Description: This street is tucked in the unassuming streets of the 12th arrondissement. This small picture-perfect block is sure to give you a quick dose of surprise along the way. It's like stepping into a portal and being transported out of Paris and into some remote Italian village. Its cobblestoned alley is lined with colorful idyllic apartments which stand out from the neighboring Haussmannian designed streets.

Description: While most people flock the Pompidou for a day's worth of an overwhelming volume of art pieces, there are plenty of “bite-size” and more immersive venues to appreciate modern art in Paris. One of them is La Maison Rouge, a contemporary art museum lurking next to the Bassin de l’Arsenal. It houses exhibits of modern art from the private collection of Antoine de Galbert. It used to be an old farmhouse now converted to host art exhibitions changing its theme every season. It has its own bookstore and a café where you can just chill afterwards and reflect about your experience.

Description: A few steps away from La Maison Rouge is one of the famous restaurant joints in Paris offering traditional cuisine from the Southwest of France. The Southwest is synonymous with duck and tripe dishes so expect the many varieties of these dishes to flood the long and diverse restaurant menu. They also offer plates of cold cuts and cheese if you simply want a quick apero. It’s a great way to recharge for the rest of this walking tour. Don’t be tempted to order the foie gras although nobody can blame you to do so if you smell its enticing aroma from the next table.

Description: This elevated promenade, opened in 1993, is a former railway. The tracks were turned into a pedestrian path surrounded by a variety of vegetation making it a breath of fresh air from the busy streets underneath. It is one of the longest elevated linear parks in the world. Having an elevated platform to see the city, the views along the promenade are spectacular. The first kilometer or so of the promenade is perched on the Viaduc des Arts which used to be a series of archways but now converted into ateliers and shops. Probably on your way back, you can check out the artisans of these ateliers which exhibit and sell handcraft jewelry, art, and furniture.

Description: This park marks the end of the elevated garden but the network continues on ground level towards the forests of Vincennes. From here on, the path is already staggered so it might be best to end your tour here, for now, to chill and hang out with the locals and spare the next couple of kilometers for another day.