I have explored Paris’s street art on foot, on bicycle, and through the windows of the Métro. This was my first time doing it by boat.
Street Art Avenue
Canal Saint-Denis runs north of Paris through one of the grittiest, most authentic areas of the city. Along its banks runs Street Art Avenue — an open-air exhibition that has been building since the early 1990s. The oldest pieces date from 1993 and represent the classic hip-hop graffiti culture that defined that era: blazes, tags, and throw-ups marking territory and identity.
This is not the curated, gallery-approved murals of the 13th arrondissement. This is raw.
Graffiti vs Street Art — Again
The canal makes this distinction impossible to ignore. Most of what lines the banks is graffiti — not street art. Tags. Blazes. Writing that says I was here more than it says anything else. That is not lesser art. It is different art, with different rules, different culture, and a different history.
Our guide on the boat, Nicolas Obadia — co-founder of Le MUR 93 — explained the pieces dating back 30 years with the precision of someone who was there.
The Sticker Expo
The most surprising part of the day was the indoor sticker exposition at the end of the cruise. The history of street art stickers — known as slaps — goes back to the early days of graffiti: artists made stickers at home to deploy quickly on city walls without being caught by police. The speed of a slap versus the time required for a mural is the difference between seconds and hours.
The highlight of the expo was a fan-made Panini sticker book dedicated entirely to cataloging Space Invader mosaics across Paris. Someone made this. By hand. It is incredible.
The Honest Review
The boat cruise is slow. Seven canal locks. Fifteen minutes at each one. If you are not interested in the history, it will feel very long. If you are, it is one of the most unusual ways to experience this city.
One important note from our guide: photographing certain pieces along the canal for commercial use could result in the artist requesting a fee. Know the rules before you publish.
