Encyclopedia > Paris Metro

Article Content

Paris Metro

The Paris Metro is the usual English name for the metro (underground) system in Paris, France. It was originally known as the "Chemin de Fer M�tropolitain" ("Metropolitan railway"), then "M�tropolitain" and quickly abbreviated to "M�tro". Speakers of verlan call it "le trom�".

The system consists of 16 lines, identified by numbers 1 - 14, and two minor lines 3b and 7b, numbered thus because they were formerly branch lines.

Brief technical points:

over 200km of track, over 300 stations
circulation is on the right
track gauge of 1.435 meters (standard gauge, like the French main lines) -- but trains are narrower than mainlines, so the Metro can run on mainlines but not vice versa
power collection: third rail
average distance between stations is approx 300m
lines 1, 4, 6, 11 and 14 are rubber-tired
line 14 is driverless (fully automatic)

One single ticket price for any journey, unlimited connections, but limited to a 2-hour ride.

A second network of regional express lines, the RER (R�seau Express R�gional) complements the network since the 1970s.

Table of contents

3 History

Existing lines

1: La D�fense - Ch�teau de Vincennes
2: Porte Dauphine - Nation
3: Pont de Levallois-B�con - Gallieni
3bis: Gambetta - Porte des Lilas
4: Porte de Clignancourt - Porte d'Orl�ans
5: Place d'Italie - Bobigny-Pablo Picasso
6: Charles de Gaulle-�toile - Nation
7: Villejuif-Louis Aragon/Mairie d'Ivry - La Courneuve-8 Mai 1945
7bis: Louis Blanc - Pr�-Saint-Gervais
8: Balard - Cr�teil-Pr�fecture
9: Pont de S�vres - Mairie de Montreuil
10: Boulogne-Pont de Saint-Cloud - Gare d'Austerlitz
11: Ch�telet - Mairie des Lilas
12: Mairie d'Issy - Porte de La Chapelle
13: Ch�tillon-Montrouge - Gabriel P�ri-Asni�res-Gennevilliers/Saint Denis-Universit�
14: Madeleine - Biblioth�que Fran�ois Mitterrand

Architecture

One of the most famous aspects of the Paris metro are its wrought-iron art nouveau entrances by Hector Guimard[?], which have come to symbolize Paris although not very many remain in use (86 entrances by Guimard still exist).

History

Line 1 was inaugurated on July 19, 1900, after decades of political wrangling over routes and construction.

The lines where built by the Ville de Paris (city of Paris) and run by the CMP (Compagnie du Chemin de Fer M�tropolitain de Paris).

A second company, "Nord-Sud" (Compagnie du Chemin de Fer Electrique Nord-Sud de Paris) started up in 1910 and built two lines named A and B (now lines 12 and 13). "Nord-Sud" merged in 1930 with the CMP. CMP became state-owned in 1945 and renamed RATP[?] (R�gie Autonome des Transports Parisiens).