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It may be skateboarding's lesser known little brother but longboarding is nevertheless has many fans in the capital. But how do you get started? How do you choose the right equipment? And, above all, where is the best place to go longboarding in Paris? To answer all these questions, we asked the undisputed master of the discipline: Lotfi Lamaali.
The capital partakes in a wide variety of spots, perfectly suited to beginners… and pros like Lotfi Lamaali. Originally from Morocco, he's been longboarding for some 15 years and has performed tricks all over the world, to the point of being crowned international longboard champion a few years ago. Here are his favorite spots in Paris.
Cours de Vincennes (12th, 20th)
Located between Porte de Vincennes (20th) and Place de la Nation (12th), Cours de Vincennes is an ideal place to get to grips with the board. "Why? The sidewalks are very wide and very pleasant to ride on," explains Lotfi. Ideal for practicing speed!
Quai Anatole France (7th)
Lotfi is adamant: "In Paris, one of the best places to ride is on the banks of the Seine! Especially on the Quai Anatole France (7th), near the Léopold-Sédar-Senghor footbridge". The Casablanca native is not wrong: the area, located in the Rives de Seine park, is both long and wide enough for safe riding practice!
What is longboarding?
Ranging in size from 95 cm to 1,30 m, longboards are basically large skateboards. Their long, flat shape makes them ideal for cruising and downhill riding. But there's also the more artistic "longboard dancing", which involves performing tricks with and on the board.
La dalle d'Invalides (7th)
"We don't think about it as much, but there's a really nice spot near the Invalides!". The spot Lotfi is talking about is none other than the slab on the esplanade des Invalides. Located to the west of the lawns, it's a well-known spot for inline skaters and field hockey fans. Covered in concrete, it is wide and lined with railings, making it a perfectly safe place for budding longboarders!
Allée de la reine Marguerite (16th)
Western Paris residents are well aware: for biking, rollerblading, scootering, or longboarding, the Bois de Boulogne is the go-to spot, especially along the allée de la Reine Marguerite. "At weekends (as part of the Paris Respire operation), it's pedestrianized and transformed into a huge space where you can easily roll and perfect your moves," explains Lotfi.
Which board to choose for beginners?
We'll let Lotfi's experience answer this one as well: "For beginners who mainly want to get around Paris, there's no need to buy a board that's too big. But for those who want to get into dancing, I recommend buying a board around 1m15/1m20. It's a size that offers a lot of versatility".
Lotfi Lamaali and action
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