La Petite Ceinture  (The Small Belt) 

Paris, France, 2005

 

La Petite Ceinture is a photographic survey of an abandoned railway line in the city of Paris. The railway was a circular connection between Paris's main train stations within the fortified walls of the city, occupying the XII through the XX Arrondissement. Since 1934 it has laid a forgotten pathway through present day Paris, in its abandon, a scenic and mythical greenway has emerged with most of the rails and stations still existing. La Petite Ceinture mostly runs in trenches or overpasses, with a few tunnel segments. Access to the unused rail tracks is forbidden. The photographs document the railway over the span of four seasons.