Member-only story

The Abandoned Train Tracks Around Paris

The Champs-Élysées for urban explorers

William Sidnam
4 min readJan 25, 2023
A mother and child explore an abandoned train track in Paris’ 15th arrondissement (Photo by William Sidnam)
A mother and child explore an abandoned train track in Paris' 15th arrondissement (Photo by William Sidnam)

When you think of Paris, what do you think of? The Eiffel Tower? Notre Dame? Croissants, macaroons and fashion?

While all of these things can certainly be found in the French capital, they represent only one version of the city — a very Instagram / Lonely Planet / Emily in Paris vision of Paris.

But there’s another side to Paris that often goes ignored — a banal, scruffy-looking place that tourists seldom seek out or know about.

It’s also a version of Paris that’s arguably more interesting than the prescribed must-see sites in the central arrondissements, or districts. Far from the madding tourist crowds, there’s no pretense or souvenir shops trying to sell to you; just everyday life for millions of people.

A City of Lights, with weeds.

15th arrondissement

Take for example the abandoned train tracks around Paris. In centuries past, the train track encircled the city’s perimeter, demarcating where Paris ended and the provinces began. But as the city expanded and the train ceased to operate, the tracks remained in place like scars on the face of the French capital.

--

--

William Sidnam
William Sidnam

Written by William Sidnam

New Zealand creative based in Paris. Advertising copywriter & photographer with 3 Medium Staff Picks. Documenting metro posters at www.instagram.com/metrotears/

Responses (1)