Paris: The Iron Lady of Paris

Paris
The Iron Lady of Paris: Tour Eiffel
Distance: About 5 miles, 8km
Start: Trocadéro Métro Station
Finish: ´Ecole Militaire Métro Station

If there was just one landmark to represent Paris, the Eiffel Tower is of course it. You don’t have to pay for the elevator ride to the top of it though, in order to experience its grandeur. This a good 5 miler that can easily become a short or longer run, depending on how many times you want to marvel at the 1,000 ft tower and the Palais de Chaillot across the river.

- When you get off at Trocadéro Métro Station, you will be at the Palais de Chaillot, which now houses the Navel Musum and the Museum of Mankind. You will be able to see the Eiffel Tower across the river.
- Cross place José Marti, heading to the left and then downward. There is a park that winds its way down towards the Seine river and Pont d’léna.
- Cross the bridge and continue straight under the Eiffel Tower. On the other side you will hit a street right before the lawn of the big park.
- Take a left on the road and a right on the edge of the park on Allée Adrienne and follow along the edge of the park in a big rectangle.
- Mile 1 is about at Avenue Joseph Bouvard. Mile 2 is not until you make it almost back to the Eiffel Tower along Alle Thomy Thierry.
- One lap around the park is about 1.3 miles more, so add as many as you would like. Otherwise when you come back up Allée Adrienne the second time, this time when you hit the back of the Ecole Militaire on Av de la Motte-Picquet, make a left on Av. De Suffren and wrap around the front and then other side of the Ecole.
- Make a right on Avenue de Tourville and pass behind the back end of Les Invalides.
- Do a loop around it as well but run up to Rue St. Dominique before turning left again, all the way to Av. Bosquet. Make a left and end at Ecole Militaire Métro Station

Also remember that you can always check distances on MapMyRun.com

Posted by Running Ade

Paris: Intellects and Old Worlds

Paris
Intellects and Old Worlds
Distance: About 3.1 miles, about 5km
Start and Finish: Gare d’Austerlitz

As the Pantheon in Rome was dedicated to all the great gods, the Pantheon in Paris is dedicated to great men. Among those buried there are Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Jean Moulin, Marie Curie (the only woman to be so honored), Descartes, and Louis Braille. This run also takes you by the Natural History museum, if you want to see the old kings of the animal world, and by the Jardin des Plantes, if you want to see some treasures of the floral type. The Arab World Institute is also on the way, which beside its decorative exterior, is a good place to learn about the rich culture and history of the arab world and its great scholars. If learning was done through osmosis, this would be a very academic route!


- Starting at the Gare d’Austerlitz metro station, enter the main entrance to the Jardin des Plantes. Towards the back you’ll pass through the Natural History Museum (definitely worth a trip inside on a non-running excursion! Many extinct species are here).
- Leaving the park you’ll run right into the Musée de Mineralogie, the Grand Galerie de l’Evolution, and La Mosquée
- Head right, along the park until you make a left on Rue Lacépéde. Keep going straight in this direction and you’ll pass a cozy square with a well in the center.
- At Rue Clotilde make a right and you will bump into the Pantheon. Take a clockwise circle around it but stop once you reach the end of the opposite side you started on, and continue straight on Rue Clovis until Rue Monge. It’s a main street so you can’t miss it.
- Take a left until Blvd Saint-Germain (another main one) and turn right. This will take you back to the water, right in front of the Arab World Institute.
- From there follow the river back to the park, where you can explore a bit in the western side of it until you get back to the front entrance.
- Take a cool down by walking across the bridge and back before you finish.

Posted by BritnyRun9

Paris: The Hill Workout

Paris
The Hill Workout
Distance: about 7.5 miles, about 12 km
Start and Finish: Jules Joffrin Métro Station

Montmarte is usually known for the artists and Sacre Couer, but locals see it more for the vibrant and beautiful neighborhood that it also represents. The bonus about enjoying this run is Buttes Chaumont, which is an even 2 km loop around the perimeter with excellent hill training; not too steep but a good challenge. There is a nice lake there to keep you distracted from your burning quads! From there, the loop passes via the Canal St. Martin to another park; Parc de la Villette. And you were wondering about fresh air in big cities...it's all about the parks.

- Starting at Jules Joffrin Métro Station, run south for two blocks to Rue Marcadet and make a left.
- Take that all the way to the water and cross over at Rue de Crimée. That street will take you straight to the first park: Parc des Buttes Chaumont. This is where there a good hills and feel free to stop there and concentrate on repeating that loop as much as you want.
- Otherwise after a lap or two, head back the way you came towards the rive but this time don't cross. Make a right and stay on Quai de la Marne until Parc de la Villette. Take a left there on Galerie de la Villette (or explore the park) and make another left at the Geode theater on Cambrial.
- Keep to the right and the road veers into Rue Curial, then Gaston Tessier, and once you cross a big street, Rue de l'Evangile. Stay on that until you reach a 6 way intersection and take a left down Rue Pajol. That will bring you back to Riquet, which is the same as Marcadet (the first big street you were on). Take that back to starting point.

Posted by ClimbCraz

Bordeaux: For Flower Lovers

Bordeaux
For Flower Lovers
Distance: Runner's Choice
Start and Finish: Jardin Public

For the small size of the city, Bordeaux must know some wonderful secrets about horticulture. Delicate flower beds are everywhere. Luckily, one of the best gardens in town is also located at a great place to run. The Jardin Public of Bordeaux covers over 12 hectares filled with energetic landscaping, a small lake with islands to cross onto, and a botanical garden. It's the perfect place for peace and quiet after long days of heavy wine drinking! The hard sand trails will leave your knees much happier then the usual concrete that you pound them on. There are even some convenient toilets so you have no more excuses not to do that extra lap, and a cafe that opens on the southwest corner in the late afternoons. Just watch out that the ducks don't nip at your ankles while you run.

- The park is 3/4 mile around and about 1/4 mile if you run up the middle to the other side, so run as many laps as fits your workout for the day.
- If you want to go a little further and see more flower, take Rue Ferrére out from the park to the river and take a right all the way until the misting reflecting pool. On the other side of it there are some more beautiful flower beds to enjoy. It's about another 3/4 miles to that point.
- Or take Rue David Johnston from the park, make a left on Blvd. du President Wilson, and a right on Ave. Carnot to get to the Parc Bordelais. It's a little over 1 mile from one park to the other.

Posted by RunnerGirl5