The city of Paris is framed by two large parks: the Bois de Vincennes to the east and the Bois de Boulogne to the west. Two large wooded green spaces of nearly 1000 hectares each. This cycle route connects one to the other by crossing what is called the "left bank", the southern part of Paris, on the left side of the Seine.

1/ In the Bois de Vincennes , from the Daumesnil lake ring road which goes around the beautiful Daumesnil lake (where it is possible to go boating), join the Daumesnil avenue which takes you to the Porte Dorée. Along the way, admire the Palais de la Porte Dorée , an Art Deco masterpiece built for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition.

2/ Continue on avenue Daumesnil to place Félix Eboué and its Lions fountain where you take boulevard de Reuilly, then boulevard de Bercy to the Seine. Here you are in the Bercy district where you will find the Ministry of Economy and Finance, a large white glass building in the shape of an ocean liner that juts out on the Seine, and the Accor Arena , the largest multi-purpose hall in Paris, sheltered by a large pyramid covered with lawn.

3/ Cross the Seine by the Pont de Bercy: the cycle path, away from traffic, passes under the aerial metro. On the left you can see the four glass towers of the National Library of France François Mitterrand which stand in the shape of open books. On the right, the large building on the facade of which a surprising green shape winds is the Cité de la Mode et du Design .

4/ Walk along the Quai d'Austerlitz for 1.5 km to the Jardin des Plantes . The perfect opportunity to take a break by strolling through the flowery paths and tropical greenhouses of this botanical garden (please note, it is forbidden to cycle in this garden, but you can discover it, bike in hand). Need a longer break? Go to the Menagerie or the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution .

5/ Cross the garden to rue Lacépède which takes you directly to the adorable Place de la Contrescarpe, perfect for taking a drink on the terrace before setting off to climb the Sainte-Geneviève mountain! Don't worry, it's only a hill on top of which sits the Pantheon . You are in the famous Latin Quarter , a student district where there are many higher education establishments, including the legendary Sorbonne University .

6/ Take rue Mouffetard (be careful, the cycle path is in the opposite direction of car traffic), which becomes rue Descartes, then take rue Clovis on the left. Raise your eyes: on your right, the Saint-Étienne-du-Mont parish , on your left, the Henri IV college, one of the best schools in the capital. You come out on the Place du Panthéon facing this impressive neo-classical monument, recognizable by its dome and its portico inspired by Agrippa's Pantheon in Rome.

7/ Go around it to reach rue Soufflot which takes you directly to the Jardin du Luxembourg , another very beautiful Parisian park where the Palais du Luxembourg sits, seat of the French Senate.

8/ Cross the garden, bike in hand (be careful, it is forbidden to cycle in this garden) to rue Bonaparte which leads you to Saint-Germain-des-Prés , another famous district on the bank LEFT. You arrive on the boulevard Saint-Germain, opposite the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the two famous cafés Les Deux Magots and the Café de Flore where many artists, authors and philosophers had their habits (Jean- Paul Sartre, Raymond Queneau, Giacometti, Picasso…).

9/ Continue on rue Bonaparte until rue Jacob, which you turn left, and continue on rue de l'Université, which you follow for 1.5 km until you reach the Esplanade des Invalides . These large areas of lawn, frequented by picnickers and ball players on fine days, offer a superb view of the Hôtel national des Invalides which now houses the Army Museum .

10/ Take Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg which takes you to the banks of the Seine, and go down to the banks of the Seine, only accessible to pedestrians and bicycles. Continue along the river for 3 km, to the Pont de Grenelle. On the way, you pass the Orthodox spiritual and cultural center of the Holy Trinity and its 5 golden bulbs, then the Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac museum and its garden, also identifiable by its green wall, one of the most beautiful in Paris. . You then pass near the great iron lady: the Eiffel Tower (be careful there are a lot of pedestrians there). Opposite, on the other side of the bridge: the Jardins du Trocadéro and the Palais de Chaillot.

11/ Cross the Seine on the Pont de Grenelle: you pass above the Île aux Cygnes and its replica of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the United States. Continue straight on rue de Boulainvilliers to pass the circular building of the Maison de la Radio , headquarters of Radio France. Continue on rue de Boulainvilliers, then turn left on rue des Vignes to the Jardin du Ranelagh . In the garden, take Avenue Ingres and its cycle path under the trees which takes you to the Bois de Boulogne .

After cycling 17 km, it's time to put the bike down and enjoy the treasures of the Bois de Boulogne!