Saint-Martin is one section of an 81-mile waterway network, including Canals Saint-Denis and Ourcq. Commissioned by Napoleon in the early 19th century to provide Parisians with clean drinking water, the canals also kept the Seine free of industrial boat traffic.Rooted in the city’s industrial past, today the canal offers plenty of opportunities for biking, sightseeing, and enjoying Parisian life at its most relaxed.