Is the Canal St Martin a good place to stroll?

We have stayed at the Le Citizen Hotel on the Canal St. Martin 3 times, with the last time being in 2019, Love the neighborhood, and feel perfectly safe. With that said, on our last visit when we were walking along the canal at dusk, we saw a whole lot of rats. No doubt the rats are everywhere in Paris, but it did gross me out.

I strolled Canal St. Martin for a couple of hours while my wife and daughter took a rest. I was happy to take a look. From all the attention the area has gotten in recent years on social media, television, and in travel literature my expectations were a bit higher than what was in reality found. I thought it was a tad rundown-looking, but worthwhile nonetheless. I didn't drop into any of the cafes or restaurants nearby, so I can't comment on them. It wasn't too crowded on a June afternoon.

That is an interesting area to stroll with the park and the canal and the shops and it runs into Place de la Republique

Better place to stroll than boat -- we enjoy watching the canal boats go through the locks which are rather interesting in themselves with their swinging bridges. Being on one of those boats is like watching paint dry; very boring.

There are places along the canal with picnic tables where nearby cafes will serve drinks and snacks; we often meet local friends for Friday night apero along the canal at one of these tables.

Personally, I found it disappointing. I feel like some local tourist office over-hyped this area a few years ago and only succeeded in getting it onto the radar, and "must see" for tourists. I found it trashy and uninteresting, and feel like so many other areas of Paris are much more desirable and worth the effort to explore.

I believe it was the movie "Amélie" from 2001 that put it on the tourist radar. Stayed at a hotel by the canal a few years ago and found it to be pleasant stroll. Walked all the way to Place Bastille and returned on the Metro. I did not see any rats, but a pigeon did poop on me. Avoid hanging out by lamp posts.

The most rats in one place in Paris that we have ever seen was a veritable rat convention in front of Notre Dame a few years ago before the fire. It was whole families of rats, big ones, little ones climbing in and out of the waste baskets. We haven't seen more than the occasional scamper in recent trips. But then we rarely see one in Chicago and I know we have lot of them.

Some of the replies here are interesting. This area is a very vibrant place where young Parisians live, hang out and shop. Although perhaps not classically picturesque there are many great places like Artazart Books and Bonjour Jacob for printed matter, Centre Commercial, Agnes B (classic French brand since the 1970's!) and many other clothing shops, and one of the most highly rated boulangeries in town- Des Pain et des idees. If you want a look at modern, every day Paris you could do worse than roaming the Canal St Martin.

Ditto the rats, and on my visit, the canal was filthy, with old bicycles and such in the canal...

Did it once, never been back, never will go back.

Bicycles in the canal, oh my. Sure it was not Amsterdam?

The canal itself has greatly benefited from a deep clean a couple of years ago. There's even a section open for swimming on summer weekends, barring rain events.

It is not that picturesque, though. It is a nice diversion if you are staying close by, and there is a high concentration of mostly good cafés and restaurants, but there is not much to see and not many good shops either - the area is mostly driven by food-and-drink.

Maybe we just have different interests, but I find the concentration of shops to be extensive and excellent- independent book shops, clothing boutiques, housewares, magazine shops etc. To say the area around the Canal i dominated by food and drink is simply inaccurate. There are of course many cafes, bars and restaurants but the area is well known for it's unique shops and retail options.

We've been several times of the years. Try Chez Prune.

Chez Prune is excellent!

A small ferry motors from La Republique to La Villette boat basin, exceptional in the ways it does not resemble the cruisers on the Seine. For one thing, the locks sometimes lift the craft high enough to glance into neighbouring apartments. For another, at least a third of the route is underground. Obviously not scenic, but certainly a novel experience. Several museums, and the newish symphony hall, add to La Villette's appeal.

but I find the concentration of shops to be extensive and excellent- independent book shops, clothing boutiques, housewares, magazine shops etc.

I live in the 3rd arrondissement 10 minutes away, which is full to the brim with such shops, so maybe I'm spoiled ;)!
By the canal, it is true that there are good clothing boutiques especially in rue de Marseille, rue Yves Toudic and rue Beaurepaire, and Artazart right on the canal is a nice bookshop.