The French capital is full of surprises, even for regular visitors! If you have been to all tourist sites and are seeking for new angles of this city, my suggestion is to visit the Bercy district, which had been under renovation in the early 80’s with the construction of Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy and the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry. In the 90’s it gained a great park, a library and cinematheque in adition to a charming open air shopping center that offers good stores, cafes and restaurants.

In this area it was found the first traces of human occupation in Paris dating from the end of the Neolithic period (between 4ooo and 3800 bC). But it was only in the 12th century that the name Bercy (or Bercix) was used for the first time, when the land was owned by Malons family and they expanded their mansion, turning it into a castle, the Château de Bercy. At the same time, other bourgeois families started building their summer houses along the Seine River and so this area became Ville de Bercy, a small town on the outskirts of Paris.

In the 18th century, a considerable portion of land along the Seine was used as a warehouse for storing the wine coming from Bourgogne and the wood from Morvan. For almost 200 years this area was a thriving center of wine trade, until 1860, when Paris attached this area to its territory, dismantling the commune of Bercy in order to built the Paris-Lyon railway and to expand Bois de Vincennes.

In the late 20th century, the renewal of the area indicates the end of the warehouses, but its identity and atmosphere remains. The railways and the buildings were preserved and turned into a nice open air shopping center, the Bercy Village, whit its charming shops and terraces.

Nearby is the Pavillons Bercy, which houses the Musée des Arts Forains, dedicated to European fairgrounds. A magical place that has kept many objects and equipments that were used in those events.

Another must-visit is the Parc de Bercy, a park created out of 3 gardens with different themes: a romantic one, the second dedicated to landscaping and the third one to sports. As you walk the entire park (from Bercy Village to Paris-Bercy Arena) you can easily distinguish each of them.

The beautiful pedestrian bridge Simone de Beauvoir connects Parc de Bercy to François-Mitterrand Library, on Rive Gauche. These modern buildings are worth a visit.

Bercy district is served by metro line 14 and it takes about 10 minutes to get there from Châtelet, one of the main stations of the city.

Bercy is a good option  for those looking for new places to explore in Paris and you can visit it all in few hours.

• Where: Bercy district – 12ème
• Metro to Bercy Village, Pavillons de Bercy, Cinémathèque and Parc de Bercy: Cour Saint-Émilion station – line 14
• Metro to Library François-Mitterrand: Bibliothèque François Mitterrand station  – Line 14 |  Quai de la Gare station – Line 6

Bisous

Carol