Skateboarding in Paris and other Paris, France Sports Travel Tips

Theme: Extreme Sports

For all you skaters (skateboarders) out there, there are at least 3 places where you can meet up with your compadres: Les Halles, Place du Trocadero & Place de la Bastille.

I came to Fontaine des Innocents early one Spring to meet up with a friend of mine as we were traveling to Chatou to the La Maison du Fournaise where Renoir painted his famous painting The Houseboat Party.

While I was waiting near the Fontaine des Innocents, I noticed some young punks skateboarding & doing tricks, ollies & such.

I used to date a skater, that incidentally looked like River Phoenix with a tan, so naturally I'm fascinated by all them and all their tricks. My skater punk dude used to love the Pixies "Surfer Rosa"; wonder what skaters listen to now? Anyway, I'm here to give you all the hook-up on where to skate! I can't say that it's legal to do so here but at least you know where to head to should the urge strike you.

My last trip to Paris this past February I found skaters on the Place de la Bastille, in the area overlooking the Canal St-Martin - better photos this time with my digital. There were 4 of them & I managed to get decent shots of all of them. I really love the photo of the first skater as I snapped him at the peak of his high kick flip.

Should you get hungry there are several fast-food places on rue Berger such as McDonald's (Innocents area) and there are a plethora of cafes near Bastille.

And if your skater betty gets a hankering for some shopping why there's the Forum les Halles nearby that is a mecca for teenage shopping!

Photos: Feb 2006 & April 2003

Equipment: Skateboard (and hopefully protective gear) ;)

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Address: rue Berger (Place de la Bastille or Trocadero)
Directions: Near Jardin les Halles & the Fontaine des Innocentes
or
Place de la Bastille
or
Trocadero across the river from the Eiffel Tower
Website: http://www.abcskate.com/

Theme: Other

Something I'd never noticed before were the joggers in Paris but this trip I saw a slew of them. Apparently, favored areas to jog include the Marais, especially around Place des Vosges and on the Ile St-Louis. Obviously, you'll wish to jog in areas that are relatively traffic-free such as along the quais and down on the quai level of the Ile St-Louis & Ile de la Cite.

Obviously, other excellent places to jog include the many parks throughout Paris such the Jardin des Plantes where I saw a group of joggers and a single jogger in one of the biggest central parks, the Jardin du Luxembourg at Place Edmond Rostand.

Photos: November 2007 & February 2006


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Address: Paris, France