The Viaduc des Arts is the old Bastille viaduct, built in the mid-19th century, to carry the Paris/Bastille-Varenne railway line. Opened in 1859, this line was closed down a century later and replaced by the RER A. In the early 1980s, Paris City Council decided to restore this place and dedicate the vaults to arts and crafts. The Viaduct was restored from 1990 to 2000 by Semaest, with the assistance of architect Patrick Berger.

In 2004, Paris City Council transferred ownership of the Viaduc des Arts to the Semaest for a period of 18 years. The Semaest is therefore responsible for maintaining the site, renting the vaults to craftsmen and promoting it alongside the Viaduct craftsmen's association.

A showcase for arts and crafts and contemporary creation in Paris, the Viaduc des Arts today houses the creations of 30 craftsmen and women who materialise their talents through fashion, decoration, culture, jewellery crafts, etc.

Each arched vault is a place for expressing excellence in know-how, but also a workshop for production, presentation and sale. These artisans, men and women passionate about their profession, work simultaneously on conserving and restoring our heritage and on tomorrow’s innovations, designs and creations. Arch by arch you will find a succession of workshops, showrooms, restaurants and cafeterias, galleries and shops. The Viaduc des Arts offers you a long stroll teeming with discoveries, fantasies, personalities...

The Viaduc des Arts is:
• 1.5 km along the Avenue Daumesnil in the 12th Arrondissement
• 62 permanent arched vaults housing
• 37 arts and crafts experts
• A temporary vault rented for a specified period, so that artists can test their activities before establishing themselves there on a permanent basis