Reclaiming almost three kilometres of riverbank is one of the key challenges of the Paris Rive Gauche project which offers an exciting leisure potential for the residents of the 13th arrondissement and Parisians in general.

The Port d'Austerlitz is being transformed into a riverside station for the transport of passengers. The new Voguéo river shuttle service has moored there since June 2008 and new leisure vessels tie up there too. The "Docks en Seine" building takes pride of place.

The Port de la Gare, at the foot of the BnF, is dedicated to leisure: the tree-lined promenades laid out above the riverbank, the barges, the "Josephine Baker" floating swimming pool with its sunny terraces and relaxation areas. This original and daring development is nothing short of an ecological benchmark (architect: Robert de Busni). Alongside, the elevated Simone de Beauvoir footbridge connects the 13th with the 12th. Crossing the Seine in a single span, it connects the plaza of the BnF with the Parc de Bercy (architect: Dietmar Feichtinger).

The Port de Tolbiac, located between the Pont de Tolbiac and the Pont National, since 2007, has shared its industrial areas (concrete and aggregate storage unit) with Parisians who regain possession of these zones (50% of the surface area) outside of working hours, in the evenings, at weekends and on public holidays).