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Canal Saint-Martin

Canal Saint-Martin, Paris: Address, Phone Number, Canal Saint-Martin Reviews: 4/5

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Canal Saint-Martin

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Canal Saint-Martin
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1,389
#159 of 3,385 things to do in Paris
Bodies of Water • Neighborhoods • Points of Interest & Landmarks
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About
This picturesque canal, an extension of the River Seine, is a pleasant place for a boat ride or a summer stroll.
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Canal Saint-Martin
The tree-lined Canal Saint-Martin is the focal point of one of the most romantic and hip areas of Paris. Watch boats travel along the canal while lovers and friends take in the atmosphere from the banks or the bridges. Evenings see hoards fill the embankments to drink wine and enjoy good company. The colder days lead people to hipster bars, cozy restaurants, and concert spaces. Those who are more adventurous may explore hidden gems down nearby streets, from local bars to futuristic architecture. With its enriching mix of people of all ages and backgrounds, this neighborhood has a dynamic, inspiring vibe.
How to get there
  • République • 4 min walk
  • Goncourt • 4 min walk
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
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Place de la République
356
0.2 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
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Monument a la Republique
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
1,389 reviews
Excellent
495
Very good
564
Average
207
Poor
78
Terrible
45
Barbara S
Krakow, Poland1,518 contributions
Locks and Bastille - underground tunnel
If departing from Musee d'Orsay you go thorugh several locks always upwarts. It's interesting to see the water level changes and going up within just a few minutes. A fasting part of the journey is the itinerary under the Bastille.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
cliu
Vancouver, Canada6,499 contributions
Lovely little walk with many restaurants and great Guinness Irish pub
Last time we visited the canal was when it was empty so this year we return to see its glory. We were fortunate enough to see the swing bridge open up and to see how the boat descend to go under the bridge.

I suggest you come on a clear warm day which would be so nice. There were Ms y locals sitting on the side of the canal having a lovely picnic but we also saw many alcoholics around as well.

On both sides of the canal, there are some pubs and restaurants. We had happy hour 6 euros for a pint of Guinness and a pint of Kilkenny. An Aperol spritz was also 6 euros. We sat outside and it was great. Note…many restaurants close from 3 to 7pm so gauge your time accordingly. This lovely Irish pub is across the side of Quai de Valmy so it’s on the side of Quai de J.

We took line 11 to reach Republique and walked about 5 minutes to reach the canal.
We were told by locals not to walk past the few pastel coloured houses since it can get rawdy and unsafe.

We stopped off at Gros Bao for dinner and it was awful food. It is not real bbq pork buns at 9 euros for 2! It tasted like dog food. Perhaps the locals haven’t tasted what real bbq pork buns should taste like. The prices are outrageously expensive with terrible tasting buns.

If you keep walking down past Macdonalds, you will hit a stretch of Lebanese shops and restaurants…quite busy and junky shops but if you keep walking straight you will hit Belleville, one of the Chinatowns…not the one we like.
Written May 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Piero C
Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina488 contributions
Keeping it real
Family
The place is packed, mostly with young people, either lounging at restaurants and cafes, or relaxing on the bank of the canal. I brought my daughter here to fulfill here ambition of skipping stones like Amelie. There is a subdued local vibe here that has not yet been drowned out by tourism. Come at sunset or later for best effect.
Written July 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Etienne V
1 contribution
Sympa. Prévoir un casque audio et un livre sur Paris pour éviter les commentaires du guide... ;-)
Friends
A nice way to discover the "canal saint-martin" and its tunnel under the "place de la République".
But I must say it's also a way to dicover how a french guide speaks english: difficult to understand. I don't speak english perfectly, but I couldn't imagine that a guide could try to speak english like that... ;-) I hope his english teachers won't ever hear him...
Les tentatives d'humour du guide laissent de marbre.
Mais la visite est très atypique, à faire.
Written July 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA13,461 contributions
Parks and Pedestrian areas
This area has gradually improved over the years with the addition of more pedestrian spaces and more park area for sitting and resting. Also the landscape has grown in. It's been gentrified with the new clothing boutiques. It is very romantic and one of the most beautiful areas of the city in the summer.
Written June 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lucie1866
San Francisco, CA631 contributions
Miss
I didn't understand (and still do not) the fascination with this canal and its surroundings. There are many people sitting alongside this canal which is not attractive as it's murky and the seating ledge is narrow and full of bird droppings. Reminded me of Haight St. in San Francisco except it has a canal.

There are far more scenic and much cleaner places in Paris to sit and visit.
Written August 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ana T
56 contributions
Hurry up before the horde of tourists gets there!
Family
Picturesque neighborhood. Feels like the Seine Canals a century ago. Good choices of restaurants, We had lunch at Le Prune. Formule and a wine right beside the canal w/ a view.
I could notice many locals having lunch, so I guess it’s still a very preserved area.
Written October 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Joan S
Saint Louis, MO5 contributions
A great tour to other parts of Paris.
We enjoyed the morning Saint-Martin Canal tour. If you have been to Paris and are looking for something different to see and do, consider this trip. We boarded at 9:30am at the dock near Muse d'Orsay. The narration was very informative. You travel through8 or 9 locks along the way. There are places to sit both inside and out. Bring a hat and sunscreen if sitting outside. Enjoy.
Written May 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MrsSAJennings
London, UK411 contributions
A lovely place.
Couples
You can’t come to Paris without visiting Canal Saint Martin. A beautiful waterway stretching all the way to Bastille and the Seine .
Wonderful places to eat or grab a coffee along the way.
Unfortunately we couldn’t do the cruise due to time constraints, but will do it on our return in February.
Lots of lovely bridges and locks, very picturesque and a vibrant part of Paris.
Written November 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Blippo
Wakefield, UK753 contributions
Canal St. Martin
As we have been to Paris on quite a few occasions now, we wanted to do something a bit different. We were there early September 2006 and it was HOT (30+ degrees C!) We read about the walk along the Canal St. Martin in the DK book on Paris and thought we would give it a try. We caught the Metro out to Stalingrad. It is quite busy traffic out there and we felt we could have missed out the first bit and got off at the Metro station one sooner. However, the walk is easy enough to find and is obviously popular with Parisians for a gentle afternoon stroll. (There are even the (free) automatic loos at intervals - having drunk a lot of water because of the heat, that came in handy part way along, although that type of loo always has me on edge, as you're never sure whether the door is suddenly going to burst open!!)
Bits of the walk might be a bit dodgy after dark. There are quite a few homeless people pitched in tents along the way - one group even had a sittee and table with parasol - very French! But I hasten to add, they were not menacing at all when we went past. We kept pace easily with a boat trip and I would advise the walk rather than the expensive trip by boat unless you have mobility problems. It was fun to watch them going through the locks. There were plenty of cafes where you could stop along the way if you wished. The whole walk only took us about an hour and we ended up near Metro Republique.
Written September 15, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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