Saturday 12 October 2013

Best Paris Running Routes and Trails

Top 12 Paris Routes
Arriving in Paris, it can look like a very unpleasant place to run. There are lots of wide, traffic-clogged streets, sidewalks full of people, uneven pavement, and lots of noise. In all, it's pretty daunting. But I love running in Paris. It's easy to avoid the loudest streets and to discover interesting neighborhoods all over this city full of character. The parks aren't as big as in London, but you can still find green areas and waterside runs to highlight your day.
Tuileries boat rentals
The Best Paris Routes
Seine/Champs Elysees Loop:  This is the classic Paris run. If you have just one chance to run, try this: following part of the Seine, running through the Louvre and Tuileries gardens, and then up the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe, then to the Eifel Tower and back, past the Invalides and along the Seine again.

Seine Riverside Run:  This run traces the newly cleared-of-traffic riverside sections, turning the Seine into a running paradise. This is the place for a morning jog if you're staying in the center of town.

Left Bank RouteDiscover the backstreets in the Latin Quarter around the Sorbonne University with this run.

Montmartre / Pigalle: Montmartre is maybe the most romantic neighborhood in Paris: hilltop views, Sacré-Cœur basilica, artists painting portraits on every corner, charming restaurants. Who can resist?

Canal St. Martin:  Here's a quiet, scenic run that follows the old Canal St. Martin, with its arched pedestrian bridges and boat locks.

Saint Germain: This short Left Bank run explores the quintessential neighborhood, St. Germain, with its galleries, cafés and bookstores, along with the Luxembourg Garden and the Seine.

Parc Chaumont:  This park is a hidden gem on the north side of town. An ex-quarry, it's full of cliffs, water and an island citadel. Also a great place to do some hill work.

Bois de Boulogne:  This is the place to go on a summer evening. This wooded parkland on the west edge of town is a paradise for runners, with lakes and gardens, streams and trees.

La Défense/Nanterre: This interesting route takes you through a whole different side of the French soul, discovering the modernistic architecture of the La Défense area. 

St. Louis/St. Paul/Jardin des Plantes:  This route explores the eastern side of the town center, and this beautiful section of the Seine, with its islands. It starts at the Île de la Cité, at Notre Dame, and crosses Île Saint-Louis with its old houses, then loops through the old Marais neighborhood before crossing the Seine to the botanical gardens, the Jardin des Plantes. A loop through this beautiful little park precedes the run back along the south bank of the Seine.

Bois de Vincennes: Like the Bois de Boulogne, but for the east side of Paris: wooded parkland with lakes, athletic fields, streams and garden. A great place to run!

Versailles Palace Gardens: The extensive gardens are free to the public, full of trails and offer impressive contrasts from the opulent palace to vegetable fields and sheep pastures. Definitely a run you'll never forget.

Tuesday 8 October 2013

Best London Running Routes and Trails

Top London Running Routes
London is a big city, and some neighborhoods look definitely anti-runner: buses and cars pouring through, concrete as far as you can see, and your route blocked by traffic lights at every intersection. But, if you look off into the quieter side-streets, you'll find an astounding variety of big, beautiful parks, and lots of riverside and canal-side trails to provide you with a new inspiring run every day.

There is no city that can beat London's network of parks -- in size or quality. So I've compiled my own list of favorite runs here, that I hope will brighten your day as much as they have many of my own.
Green Park near Buckingham Palace

The Best London Routes
3-Parks Running Route:  This central London route takes you through a chain of three wonderful parks: Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James' Park.
Hyde Park Route:  This is the classic London route: looping through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
Embankment Run: Take this riverside view through the heart of London.
Notting Hill / Holland Park:  This elegant neighborhood near Bayswater, with its Georgian-era homes, is always an inspiration.
Regents Canal / Camden Town:  Regents Canal winds through several quiet, nice neighborhoods, from Paddington to funky Camden Town, with a crossing of Regent's Park.
Regent's Park Running Route:  This route loops the park and its many sports fields, and heads up Primrose Hill for a great view over the city.
Chelsea Route: This elegant neighborhood combines quiet side streets full of homey row-houses, lively Kings Road and a nice stretch of the Chelsea Embankment along the Thames.
Richmond Park Route:  Richmond Park is a sprawling piece of countryside on the southern edge of London, with lots of ancient trees and thousands of deer. And posh Richmond adds a nice contrast.
Greenwich:  This route winds through the storied center of Britain's nautical history, and hilltop Greenwich Park.
Hampstead East-Heath:  Hampstead is a Georgian-era village tucked into metro London, and it's bordered by its beautiful and hilly heath, criss-crossed with running trails.
Docklands / Limehouse: Here's a route directly along the Thames and past the various old harbor basins in this rejuvenated area of East London.
Heathrow, Harmondsworth Moor:  If you're stuck out at Heathrow Airport, try this run through Harmondsworth Moor and its variety of trails. A surprising oasis right past the runways!
Victoria Park / Regents Canal East: This route ventures into London's East End, with a fun combination of canal-side tow-paths and a loop around Victoria Park, one of the biggest green areas in the East End.
Wimbledon Common Trail Run: This rambling stretch of heath, woods, hills and ponds is a great place to explore a bit of British countryside and enjoy a nice trail run.
Royal Docks/ExCeL: The old Royal Docks on the far-eastern end of the city, have been redeveloped for such things as the ExCeL conference center, plus tourist attractions, flats, parks, industrial lots, the City Airport, and the Thames Barrier. Lots of variety on this run!