Most of Paris never walks the island in the middle of the river, which is exactly why you should. The Île aux Cygnes is a man-made sliver of land with one tree-lined path down its spine, a small Statue of Liberty at the end, and the Eiffel Tower watching the whole thing from upstream.
Start on the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, the two-level steel bridge — road below, the elevated Métro clattering across the ironwork above. Time your crossing for a passing train. Halfway over, take the easily-missed steps down to the Allée des Cygnes and walk it downstream, river on both sides, the trees closing overhead. On a weekday afternoon it can be almost empty.
At the downstream tip waits the quarter-scale Statue of Liberty, facing her larger sister across the Atlantic; stand behind her and the Tower lines up over your shoulder. Cross the Pont de Grenelle back to the Left Bank — the RER at Javel is a short walk south, or follow the river on toward the André Citroën park.
