Learn More About Paris' Secret River, La Bièvre

Vintage Paris postcard depicting la Bièvre

You know about Paris' legendary Siene river which cuts its way through the French capital and separates the Left Bank from the Right Bank. Did you know Paris has another river?

Oui. La Bièvre. In it translates to...wait for it...Beaver River. Oui.

This 20-mile (or 32.8km) river is located in the 5th and 13th arondissements and flows into the Seine. During the industrial revolution mills, tanneries and dye-makers operated along the river's banks which, in turn, turned the river into a heavily-polluted toxic dump.

City officials covered the river in 1912. It currently flows through Paris' underground tunnels with its whole course buried below Paris.

Walking Paris has a fun walking tour of the la Bièvre you can download. It's about 3.5 miles and takes approximately two hours.

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Learn More About Secret Paris