Petite
Ceinture

Competing private companies refused to collaborate and create direct links between terminals scattered across Paris, fragmenting the French railway system. This left travelers and freight to navigate inefficient detours to reach destinations throughout the city, giving rise to the need for the Petite Ceinture.

It was through the intervention of Napoleon III that the construction of this "railroad belt" came to fruition. A new collaborative venture, the Syndicat de Chemin de Fer de Ceinture was formed, with both the French state and the railway companies contributing funds.

Much of the line had been decommissioned by 1934. and over time nature has gradually reclaimed it. Today, the Petite Ceinture shares similarities with New York Ctiy's High Line, though its future remains a point of ongoing debate. Discussions surrounding its preservation and potential repurposing are still very much alive.