Petite Ceinture du 16e

The Petite Ceinture in the sixteenth arrondissement serves as a quiet, green artery that cuts through one of Paris’s most affluent districts. While much of the original railway line throughout the city remains framed by its iron tracks and industrial grit, this particular segment underwent a distinct transformation. Here, the rails were removed entirely to create a sprawling, wooded nature trail that feels more like a secluded forest path than a relic of urban infrastructure. This stretch of the path, spanning over a kilometer between Porte d'Auteuil and the former La Muette station, now hosts a rich biodiversity of over two hundred plant species. You might find hazel, blackthorn, and viburnum flourishing in the space once reserved for steam engines and passenger carriages. This rewilding process has turned what was once a vital commuter line into a rare, unmanicured sanctuary that offers a silent escape from the surrounding city traffic. The history of this specific section is tied to the Ligne d'Auteuil, which opened in 1854 as an early passenger railway connecting the western suburbs to the heart of the city. During its operational years, this was the primary transit choice for the bourgeois commuters of the sixteenth arrondissement. Today, the transition from heavy steel tracks to a soft, earthy walking path marks the final chapter in the site’s evolution from an industrial hub to an ecological preserve.