podtour
Belleville, from the Boulevard to the Viewpoint
You start on the boulevard where the tax wall once stood.
The Canal Saint-Martin and the Grange-aux-Belles: audio walk in Paris
You climb the canal lock by lock, then the rise of Montfaucon: Haussmann's vault, the 1860 footbridge, the vote that would have buried the water under a motorway, the Hôtel du Nord that cinema saved, Henri IV's chapel, the most feared gallows in France and Niemeyer's white dome.
What this walk is about
You begin where the canal slips underground, and wonder why. You walk up the quay between locks, iron footbridges and bridges that swing aside, to the place where, in 1963, the city council voted to put cars where the water was. Facing the Hôtel du Nord, you discover that its novel ends with the building being demolished, and that the film was shot with a studio footbridge. Then come the chapel of a hospital for plague victims, the rise where the great gallows of Paris stood, and a square that was an arena for animal fights before it took the name of a Resistance fighter and gained Niemeyer's dome.
- Start
- The canal goes underground
- Finish
- Niemeyer's white dome at Place du Colonel-Fabien
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about urban history and trades and film and fiction.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The canal goes underground
- 2
Drinking water and an iron footbridge
- 3
A bridge that turns, a canal that empties
- 4
The motorway that never came
- 5
The novel that demolishes its own hotel
- 6
A film-set bridge and a rescued façade
- 7
The king who never entered his chapel
- 8
A hospital built for plague outbreaks
- 9
The heroine created by a newspaper
- 10
The great execution site of Paris
- 11
The legend of the cursed gallows
- 12
Bears and bulls in the Place du Combat
- 13
Niemeyer's white dome at Place du Colonel-Fabien
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Paris, before you go
Paris works best a neighbourhood at a time. Combine a walk, a pause and another look: the distances on the map can be deceptive.
More walks nearby
From Saint-Paul to the Bastille by the Place des Vosges
On the Rue Saint-Paul there was once a cemetery where, in 1703, a prisoner nobody had ever seen without his mask was buried under a false name.
The Jewish Marais and its Mansions: from Saint-Gervais to Carnavalet
You start beneath a tree where rents were paid in the Middle Ages, meet the Couperins, the family of musicians who handed the organ of Saint-Gervais down from one to the next, and stop at a church hit by a shell on Good Friday 1918.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.