Hidden Passageway to the Seine

Yesterday I went out for a walk late afternoon to explore our neighborhood a bit more. I soon found myself at the Arsenal Boat Yard. We pass over this boat yard every time we take the #1 Metro east to our station–Gare de Lyon. It was a beautiful fall day and it was a holiday (Armistice Day), so the Parisians were out in full number for an afternoon stroll. I decided to follow the flow of walkers to the south, toward what looked like a dead end, but strangely people were getting through.

Our friend Ellen had mentioned that there was a shortcut to the Seine, although I'd never found it. But as I went with the flow of traffic, it dawned on me that I was heading in the direction of the Seine. Just maybe this was that mythical shortcut. After crossing over a pedestrian swing bridge and then going through a narrow tunnel way under roads and the Metro line, I was delighted to come out on the other side at the Seine!

This shortcut is not at all evident when you look at a map on your phone, but there it was, the Seine. And what a lovely day to walk the Seine, The sun was low on the horizon, giving everything it touched a golden glow. The Parisians were making the best of it, finding spots to soak up the sun wherever they could. 

I walked along the Seine all the way to the Marais district and the stairs we would take down to the river when we were staying in the Marais in 2019. That portion of the walk was in the shade, so not as many people were there. But as soon as you rounded the bend and got clear of the shadows thrown by the buildings on Île Saint-Louis, the crowds reappeared.

Priscilla and I plan to get an evening glass of wine down at the Seine before we leave. Now that I've found the shortcut, this will be much easier to accomplish. Sometimes it pays to follow the crowd.