Saturday on the Canal Saint Martin

Passing through one of the many the locks on the canal.

After last month's successful chocolate tour that we purchased from Groupon, we decided to scour their site for more touristy discounts.  To our delight we found offers for two site seeing items that we had on our "must see" list: Boat tour on the Canal Saint Martin and Napoleon's Tomb. This sunny Saturday we decided to take the canal tour.

There are three canals in Paris:  Canal St Martin, Canal St Denis, and Canal de l'Ourcq.  Canal St. Martin runs from the Bassin la Villette (a large artifical lake) in the northern 19th arrondissement through the 10th and right into the Seine River.



This tour was a nice surprise.  The boat ride was slow as we went from lock to lock, under pedestrian bridges, and past movable roads. The neighborhoods along the canal was both tranquil as well as dynamic. The canal was lined with the same big beautiful trees that are also in the Tuileries garden.  The bustle of cars and people reminded you that you were in the city, but it was not nearly as crazy crowded as the city's center. The canal boat tour was perfect for people watching. Because of the beautiful weather many Parisians were either walking along the canal or picnicking along side it.

An enjoyable way to spend a Saturday. Made even more enjoyable because we did not pay full price for the trip.

 Lots of graffiti art along the canal.

 One of two roads that must move to the side before the boat can pass

 Two and half kilometers of the canal runs underground.

 Where the Canal Saint Martin meets the Seine River.

 Along the Seine

 Hotel de Ville from the river

 If only graffiti artists used spell check.

 Marching band in front of the Louvre.