The 12e arrondissement

South of Bastille, the relatively unsung 12e arrondissement offers an authentic slice of Paris, with its neighbourhood shops and bars and traditional markets, such as the lively Marché d’Aligre. Among the area’s attractions are the Promenade Plantée, an ex-railway line turned into an elevated walkway running from Bastille to the green expanse of the Bois de Vincennes, and Bercy, once the largest wine market in the world, its handsome old warehouses now converted into cafés and shops.