[2] A small electric passenger ferry, the Zéro de conduite, is available for transporting people from one side of the basin to the other.

Its secondary function, in association with the second basin, was to provide water for navigation on the canals of Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin.

At the beginning of the 19th century the first basin was surrounded by gardens where Parisians came to spend pleasant interludes (walking in summer, skating in winter).

This basin, which is often prematurely named the Canal de l'Ourcq, originally ran along the back of the old village of La Villette.

There are two buildings at the end of the Bassin de la Villette that were built between 1845 and 1853 as commercial warehouses, but which had a certain utilitarian beauty.

During the 20th century this freight traffic experienced significant peaks mainly related to construction activity after the world wars.

Steadily declining since the middle of the 20th century this traffic disappeared for the Bassin de La Villette and is currently at its lowest level in history for all Parisian canals (around 1 million tons in 2000).

At the same time tourism-related passengers from the Bassin de la Villette slowly began to increase.

Barges are moored along the banks of the basin throughout the year offering cultural activities such as theatre, cinema, concerts, etc.

Since 2007 an extension of the Paris-Plages has taken possession of a large part of the quay of the Seine and offers taverns, restaurants, boat rides, children's play area, petanque, etc.