# Canal Saint-Martin, Paris > The Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6-kilometre canal in north-east Paris linking the Canal de l'Ourcq to the Seine. Napoleon ordered it built in 1802–1825 to supply the city with water, and today it's one of the cosiest places for a stroll: chestnut trees along the quays, arched iron footbridges, locks where the water slowly rises, cafés and little boutiques. Amélie skipped stones here in the famous film. The quays are always open, and you can take a boat through the locks and an underground tunnel. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/canal-saint-martin - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: Open 24 hours - Length: 4.6 km, nearly half underground - Cruise: Boats through the locks, ticketed - Duration: ≈ 1–2-hour walk - Location: 10th arrondissement, metro Jacques Bonsergent or République - Coordinates: 48.84722, 2.36667 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1825** — the canal was completed (source: English Wikipedia) - **4.6 km** — length of the canal (source: English Wikipedia) - **2,069 m** — run underground (source: English Wikipedia) - **1802** — construction began under Napoleon (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Canal Saint-Martin The Canal Saint-Martin runs **4.6 kilometres** through north-east Paris, from the Bassin de la Villette to the Seine by the Place de la Bastille. Napoleon I ordered work to begin in **1802**, and it was completed in **1825**, funded by a new tax on wine. It brought fresh water from the river Ourcq for drinking, fountains and street cleaning. Barges carried grain and building materials along it. In the mid-19th century nearly half its length, **2,069 metres**, was covered over and boulevards laid on top. In the 1960s it was almost filled in for a motorway, but luckily it survived, and today it's one of Parisians' favourite spots. ## What to see - **Iron footbridges** — arched pedestrian bridges over the water. - **The locks** — cascades where the water slowly rises. - **Quai de Valmy and Quai de Jemmapes** — chestnuts, benches and cafés. - **Hôtel du Nord** — the building from the 1938 film. - **Bassin de la Villette** — the wide water at the north end. - **The underground tunnel** — by boat to the Bastille. ## Locks and footbridges The open section of the canal runs between the **Quai de Valmy** and the **Quai de Jemmapes**. It has four double **staircase locks**: the gates close, the water slowly rises or falls, and boats move from one level to the next. It's mesmerising to watch, especially from the arched **iron footbridges** spanning the water. Further south, by Rue du Faubourg du Temple, the canal goes underground through three tunnels, Temple, Richard-Lenoir and Bastille, emerging in the Port de l'Arsenal by the Seine. Above the covered section runs Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, with its market and garden. > **When to come** Best on a warm afternoon or early evening, when Parisians sit on the quay edge with picnics and wine. On Sundays parts of the quays close to cars and fill with walkers, cyclists and skaters. Mornings are quiet and lovely for photos. Don't sit too close to the lock edges, and keep an eye on children near the water. ## A canal cruise To see the canal from the water, take a **sightseeing boat**: routes usually run between the Bassin de la Villette and the Port de l'Arsenal. The boat passes through the locks, rising and falling with the water, glides under the footbridges, then dives into the long **underground tunnel** beneath the boulevards, with light wells overhead. The trip takes about two and a half hours and children love it. Book ahead, especially at weekends and in summer. ## The canal in film and art Artists loved the canal: the Impressionist **Alfred Sisley** painted it, and today colourful street art lines the quays. It's a film star too. Marcel Carné's **Hôtel du Nord** (1938) is set in a hotel on the Quai de Jemmapes, whose façade survives, now a restaurant. In **Amélie**, the heroine skips stones across the water by the canal locks, one of her favourite little pleasures. The canal also appears in Jean Vigo's L'Atalante and in action films such as Mission: Impossible and John Wick, and Édith Piaf sang about it in a 1936 song. ## The neighbourhood The area around the canal is one of the trendiest and youngest in Paris, with plenty of **cafés**, wine bars, bakeries, bookshops, concept stores and young designers' boutiques. It's liveliest on Rue Beaurepaire, Rue Lucien-Sampaix and Rue Marie-et-Louise near the Quai de Valmy. To the north the canal widens into the **Bassin de la Villette** by Place de Stalingrad, with cinemas on both banks, cafés and, in summer, Paris Plages with deckchairs. Along the Canal de l'Ourcq you can walk on to the Parc de la Villette. To the south, Place de la République has big shops and metro links. ## How to get there 1. Metro line 5 to **Jacques Bonsergent**, 3 minutes to the quay. 2. Metro lines 3, 5, 8, 9 and 11 to **République**, 5 minutes. 3. Metro lines 2, 5 and 7 to **Jaurès** or **Stalingrad**, for the Bassin de la Villette. 4. Metro line 11 to **Goncourt**, for the southern quays. ## Tips for your visit Walk the Quai de Valmy or Quai de Jemmapes from République to Stalingrad, about two kilometres; with stops on the footbridges and in cafés it takes an hour or so. Bring a picnic and sit by the water like the locals. The canal is a good place to see Paris without tourist crowds. With children, choose a boat cruise: they'll love the locks and the tunnel. In the evening the quays get busy and noisy. Keep your belongings close and take your rubbish with you. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Cross an iron footbridge - [ ] Watch a lock in action - [ ] Find the Hôtel du Nord - [ ] Picnic by the water - [ ] Take a boat through the tunnel ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Pont Neuf](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-neuf) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Pont Alexandre III](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-alexandre-iii) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free - [Île de la Cité](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/ile-de-la-cite) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city island - [Canal Saint-Martin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/canal-saint-martin) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Seine river cruise](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/seine-cruise) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 1-hour cruise, dinner costs more ## Don't mix it up The Canal Saint-Martin is the canal in north-east Paris; Saint-Martin-des-Champs is a medieval church and the Museum of Arts and Crafts in the 3rd arrondissement. ## Tips - Picnic by the water. - Car-free Sundays. - Locks from a bridge. - A boat with kids. ## Questions ### What is the Canal Saint-Martin famous for? Its locks, iron footbridges, cafés and the scene from Amélie. ### Can I take a boat on the canal? Yes, sightseeing boats pass through the locks and the underground tunnel. ### How long does a walk take? An hour or two along the quays. ### Do I need to pay? The quays are free; cruises are ticketed. ### How do I get to the Canal Saint-Martin? By metro to Jacques Bonsergent or République. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. The quays are open public space. Cruise prices and schedules weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Canal Saint-Martin - City of Paris website, paris.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.