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 7 of the metro de Paris.

This line has 18,6 kms, took 70 years to do all stations and is completely underground. It criss cross Paris from north east to south east with 38 stations, the first station was done in 1910 from porte de la Villette to Opéra. It has two directional segments at Mairie d’Ivry and Villejuif-Aragon.

We take our ride at Gare de l’Est, emblematic because when I first came to know what is would be my wife, we met here on her way to her home then in Meaux. Many memories now she has passed away… It was first named Gare de le’Est-Verdun; where it is richly ornated with Verdun and Strasbourg,  main parvis at Rue du 8 mai 1945.  See the nice Couvent des Récollets a convent turn troop station, then hospital ,built in the 17-18C, you enter a courtyard where rue de Paradis, then rue de la Fidelité, and out by rue du Désir.at 148 rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin. My favorite here is the resto L’Atmosphere now, at 49 rue Lucien Sampaix,. You come more into central Paris at Pyramides, opened in 1916, after the victory of Napoleon over the mamelouks at Mourad Bey in 1798. The nice Church Saint-Roch at 296 rue Saint-Honoré, done in 1655  by Louis XIV and Anne of Austria who put the first stone.It is the parrish of artists where Le Notre, Corneille, and Diderot were enterred. See the wonderful Théatre du Palais Royal where Moliére play from 1662 to 1673, the theater wanted by Richelieu, it has a magnificent stairs done in 1880, at 38 rue de Montpensier.

Moving over the river to Pont-Neuf, opened in 1926 at the foot of the old Samaritaine. It is a like a small museum inside the station. Right at the oldest bridge in Paris done in 1607. But even before in 1578 this site was whre Henri III was in mourning and cry here so the bridge was call the bridge of cries. The bridge eventually became the first bridge without houses on it in Paris. You see the equestrian statue of Henri IV done in 1604 in Italy the statue sank in the mediterranean, rescue, did not arrive in Paris that on 1614 while Henri IV was no longer living. It was destroyed during the French revolution, and brought back in metal by Louis XVIII, during the renovation in 2004 they found 7 cedar boxes in the horses shoes! ,It is at place Pont-Neuf. You,also, see the square du Vert-Galant, name after the lover Henri IV, now it offers a romantic view over the Louvre and the hotel de la monnaie. Another wonderful square is Place Dauphine, done in 1584 by Henri III, , in 1601 Henri IV continues the work and name as it is today in honor of the dauphine Louis XIII he in turn gives away the land to the parliament president and 32 houses are built identical in white stone and brick, today if you are careful you can see the two remaining houses angles at the point. Try a drink at Cafe du Pont Neuf,14 quai du Louvre, restauarant Kong the wonderful views over paris at 1 rue du Pont Neuf, my favorite Au Vieux Comptoir, 17 rue des Lavandiéres, very good ambiance and friendly. And dont forget to take a boat ride with the Bateaux-Vedettes du Pont Neuf at the embarcadere or harbor of square du Vert-Galant.

We arrive at Pont Marie, open in 1926, a bridge to link the rive droite with the ile de Saint Louis in 1614 and finish in 1635. The place goes back to Louis IX convent of carmelites in 1234!!! It passes later on to the Celestins in 1352!!!. You can see here the Hotel de Sens, home since 1528 to the Cardinal Antoine Duprat, that reunites the council of Sens, in Burgundy. the comdenation of the heresy of Luther and the home of the repuditation of the queen margot.  today its a wonderful library  Forney dedicated to the decorative arts. 1 rue du Figuier. The wonderful Church of Saint Gervais-Saint Protais, 6C with mirrors of the 15C, it has the oldest organ in Paris dating from 1628, pl Saint-Gervais. You wandered thru and by Ile Saint Louis, it will take pages to describe it, just to tell you its magical. You can see the world and have a glass at Brasserie du Pont Louis-Philippe, 66 quai de l’Hotel de Ville, The memorial of the Shoah, with its wall of names, with 76000 jews who were deported to concenttration camps, at 17 rue Geoffrey l’Asnier. A Tradition to have an ice cream Berthillon , all begain in 1954 at Maison Berthillon, 29-31 rue Saint Louis-en-l’ile, and the great chocolates at La Charlotte de l’Isle, 24 rue Saint Louis-en-l’ile.

We moved on to Jussieu, an University neighborhood. station opened in 1931. First it was called Jussieu-Halle-aux-Vins, the wine market close during Napoleon it just remained Jussieu. Wine because since 1622 it came to Paris by here from all parts of France. It became an university area as today from 1957 with the tour Zamansky that was finally demolished in 2000. The Jussieu were three brothers, one left for South America,and two others created the gardens of the Jardin des Plantes! this venerable institution is a fun place for all ,  from an idea of Louis XIII in 1633 , open to the public since 1640!!! and the natural history museum or Musée National d’histoire since 1793. The parc ecologiques ,the labyrinthe there since 1640,just wonderful entrance by 57 rue Cuvier, 2 ue Buffon, and 36 rue Geoffrey Saint HIlaire (my favorite entrance), place Valhubert. The unique Institut du Monde Arabe, the history and education of Islam at 1 rue des Fossés-Saint Bernard.

Moving right alone to Place Monge,  opened in 1930, the enlargement of line 10. see the magnificent les Arénes de Lutéce, end of 1C AD at a time in Roman period the city was called Lutéce,you reach them byt 49 rue Monge, rue des arénes, or square Capitan.  You can walk the colorful but very touristic in my opinion rue Mouffetard, at the place de la Contrescarpe, done in 1852, at No 6 two bulls from 18C shows the vestiges of a meat store, at No 1, from the middle ages is the cabaret de la pomme de Pin, at No 122 de la rue Mouffetard, the Bonne Source reminds the presence of an old well from the times of Henri IV. At No 134 you see the arabesque vegetables and animals from dating of 17C. When at No 53 the house was demolished they found 3351 pieces of gold done with the image of Louis XV!!! Have a glass at Le Bistrot du Marché, 75bis rue Monge.  you won’t go wrong for a good beer and ambiance at the  Le Requin Chagrin, 10 rue Mouffetard. See the Théatre de la Vieille Grille, a wonderful cafe theater with grocery store and wine store at the same time, just lovely at 1 rue du Puits- de-l’Ermite at the corner of 9 rue Larrey..

Censier-Daubenton, is the next station that from 2010 is under a research green, as the first in the world to be dotted with diodes for lighting. The station opened in 1930. You see the interesting Church Saint Médard, there once a chapel ,destroyed in 1561 during the war of religions, the church took its look from 1784, and during the French revolution here it was done the first sermon under the new constitution ; see it at 141 rue Mouffetard. Come to see the Mosquée de Paris or Paris mosque, began in 1922, its construction rend tribute to the muslim fallen during the WWI conflict; during WWII it helps refuge many jews seeking shelter.see at 2bis place du puits de l’Ermite. Also the synagogue de la rue Vauquelin, at No 10 its the symbol temple of science, at No 15 its the library Siegmund Freud at No 9 the rabbinal school done in 1881, see it all at 9 rue Vauquelin. Have a look at the unique Lépée de bois, 100 rue mouffetard, one of the last halls in Paris showing essai arts. For old history have a glass at Le Verre à Pied, since 1914 at 118bis rue Mouffetard. The wonderful Café Léa, 5 rue Claude Bernard, the meeting place in the area and great brunch on Sundays.

We go now to the Les Gobelins, open in 1930 at the corner of arrondissements 5 and 13. The inmense Manufacture et Galerie des Gobelins, the tapestries of France! Created by Colbert from 1662, today they do it to cover the government buildings of France,see it at 42 avenue des Gobelins. See the unique Chateau de la Reine-Blanche, at 4 rue Gustave Geffroy, built in the 16C leyend has it that here took place the dance or val des Ardents where Charles VI lost his mind for ever. Have a drink at cafe Canon des Gobelins, 25 avenue des Gobelins. Auberge Etchegorry is my favorite basque restaurant in Paris, at 41 rue Croulebarbe; in the 18C the place was rented to Victor Hugo, and it later was frequented by Chateaubriand, when it was the Cabaret de la mere Gregoire , there is a plaque by the front door now.

And again another nice tour, I hope you are enjoying them as much as me relieving them here. The line 7 of the metro de Paris is awesome.

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 6 of the metro de Paris.

This line open in 1900 to  1906. It is 13,6 kms long with 6,1 kms above ground, with pneumatic equipement since 1974, and one of the nicest lines in the Paris metro, me think.  We begin our ride at Trocadero, this is when Chaillot was still a village and a palace of Spanish mudejar style was built inspired by the Giralda of Sevilla ,it was replaced by todays Palais de Chaillot in 1937, and it was here that the Declaration of Human Rights was signed on December 10 1948, and on 1985 the square was named the Parvis des Droits de l’Homme. The first attraction is the Palais de Chaillot,where many museums such as the musée de l’Homme, Marine, Architecture, Monuments Français, école de chaillot, institut Français,and the Théatre national de chaillot. all at 17 pl du Trocadero. You can be seen at the Esplanade du Trocadero with a great view of the Eiffel tower, and the Jardins du Trocadero all the way to the river Seine. There is a nice aquarium of Paris, Cineaqua, 2 avenue des Nations Unis, for the drinks go to cafe le Malakoff, 6 pl du trocadero. For sweets delight and we love it go to Pâtesserie Carette, 4  pl du Trocadero.

You now stop at one of my favorite Parisien places, Passy, in the old village of Passy annexed to Paris in 1860. The station was opened in 1903, with a viaduc done in 1903-1906 to connect with Bir-hakeim. Here you have Maison de Radio France with a crown of 500 meters in circumference and 70 meters high, with more than 60 studios, all at 116 avenue du Président Kennedy. This is walkable Paris at its best, take rue des Eaux to come to Rue Raynouard, building falling into the Seine, at No 47 the Maison Balzac, also live there Maupassant and where stayed Benjamin Franklin, narrow streets like rue Berton where Balzac loves to walk too, see the Théatre du Ranelagh and a bit further the carrefour de la Muette,where a castle once stood and now my favorite restaurant old train station Muette, La Gare. If you want to see a wonderful view of the Tour Eiffel, take the metro between Passy and Bir-Harkeim and come by the bridge. Have a drink at Cafe Passy, 2 rue de Passy, do some shopping here is sublime, have a sip and history at the Musée du Vin, 5 square Charles Dickens, also, see Musée Clemenceau, 8 rue Benjamin Franklin.

Move on to nearby Bir-Hakeim, that open in 1906 under the name Grenelle while taken the current name in 1949. Here you see the magnificent Tour Eiffel, enough said. the Pont Bir-Hakeim many times walk over and drive over, as my office is just around the corner for meetings in Paris, and it is wonderful, it was here that the Le Dernier Tango à Paris (and one reason for the name in my blog…) was filmed, the bridge was rebuilt in 1905, and was name in 1848 after the battle of Bir-Hakeim,by quai de Grenelle. The mysterious Ile aux Cygnes host since 1889 a replica of the Statue of Liberty, take the stairs at the level of the bridge.The legendary Jules Verne at the Eiffel tower is world renown and the  58 brasserie (reopening Fall 2020)  is also very good. We move away to another area ,Edgar Quinet, open from 1906, in the Montparnasse area, where you can see the famous Cimetiere de Montparnasse with final resting of Samuel Beckett,Charles Baudelaire, etc. at 3 blvd Edgar Quinet.Try a nice meal and drink at La Cerisaie, 70 blvd Edgar Quinet.  Move over to Corvisart, open in 1906, after the personal doctor of Napoleon Ier ,in the village of Gentilly ,annexed of Paris in 1860. Here you see the pool or piscine de la Butte-aux-Cailles, done in 1924,and one of the oldest in Paris. You come around the working class villas or Villes Ouvrieres like petite Russie, petite Alsace taking rue  Bobillot the rue Simonet to reach the main area street at rue des Cinq Diamants, take north to the rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles, take a break at Square Brassai then continue to passage sigaud, rue Daviel, etc.  you have beautiful house gardens around rue de Tolbiac, rue de moulins-des-prés rue henri pape, rue dieulafoy, just lovely.  Have a coffee break at Havana Café, 70bis blvd Auguste Blanqui or Chez Paul, 22 rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles.

We have arrive at that other gare, Bercy, also annexed to Paris in 1860; the station opened in 1909. the viaduc of the metro with a lenght of 171 meters was done with metallic tablet in 41 arcades, the train station Bercy is attached to line 14 when it opened in 1998.  The wonderful palais omnisports de Bercy, open in 1984, with a room of 55k sq meters and up to 17k seated seats for concerts events etc. The parc de Bercy, with 14 hectares is one of the biggest in Paris right next to Bercy Village. The wonderful passarelle simone de Beauvoir linking the parc de Bercy with the Bibliothéque Nationale. Have a glass at Le Bercy, 118 rue  Bercy. LE 51, at the wonderful Cinémathéque Française at 51 rue de Bercy ,equally good.

And again another ride on my eternal Paris, this time the lovely line 6 of the metro de Paris. Hope you enjoy the ride

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 5 of the metro de Paris.

It was the first north south axis of Paris well before line 4. Linking Seine Saint Denis with place d’Italie, the viaduc d’Austerlitz was built between 1903-1904 but it was the viaduc du Quai de la Rapée that took the most work built between 1903-1906. It took the line 2 South in 1907, and enlarge to the gare du Nord. In 1942 it becames too long so it was divided to line 6, and on 1985 the new stop at Bobigny was done.

First we take flight at Porte de Pantin, my old stopping point into Paris ,I used to come by car from Meaux and parked by the church there then took the metro into Paris proper from 1990!  The station only openned in 1942!!! Here is the famous Parc de la Villette, 55 hectares of unique places and acts, in an old slaugherhouse last done so in 1977,you can entereed at 211 avenue Jean Jaurés; see the Grande Halle, the main slaughterhouse  where today great expo are held. See the Fontaine aux lions de Nubie, done in 1811 ; the cows used to refresh themselves here and today its the people who does in front of the Grande Halles, the magnificent Cité des sciences et de l’universe, activities for all at 30 avenue Corentin Cariou. You go on to la Geode with a screen of 1000 meters to see films at 180° at 26 avenue Corentin Cariou; move on to the cité de la musique, all kinds of music at 221 avenue jean Jaurés and see the Musée de la musique inside the Cité. You should have a glass at Cafe de la Musique inside the Cité, or go to a concert at the famous Zenith and the wonderful nightclub le Cabaret Sauvage .One of my favorites eateries is Le Boeuf Couronné at 188 avenue Jean Jaurés.

We moved on to Ourq, yes the famous canal de l’Ourq built in the 19C and finish n 1821! for more than 110 kms, the metro station was opened in 1947. See the Canal by the Bassin de la Villette,21 quai de la Loire,  that takes you all the way to Meaux (the native town of my dear late wife Martine). See the unique protestant church of Saint Serge de Radogéne ,built in 1861 , that in 1924 became a Russian orthodox church at 93 rue de Crimée.  Continue our trip to Jaurés, open in 1903 named rue d’Allemagne ,when the war was declared in 1914 it was change to a young man Jean Jaurés that was just assassinated by a student, his newspaper L’humanité founded in 1904, so the station took his name.  See here the Rotonde de Ledoux, one of several built to charge the tax to enter merchandise into paris from 1784, see it at place de la bataille de stalingrad. Bassin de la Villette, done to link the canal de l’Ourq to Canal Saint Martin in 1808, see it by quai de Seine and quai de la Loire.  see the historic place of charcoal mariners at Au Rendez-vous de la marine, 14 quai de la Loire. Or the wonderful La Rotonde de Stalingrad 6,8 Pl de la Bataille de Stalingrad.

We go now to the ever popular Gare du Nord, building started in 1842 and was finally done in 1965!!!;  The trains were going since 1846, it was the first railroad network in France. From 1994, it houses the Eurostar coming from England, (will see the effect of Brexit) the metro was opened in 1907.  See the magnificent hospital of Hôpital Lariboissiére done in 1846 to stop the sickness of the time cholera, at 2 rue Ambroise, then move on to La Goutte d’Or et Barbés-Rochechouart, a wonderful district of La Goutte d’Or, get a glass at the Brasserie Terminus Nord inside the hotel at 23 rue de Dunkerque, plenty of ethnic restos in the area. You move over to Oberkampf, named after a tanner from Bavaria, Germany  and created the fabrication of bricks imprinted in copper from 1759,he was French citizen since 1770.It later moved to Jouy-en-Josas near Versailles and the building still there I can vouch for it. Plenty of used items and flea market stores at Rue du Marché-Popincourt where there is a market today. See the unmistable Le Grand Cafe Bataclan at 50 blvd de Voltaire  done from 1864 . We reach the next train station too at Gare d’Austerlitz, name after a famous battle of Dec 2 1805 by Napoleon Ier. It is an open above ground station, behind the great glass enclosure of the train station, a work of art of 50 meters to raise the station over the river Seine, . IT was first call Gare d’Orleans, and renamed in 1930 the Gare d’Orléans-Austerlitz. It was the heading station of the old line Compagnie Paris-Orleans (PO) that with 6 companies form the today SNCF from 1938. In 1985, it simply became the Gare d’Austerlitz.  See here the galerie de Paleontologie et d’anatomie comparée du jardin des plantes, done from 1898, ,this gallery of stone and metal is 80 meters long, see at 57 rue Cuvier. The wonderful Viaduc d’Austerlitz link the station with the metro, so big that when paris was besieged it was use to built zeppelins/ the viaduc was built from 1903-1904. Have a look at the unique Cité de la Mode et du Design, 34 quai d’Austerlitz  building from 1907, the museum done in 2011 to showcase French fashion.

We arrive at the end ,Place d’Italie, it was named because here ended the Roman road from Lyon. And until the 19c the barrier that was tax free after you enter Paris you paid. The station was opened in 1906. see the Temple Antoiniste, several streets ends here and here is the antoniste movement hq,  see at 34 rue Vergniaud, ; the great shopping center ,centre commercial Italie 2 is unique in inner Paris, at 30 avenue Italie. See the wonderful Butte aux Cailles,see the wooden houses at 10 rue Daviel and towards rue du Moulin des Prés, passage Boiton, and rue Barrault. The piscine butte aux cailles, done in 1924; its the oldest pool in Paris. temp kept at 28°C constant.  See the unique puits artésian de la place Paul Verlaine, pure water from a well 582 meters deep, built from 1863, and to the service of Parisien since 1904; today a plaque tells you the story, at place Paul Verlaine. Here you come to the Supermarché Tang Fréres, 48 avenue d’Ivry, for all your Asiatic needs. The Church Notre Dame de  Chine,  at 27 avenue de Choisy. Get a taste of a master at Boulangerie-pâtisserie Laurent Duchêne , 2 rue Wurtz. My favorite here is Les Cailloux, 58 rue des Cinq Diamants,excellent Italian resto.

And there you folks, the metro line 5 of Paris, wonderful indeed. Hope you enjoy it.

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