Canal Saint-Martin

Although Paris is first and foremost known for the romantic river Seine, it is also home to a less touristy body of water. Many visitors pass by it without noticing because it runs directly under the city's boulevards and the Place de la Bastille. Yet make no mistake: the Canal Saint-Martin is not a sewer but a navigable canal that once bustled with industrial traffic and today carries tour boats.

The canal was originally built in the early 19th century on the request of Napoleon I with the dual purpose of supplying Paris with drinking water and facilitate the transportation of goods. It was partially covered over in the 1860s by Prefect Georges Haussmann as part of his signature project of constructing grand boulevards for traffic. This required lowering the canal by around five meters and constructing locks at either end. Nearly half of its original 4.6km length ended up being covered.

In the 1960s, as canal traffic declined, the city proposed to demolish it to build a freeway. Thankfully, it was saved and now has protected status. Over the years, the surrounding area has become popular with younger Parisians and visitors seeking a local experience. Independent boutiques, cool cafés, and restaurants dot around the canal, with people picnicking, and enjoying drinks along its tree-lined banks. It is closed off for cleaning approximately every 15 years, revealing all sorts of treasures and artifacts that people dump into the river.