Hi, first time poster, so apologize in advance for any lapses (did read the guidelines).
Our family is staying in the 5th Arrondisement (near the Cardinal Lemoine Metro station) in July and my question is if anyone has suggestions on places to run in that area. My husband is very serious about getting in a few runs while we are there and cannot go on the cobblestones or hard surfaces (knees).
Thank you in advance for your advice...
Diana
SF Bay Area
There is a nice loop around the perimeter of the Luxembourg Gardens in the 6th. I'm not sure what time they open the gates but I noted lots of runners when visiting in August 2015. During a 2013 visit I went for a few runs between Montparnaisse and the Seine and did not notice cobblestones within the roadways. Enjoy, and early morning run to the Seine while Paris is waking up is a great way to start the day.
As John said, the Luxembourg Gardens... A great place to run, and so close to you. It's actually in the 5th and 6th.
The Arenes de Lutece, off Rue Monge about a block south of the Cardinal Lemoine Metro, is a reconstruction of the Roman arena. I believe it has a gravel surface and might be a good place to run if he doesn't mind gong in a lot of circles. Another candidate might be the Jardin des Plantes, a little farther southeast between Rue Geoffroy Sainte-Hilaire and the river. It has lots of paths, I believe gravel, some wide enough for running, and very attractive scenery (as would the Luxembourg site farther west). I also remember seeing runners along the quays beside the river, but I think those surfaces were mostly irregular paving stones which I wouldn't want to run on.
Aside from what was mentioned in the previous posts, there is very little ground in this area that isn't covered by asphalt or cobblestones. I've never seen anyone running in Le Jardin des Plantes, and L' Arenes de Lutece isn't really suitable for running, unless you just want to run laps inside the pit.
There is some grass on both sides of the river, along the lower quais, but not a contiguous stretch of it.
It's a short bus or Metro ride to Luxembourg or the Tuileries gardens, though - both are large enough for a good run, but both are paved with gravel - you won't be allowed to run on the grass, unfortunately.
Thank you all, I'll definitely share his conclusions. He may just enjoy going in circles in the Roman ruin, he's a big history buff. My plan is to go to the Promenade Plantee one day (outside the 5th, I know, probably uncouth to be post-workout on the Metro) so he can run and the rest of us can stroll and get a pastry😉 comme les Parisien.
I have run along the Seine to the Tuileries and around the Louvre. It was great running near the Louvre with only a few runners near the museum. Another trip, I ran to the Champs de Mars and used the ET as my turnaround point. This was sub-optimal to run to , but was a great destination. But the other options given are probably better.
I will be going to Paris this September and will be interested in getting one decent run as I will be doing a marathon the following week in Medoc. Can post when you return with the experiences of the running routes!???
Thank you for posting! I am also a runner and was hoping to find some great places to run while in Paris. We will be on Rick's Best of Paris tour July 10-16. Enjoy your trip!
