger, local crowd rather than tour groups.
Navi TipThe MK2 cinema terraces on either bank rent deckchairs cheaply if you want to sit by the water before starting.
Time here: 15 min
2
Canal Saint-Martin locks near Quai de Valmy
Direction
Walk south along the quay for about 1.2 km, following the canal as it narrows past the first double lock.
What to see
Cast iron footbridges arch over the locks, and on weekends this stretch fills with people sitting on the steps with wine and bread, a genuinely local Sunday ritual.
Navi TipThe footbridge near Rue Dieu gives the classic elevated view down the canal, best in late afternoon light.
Time here: 30 min
3
Rue de Marseille and Hotel du Nord
Direction
Continue south along Quai de Jemmapes for another 500 m to the black and white facade made famous by the 1938 film of the same name.
What to see
A former hotel, now a restaurant and bar, that gave its name to a classic French film and remains a local landmark rather than a formal attraction.
Navi TipA coffee here costs the same as elsewhere on the canal, no real premium for the film connection, so it is worth a stop if you are already passing.
Time here: 15 min
4
Passage where the canal goes underground (Square Frederick Lemaitre)
Direction
Continue south another 700 m to the small park where the canal dips underground toward Bastille.
What to see
The canal disappears beneath the Boulevard Richard-Lenoir here, continuing invisibly toward the Seine, and the small park above marks the transition neatly.
Navi TipThis is a good turnaround point if you want a shorter walk, otherwise continue west toward the Grands Boulevards for the second half.
Time here: 10 min
5
Passage Brady
Direction
Head west from the canal along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis for about 1.4 km, then turn into the narrow glass-roofed passage at number 46.
What to see
A passage lined largely with South Asian grocers, tailors and restaurants, giving it a very different character from the more genteel arcades further west.
Navi TipA few of the small restaurants here do lunch thali sets that are considerably cheaper than sitting-down meals in the neighbouring streets.
Time here: 20 min
Photo: Street art @ Belvédère de Belleville @ Parc de Belleville @ Paris 20 (25763725135)
6
Passage du Panoramas
Direction
Continue west along Rue d'Hauteville and Rue de la Grange-Bateliere, roughly 1.5 km, to the entrance opposite the Grand Rex area near Rue Saint-Marc.
What to see
One of the oldest covered passages in Paris, dating to 1799, with stamp dealers, engravers and small restaurants that have occupied the same units for generations.
Navi TipThe passage stays cool in summer thanks to the glass roof and stone floor, a good stop if the afternoon has turned warm.
Time here: 25 min
7
Passage Jouffroy
Direction
Cross Boulevard Montmartre directly to the entrance opposite.
What to see
A slightly grander passage with a wax museum, old toy shops and a famous bookshop specialising in film and photography, plus a small hotel tucked inside.
Navi TipThe floor here is heated in winter, a detail from its original construction that still works and is worth knowing if you visit in the cold months.
Time here: 20 min
8
Passage Verdeau
Direction
Continue straight through Passage Jouffroy and cross Rue de la Grange-Bateliere into the final, quieter passage.
What to see
The smallest and least visited of the three connected passages, with secondhand bookshops, old postcard dealers and comic shops that draw a mostly local clientele.
Navi TipThis is the quietest of the three passages even on a Saturday, a good place to end the walk and browse without being rushed.
Time here: 20 min

Before you go

Small things that change the walk

Comfortable shoes, this route covers over 6 km including cobbled quays and passage floors.
A picnic blanket or cushion if you plan to sit on the canal steps like locals do on weekends.
A little cash for the smaller passage shops, some do not take cards for low-value items.
A reasonable volume near residential canal windows and above the passages, people live in both.
Screenshots of the route saved ahead, the passages have no signal under their glass roofs.
A light scarf or layer, the covered passages can be noticeably cooler than the street outside.

Checklist

Tick these off at the hotel

Screenshot Mode

Screenshot these cards before you leave.

Save each card to your phone gallery in order. On the walk you swipe through the screenshots instead of loading maps. No app, no data, no dead battery from GPS.

Card 1 of 11Route

Paris

Canal Saint-Martin and the Covered Passages

Duration: 4 hr
Distance: 6.1 km
Difficulty: Moderate
Stops: 8
Start: Jaures metro station
Finish: Passage Verdeau

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 2 of 11Stop 1

Jaures metro and Bassin de la Villette

Direction
Exit the metro at Jaures and walk two minutes north to the wide basin where the canal opens out.

See
A broad stretch of water lined with cinemas, a swimming barge and cafes, popular with a younger, local crowd rather than tour groups.

Navi Tip
The MK2 cinema terraces on either bank rent deckchairs cheaply if you want to sit by the water before starting.

Time here: 15 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 3 of 11Stop 2

Canal Saint-Martin locks near Quai de Valmy

Direction
Walk south along the quay for about 1.2 km, following the canal as it narrows past the first double lock.

See
Cast iron footbridges arch over the locks, and on weekends this stretch fills with people sitting on the steps with wine and bread, a genuinely local Sunday ritual.

Navi Tip
The footbridge near Rue Dieu gives the classic elevated view down the canal, best in late afternoon light.

Time here: 30 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 4 of 11Stop 3

Rue de Marseille and Hotel du Nord

Direction
Continue south along Quai de Jemmapes for another 500 m to the black and white facade made famous by the 1938 film of the same name.

See
A former hotel, now a restaurant and bar, that gave its name to a classic French film and remains a local landmark rather than a formal attraction.

Navi Tip
A coffee here costs the same as elsewhere on the canal, no real premium for the film connection, so it is worth a stop if you are already passing.

Time here: 15 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 5 of 11Stop 4

Passage where the canal goes underground (Square Frederick Lemaitre)

Direction
Continue south another 700 m to the small park where the canal dips underground toward Bastille.

See
The canal disappears beneath the Boulevard Richard-Lenoir here, continuing invisibly toward the Seine, and the small park above marks the transition neatly.

Navi Tip
This is a good turnaround point if you want a shorter walk, otherwise continue west toward the Grands Boulevards for the second half.

Time here: 10 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 6 of 11Stop 5

Passage Brady

Direction
Head west from the canal along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis for about 1.4 km, then turn into the narrow glass-roofed passage at number 46.

See
A passage lined largely with South Asian grocers, tailors and restaurants, giving it a very different character from the more genteel arcades further west.

Navi Tip
A few of the small restaurants here do lunch thali sets that are considerably cheaper than sitting-down meals in the neighbouring streets.

Time here: 20 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 7 of 11Stop 6

Passage du Panoramas

Direction
Continue west along Rue d'Hauteville and Rue de la Grange-Bateliere, roughly 1.5 km, to the entrance opposite the Grand Rex area near Rue Saint-Marc.

See
One of the oldest covered passages in Paris, dating to 1799, with stamp dealers, engravers and small restaurants that have occupied the same units for generations.

Navi Tip
The passage stays cool in summer thanks to the glass roof and stone floor, a good stop if the afternoon has turned warm.

Time here: 25 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 8 of 11Stop 7

Passage Jouffroy

Direction
Cross Boulevard Montmartre directly to the entrance opposite.

See
A slightly grander passage with a wax museum, old toy shops and a famous bookshop specialising in film and photography, plus a small hotel tucked inside.

Navi Tip
The floor here is heated in winter, a detail from its original construction that still works and is worth knowing if you visit in the cold months.

Time here: 20 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 9 of 11Stop 8

Passage Verdeau

Direction
Continue straight through Passage Jouffroy and cross Rue de la Grange-Bateliere into the final, quieter passage.

See
The smallest and least visited of the three connected passages, with secondhand bookshops, old postcard dealers and comic shops that draw a mostly local clientele.

Navi Tip
This is the quietest of the three passages even on a Saturday, a good place to end the walk and browse without being rushed.

Time here: 20 min

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 10 of 11Checklist

Before You Go

Comfortable shoes, this route covers over 6 km including cobbled quays and passage floors.
A picnic blanket or cushion if you plan to sit on the canal steps like locals do on weekends.
A little cash for the smaller passage shops, some do not take cards for low-value items.
A reasonable volume near residential canal windows and above the passages, people live in both.
Screenshots of the route saved ahead, the passages have no signal under their glass roofs.
A light scarf or layer, the covered passages can be noticeably cooler than the street outside.

NaviTraveler - no signal needed

Card 11 of 11Phrases