Paris1972-Versailles2003

I have done early when I started my blog way back in Nov’10 a series of runs on each line of the Metro de Paris. I figure it is time to update and renew this information; vital for any visitor and resident as well. Paris not only have Parisians but French from every department of France and even some foreign residents and/or citizens who use it every day.  I hope it helps you understand a bit more what Paris is in its metro or subway or tube underground. Of course, remember, this is for historical purposes only, I always prefer to be above ground in Paris !

After having worked in Paris, and living in Versailles nearby for about 9 years, I am amaze at the number of people coming from places where there is no subway.metro:tube and gladly jump in into the Paris metro and rave about it back home. Like it was a tourist attractions; well I like to tell some historical stories of the Paris metro. I will try to write a bit on each line ,sort of like an historical anecdote rather than photos, maybe one if can find it. The story is the important thing here.

Paris has 16 metro lines so far, and it was not the first one to have one. It all started with the idea of hosting the Universal Expo of 1900, so to be ready work on the metro began in 1897. Today I will talk about line 4 of the metro de Paris.

It links the north and the south of Paris, the line was progressively built starting in 1908 and not all station connected until 1910. Not before complaint from the scholars at the Institut de France of the noise, and the line diverted to Châtelet and ile de la Cité. the line was enlarged in 1977 with the station Les Halles ,dug 30 meters deep to accommodate the RER train line. It has been enlarge with the extention to mairie de Montrouge.

I pick to begin at the porte de Clignancourt, ,this village was ,also, annexed to Paris in 1860. It belongs to the abbey Saint Denis and eventually abbey of Montmartre,the flea market came to be by the walls of the old fortified walls of Thiers. You have a small cemetary St Ouen at 69 ave Michelet where lies Alphonse Allais and Suzanne Valadon. then we move on to the flea market, its huge, the marché aux puces de Saint Ouen; it is really a flea market amongst a flea market counting about 16 different venues. Easy on to porte de Clignancourt.  The fame resto Le Picolo Café ,58 rue Jules Vallés is very nice to drink a small glass of white wine or picolo since 1919! My favorites markets marché malik,marché Biron,Marché Vernaison,,and marché Dauphine.  We go inside Paris to Etienne Marcel, line open in 1908 named after the prevost of merchants: You can see the vertiges of the middle ages at the Arbre à liége, 10 rue Tiquetonne. See the wonderful tour de Jean-Sans-Peur ,duke of Burgundy that remains of the hotel de bourgogne, at 20 rue Etienne Marcel. See another Passage du Bourg-l’abbé open from 1827, see at 120 rue Saint Denis. And insist to go to the passage Grand-Cerf at 145 rue Saint Denis, 113 meters long with 12meters high full of elegant boutiques, and it was here that the carriages coming from the east of France had its terminal. Grand is the Patisserie Stôhrer with the best baba rhum in Paris since 1730! the pastry maker to the king of Poland for which the famous cake was invented.

Moving on to Les Halles, the belly of Paris, the food market of the city since Philippe Auguste times!!!In 1851 Napoleon III ask Baltard to do them in metal, finally the market moves to Rungis, and here in Paris it becomes the Forum des Halles ,again renovated and enlarge today. See the wonderful Church of Saint Eustache built from 1532 to 1667, and the patron saint of the hunters,and after having an encounter with the deer Louis XIV had his first communion here, 2 impasse Saint Eustache ,nearby the nice fontaine des innocents at the corner of rue saint denis and rue berger,, serve as model for the famous Wallace fountains. And, of course the Forum des Halles for its many stores.

You come now to the center, Cité ,the line was open first, then the station open in 1910. It was with République the first station dotted with elevators! in 1911; the frozen of the seine to minus 25C was needed  so that the pass of the stones will be very sturdy, work was slow, and the stairs needed to bileveled them 13 meters! An architectural marvel underground. You have the magnificient Cathedrale de Notre Dame, built bet the 12-14C, beautiful decoration and a front portal showing the hell entrance to the left and the heaven entrance to the right. There is a rosary of 10 meters in diameter under the galeries des rois, and do not miss the Trésor or treasure room. Parvis de Notre Dame,pl Jean Paul II as it is now call.  Damaged but still our Paris. Here is the point zero of distances in France done from 1924. The marvelous Sainte Chapelle, to host the relics of Christ, a must to see at 4 blvd du Palais. The Conciergerie, old palace of the Cité, the wonderful tour de horloge, the first public clock in France,inside the biggest gothic room in Europe! not to mention last living place of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.. while in prison. See the wonderful palais de justice,the old section of the royal palace of the cité, built around the year 1000. It has 4 hectares in land, 24 kms of hallways,7000 doors, and 3150 windows ! See it all at blvd du palais. Not to missed the side streets such as 10 rue Chanoinesse, two lovers met here Heloise and Abélard in the house of uncle Fubert. and at 1 rue des Ursins see the pastiche of medieval houses done in 1960. Have a glass and see the world go by at Brasserie Les Deux Palais, 3 blvd du Palais, take a look at the librarie Shakespeare and Co. 37 rue de la Bucherie. A wonderful old section of Paris even if heavily touristic.

We come now to Saint Michel , he is shown facing the devil or satan in the fountain statue at the crossing of place Saint Michel quai grands augustins, quai et blvd Saint MIchel; the station open in 1910. Of course see the fountain built in 1860; see the wonderful library ,one of my favorites Gibert Jeune at the pl Saint Michel and the other at 26-34 blvd Saint Michel.  In the square see for aperos or light dinner in  Saint Severin, 3 pl Saint Michel . See since 1957 great musicals at Théatre de la Huchette at 23 rue de la Huchette  Move over to Odéon, station open in 1910. the site of the théatre français in 1779 and takes the current name in 1797, you can see in the station, at the platform direction porte de Clignacourt a bust of Danton, marking the site where he live during the French revolution. A nice building here full of fish decor is Fish La Boissonnerie, at 69 rue de Seine. The wonderful court de Rohan by the rue du Jardinet or the cour du Commerce Saint-André, Rohan for Rouen the building of the bishop of Rouen,here Henri II had stayed his favorite Diane de Poitiers, and find a tower of the time of Philippe Auguste. Going over to the cour du Commerce Saint André, see houses from the 18C at No 9 lived M Guillotin the inventor of the deadly headless machine, go in by blvd Saint Germain. a nice old walking tour is to take on rue Séguier, git-le-coeur and rue suger, narrow street and low hanging houses as like time has not change them at all. The  Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine at 12 rue de l’Ecole de la Médécine with a collection oldest in Europe!. Do not missed the Odéon Théatre de l’Europe at pl de l’Odéon and see the holes of bullets from WWII during the liberation of Paris. See the erotic gestures in front of you in the rive gauche de Paris: at Théatre Chochotte, 34 rue Saint andré-des-arts. Have a glass at Le Danton, 103 blvd Saint Germain, Café de l’Odéon, and my favorite the Le Comptoir du Relais,  carrefour de l’odéon. Or my latest , Le Clou de Paris, 1 rue Danton. Do not missed the chocolates of  Maison Georges Larnicol for a taste of Bretagne in Quimper at 132 blvd Saint Germain.

We arrive at Saint-Germain-des-Prés,  from 555 St Germain built the first abbey here.The relics of king Childebert the son of  Clovis are kept here. See the wonderful Pont des Arts, the first bridge in Paris done in iron from 1801. See the wonderful library La Hune, 170 blvd st germain, L’ecume des pages at 174 blvd saint germain its one of the most respected in Paris the reference of librarians. The fame and prestigious Institut de France, 23 quai Conti, done from 1663 by Le Vau, see the spectacular dome of Quatre Nations, and like me that went in and had meeting at the famous salon Victor Hugo, where he gave lectures. Many famous here and by me very touristic price are the Café de Flore,Les Deux Magots,and Brasserie Lipp, I rather sip a coffee at Emporio Armani Caffé, 149 blvd Saint Germain. Moving on to another oldie at Saint Sulpice , built the church from 1211 and the famous Da Vinci code was done here, the station open in 1910.  There is a nice theater here, Théatre du Vieux Colombier from 1913 at 21 rue du vieux colombier, it is an annex of the Comédie Française; have a nice pizza and drink at Pizza Chic, 13 rue de Méziéres .

We arrive at my meeting place and entry point into Paris today, Montparnasse-Bienvenue station.  The mont parnasse was a small hill, the station was first call Maine on line 5, then add the name of Bienvenue in 1933 to that of the train station it is today Gare Montparnasse. You have the musée de la Poste (post office here), 34 blvd du Vaugirard, and the better musée Bourdelle at 18 rue Antoine Bourdelle a disciple of Rodin. See high up the train station the jardin de l’Atlantique done in 1995 in the form of a great cruise ship. Go up to another look of Paris from above, the Tour Montparnasse done in 1973 with 59 floors and 25 elevators, the one from ground floor to the 56 platform can do in 38 seconds! The Cafe Montparnasse at pl 18 juin 1940 is great for a drink, the Pizza Pino, and the Le Plom du Cantal at 3 rue de la Gaité is wonderful. The Café La Marine 59 bd Montparnasse is another dandy. The Ciel de Paris on top of Tour Montparnasse and the Bouillon Chartier  are part of my daily life when working in the quartier. Moving on to Vavin,  station open in 1910. See La Coupole an old burnwood depot turn into Brasserie in 1927,and the rest is history. Le Select at 99 bvld Montparnasse, La Rotonde, 105 bd montparnasse, (in repairs after the strikes lately).

We continue on to Raspail ,line open in 1906. here you have the fondation Cartier at 261 blvd Raspail, and the equally famous cementary of Montparnasse there since 1924 with great names such as Sartre,de Bouvoir,Gainsbourg,Baudelaire, Kessel, etc entry 3 blvd Edgar Quinet. See the wonderful La Closerie des Lilas at 171 blvd du montparnasse. We arrive at Denfert-Rochereau, it marked the distance between the via superior (today rue st jacques) and  it via inferior (as the barrier to hell), name after a resistance fighter n the war of 1870 at the Belfort where the lion symbol represent the heroisme shown there. The station is one of the first ones to have mechanical stairs.  See the Villa Adrienne English style by 19 ave du General Leclerc, Villa Hallé, like been in the country, by rue Hallé. See the Lion of Belfort statue, a reproduction to the one found in the citadelle at Belfort done by Bartholdi in 1879 (same as he who did the statue of liberty for NYC) see at pl Denfert-Rochereau. A souvenir of the barrier of hell is the Pavillons Ledoux, here we pay to get into the city,and today is the entrance to the catacombes, to do a bone resting place since the 18C with 130 steps down Paris, about 6 million dead are here,by 1 avenue d Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy. Finally see the Observatoire founded by Colbert in 1167 and today the heart of French astronomy research at 77 avenue Denfert-Rochereau. I have stop for a cafe and drink at Le Paris Orléans café at 129 ave du Gen Leclerc.

And again , another dandy line of my Paris metro, line 4 long one taken many times. Awesome.Hope you enjoy the tour.

And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all!!!

I have done early when I started my blog way back in Nov’10 a series of runs on each line of the Metro de Paris. I figure it is time to update and renew this information; vital for any visitor and resident as well. Paris not only have Parisians but French from every department of France and even some foreign residents and/or citizens who use it every day.  I hope it helps you understand a bit more what Paris is in its metro or subway or tube underground. Of course, remember, this is for historical purposes only, I always prefer to be above ground in Paris !

After having worked in Paris, and living in Versailles nearby for about 9 years, I am amaze at the number of people coming from places where there is no subway.metro:tube and gladly jump in into the Paris metro and rave about it back home. Like it was a tourist attractions; well I like to tell some historical stories of the Paris metro. I will try to write a bit on each line ,sort of like an historical anecdote rather than photos, maybe one if can find it. The story is the important thing here.

Paris has 16 metro lines so far, and it was not the first one to have one. It all started with the idea of hosting the Universal Expo of 1900, so to be ready work on the metro began in 1897. Today I will talk about line 3 of the metro de Paris.

It goes from Pont de Levallois-Bécon (Levallois-Perret) to Galliani (Bagnolet); ironic its not the third line but the fifth line of the metro de Paris. It open by sections from October 19 1904, and it later added a side line call the line 3bis by Gambetta. It was the first line to have steel rails in use still today.  It also, has one of the phantom stations in Paris at HAXO,built in 1921 but never open to the public.

We skip and hop to Wagram, one of the historic moments of Napoleon Ier in 1809. It has picturesques streets such as that of rue Fortuny, after a Spanish painter ,see No 8, 22 ,and 35 for architecture marvels.  Also go to 134 avenue de Villiers for the example of the stairs in pins architecture. This is the area where I shop for the house, for my father’s Spanish groceries at Cap Hispania, 23 rue Jouffroy D’Abbans, wonders of Spain. Have a glass and chat at Le Central, 65 rue Prony. Move on over to nearby Malesherbes, he was the defender of the king during the process of the convention of 1792, and cause him to be guillotine as well; full name Chrétien Guillaume de Lamoignon de Malesherbes. Here see the imposing Hôtel Gaillard (the Banque de France) building built between 1878-1884 modeled after the Chateau de Blois in the Loire, it is at 1 pl du Général Catroux.  At this plaza, place du Général Catroux built in 1862 and named in 1977 after the general that sided with Charles de Gaulle, you will find the statues of Alexandre Dumas, father and Sarah Bernhardt. Nearby find the musée Jean-Jacques Henner, the alsacien painter that is house in the shop of painter Dubufe at 43 avenue de Villiers.  Here have a meal and glass at Dôme de Villiers, 4 ave de Villiers.  Moving in to known quarters at Havre-Caumartin, name after the city of Le Havre and the merchant Caumartin who help clean up Paris from 1774-1784. You will see the nice Church of Saint Louis d’Antin,  it was before the chapel of the convent of capucins now the lycee Concordet (high school by gare st lazare). it is at 63 rue de Caumartin (I used to passed in front to work!) . You have the works of arts such as the L’Heure pour tous d’Arman, many clocks mounted on each other to create a tower at the parvis de la gare St Lazare. Nearby you have the famous dept stores Galeries Lafayette, and Au Printemps. One of my favorites in the city to eat and drink is the Le Clos Bourguignon, 39 rue Caumartin. You ,also, now have a nice cafe at le Deli-cieux on top of the store Au Printemps on the 9th floor. We arrive at my old working area of Paris, metro Opéra, the building was done by Charles Garnier by order of Napoleon III.  Therefore known at the Opéra Garnier, a jewel done in 1874.  On top of it you have the best honey of Paris ,where you can buy them at nearby fancy Fauchon pl de la Madeleine. Nearby you have the Opéra Comique built by order of Louis XIV burned in 1838, rebuilt from 1840, where George Bizet works triumphs at 5 rue Favart. The unique musée de la Parfumerie Fragonard at 9 rue Scribe is another interesting place to visit.  For a nice coffee, drinks, light meals I frequent the Cafe du Cadran at corner of rue Daunou and rue Louis-le-Grand.

We move on to the real stockmarket of old at Bourse,   The palais Brongniart, built from 1808, with a glass dome of 25 meters high, it now host every year the famous le revue du vins de France wine tasting event in may, 28 pl de la Bourse. Nearby the Church Basilique Notre Dame des Victoires an old augustin convent where it was the chapel open with Louis XIII in 1629; it was the last bastion of the Protestant huguenots that left after the French revolution; it was the site of the National Lottery of France, then stockmarket of the directoire, and back to the religious cult in 1802 to this day. it is a high rite of pelegrinage today and one of its attendant was St Theresa de Lisieux. You ,also, have the Galeries Vivienne et Colbert near ,built from 1823 and 1826 respectively. One of the classic of Paris is here Brasserie Gallopin, from 1876; great eatery at 40 rue Notre Dame des Victoires; another is the Le Truskel, 12 rue Feydau, high lieu of rock and roll to early hours of the morning, and  Sacré (ex-Social Club) ,142 rue de Montmartre, where Clemenceau published the I accuse of Emile Zola, now a high temple of electro rock, house, disco music.

We move on to Réaumur-Sébastopol, previous name of Rue Saint Denis was renamed in  1907. You see the architecture of the building at 51 rue Réaumur, the old store of Felix Potin today the HQ of Monoprix. You can see the Passage de la Trinité after an old orphanage ,go in by 21 rue de palestro or 164 rue Saint Denis. The house or maison of Nicolas Flamel it is said to be built from 1407 and consider today as the oldest in Paris, see at 51 rue de Montmorency.  We move quickly to Arts et Métiers, where one of the oldest wooden escalators are still in use. See the wonderful Musée des Arts et Métiers inside the old abbey of Saint Martin des Champs, closed after the French revolution ,over 8000 objects awaits your curiosity inside,at 60 rue Réaumur.  Have a drink at the Le Royal Beaubourg, 105 rue Beaubourg, and have some nice shopping at the Marché des Enfants Rouges by 39 rue Bretagne;,name after an old orphanage that was there and house the kids in red sheets.

You now come to my neck of the woods at night, République, the station has five correspondance stations, tops together with Chatelet. it is at the same spot of the old porte du Temple on the old ramparts of Charles V, then it was named Place du Château d’Eau, the first fountain was put there in 1811; after it was the site of radical and socialists to come to celebrate the Republic here, and on 1878 the Paris council decided to name it Republique, the statue on the center measures 10 meters with a pedestal of 15,5 meters, all was done on July 14 1883. Most manifestations or strikes in Paris takes this as central stage today.  See the passage Vendôme it is 57 meters long and built in 1827, linking the streets blvd du Temple to the convent des Filles Saint Sauveur, right at the plaza or by 16-18 rue Béranger. Many places around here, you have the théatre le Temple concert hall since 1792!!! at 18 rue du Faubourg du Temple, the théatre de la République, 23 pl de la République, Théatre Dejazet, built in 1851 ,41 blvd du Temple, and the gay nightclub Le Gibus since 1967 at 18 rue du Faubourg du Temple. The classic here is Chez Jenny, alsacien decor from 1930 ,great food at 39 blvd du Temple,and Favela Chic, Brazilians moves and menu at 18 rue du Faubourg du Temple.

Slow down by Gambetta,  after Leon Gambetta who was a great politician and came to proclaim the Republique at the Hotel de Ville in 1870. And on November 11 1920 his heart is at the Panthéon. You see the nice fountaine de la place gambetta, have a drink at Bistro du Metro, 10 pl Gambetta, get another shot of wine at Chez Betty, 14 ave du Pére Lachaise ,and see drama from the 20C at Théatre de la Colline,15 rue Malte Brun. Further on at Galliani, you find the terminal of the inter European Eurolines bus company.

And there you go, get on line 3 of the Metro de Paris! And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!

I have done early when I started my blog way back in Nov’10 a series of runs on each line of the Metro de Paris. I figure it is time to update and renew this information; vital for any visitor and resident as well. Paris not only have Parisians but French from every department of France and even some foreign residents and/or citizens who use it every day.  I hope it helps you understand a bit more what Paris is in its metro or subway or tube underground. Of course, remember, this is for historical purposes only, I always prefer to be above ground in Paris !

After having worked in Paris, and living in Versailles nearby for about 9 years, I am amaze at the number of people coming from places where there is no subway.metro:tube and gladly jump in into the Paris metro and rave about it back home. Like it was a tourist attractions; well I like to tell some historical stories of the Paris metro. I will try to write a bit on each line ,sort of like an historical anecdote rather than photos, maybe one if can find it. The story is the important thing here.

Paris has 16 metro lines so far, and it was not the first one to have one. It all started with the idea of hosting the Universal Expo of 1900, so to be ready work on the metro began in 1897. Today, I will talk about line 2; open december 13, 1900. It has four above ground stations, for more than 2 kms. These are Barbés-Rochechouart, La Chapelle,Stalingrad, and Jaurés. It has ,also, the biggest metro tragedy when in 1903 more than 80 persons died after a fire in one of the rails lines.

First let get on to Porte Dauphine,,name after Marie Antoinette,yes the one queen;where she was young stayed at the chateau de la muette (yes that quartier of Paris,castle now gone),the line open in december 13,1900. The best here is the omnipresent Bois de Boulogne done b Philippe le Bel in 1301. Here you have the Persian pavillion of the Universal Expo of 1889 by 11 rue des Sablons. Nearby is the nice Jardin Shakespeare in which you find the fine restaurant Pré Catalan at route de la reine Marguerite. You ,also can have a drink at one of my favorites cafe Victor Hugo at 4 pl Victor Hugo. Go on to Ternes, a deform way of writing Villa Externa or external village controlled by the bishop of Paris in the middle ages, later it became known as Estern and then Ternes facing the villa episcopa, by 1860 this area was annexed to Paris. The original FNAC store is here ,great architecture from 1912, see it at 28 avenue Niel. You see the nice Cathedrale Alexandre Nevski, by 12 rue Daru or the area of Little Russia (many immigrants after the Russian revolution of 1917 came here). Move over to Monceau, it was the outside limits on the west of Paris then in 1300, called Mousseaux; the area developed by the Duke of Chartres, it is one of the prized areas of Paris, later the Rothschild family came in as well as the heirs of chocolate Menier.It open as metro in october 7 1902. The magnificent parc Monceau is here, with a rotonda of 16 columns that came from the walls of the fermiers généraux, main entrance by blvd de Courcelles. At 25 rue de Chazelles, the statue of liberty was done,now proudly standing in New York city harbor. There is an interesting museum in Musée Nissim de Camondo,  of decorative arts, see it at 63 rue de monceau.  Have a drink at Dôme de Villiers at 4 ave de Villiers.

Coming in to Porte de Clichy,  here you go to one of my favorites at Cercle Clichy Montmartre, 84 rue de Clichy, brasserie from 1947,where you can play poker and pool/billiards. Close by is the cimetiére montmartre at 23 rue de Damrémont, to see Truffaut,Dalida,Offenbach,Nijinski amongst others resting there. The bistro de Dames, 18 rue de Dames is very nice mediteranean cuisine.  Going to Blanche,  for the whites of the gypsy clay stones on the quarries of Montmartre. You see the unique church Chapelle Sainte Rita, the patron saint of prostitutes at 65 blvd de Clichy. Also ,who would come and not see the Moulin Rouge cabaret at least once. My visit here is to try the other branch of O’Sullivan pub at 92 blvd de clichy. Move over to Stalingrad,  name after the fame battle of WWII in Russia, it open as metro in 1903. Here better go over to the canals and the cinemas MK2 at 14 quai de la Seine, or have a drink at Côte Canal, 5 quai de la Seine.  Quickly move on to Belleville,  where the name has a street and an avenue of same name. In 1860 it was attached to Paris, going up by rue de Belleville you reach one of the highest point in Paris at 128 meters high. You see the Eoliennes de Belleville with a superb view of the city at the top of parc de Belleville going up by the rue Piat. At the regard saint Martin you still can collect potable water, you go by the rue des cascades; take a look at the cimetiére de Belleville at the angle of rue de belleville and rue du télégraphe. Here at 40 rue du Télégraphe you will see a plaque telling you are at Paris highest point.

Continue to Menilmontant,  from the word mesnil or small farm and mauvais temps or mesnil montant from the unduling bends on the roads here. Also came to be part of Paris in 1860.  For me here is the Musée Edith Piaf, 5 rue Crespin du Gast, of the great French singer, the head for antillean specialties from the Caribbean at boutique et resto chez Max, 16 blvd de belleville.  And we reach the end Pére Lachaise , for me that is ,named after François d’Aix de la Chase, confessor to Louis XIV built in 1803, it is a city within a city really. Need a book to walk all of it. In ironey here was installed the first mechanical stair in 1909 to carry quicker ….The cimetiére du Pére-Lachaise is 44 hectares and many famous rest here. 16 rue du repos is main entrance. A nice Indian deco furniture store here is Le bateau de Safran,9 villa Riberolle. Villa Riberolle an old impasse road of Paris  really nice to walk by try the main house at 35 rue de Bagnolet.

Well given you the main stations I think of this line 2 of the Metro de Paris. Hope you enjoy the ride.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!