Extending around a circular loop within the fortified walls of
Paris is an abandoned railway that once connected the city’s
five main lines. Completed in 1852, the Chemin de fer de Petite
Ceinture has been partially abandoned since 1934 and completely
silent for the last few years. The tracks and several stations
remain intact, though its future is the subject of ongoing
debate. Meaning “Little Belt Railway”, the Chemin de fer de
Petite Ceinture was conceived in 1848 as a means of transporting
and dispersing troops swifty around the city’s major
fortifications. At a time of revolution in France and across
Europe, the military became increasingly reliant on the
expanding railway network. France’s railways initially extended
outwards from Paris like the spokes of a wheel. Five competing
companies monopolized the routes, each reluctant to build
connections to rival lines. As a result, passengers had to ride
into Paris to change trains before heading to their final
destinations. This was particularly frustrating