Architecture 497 (Study Abroad) - Independent Study
A report on the history and development of the Paris Metropolitan Railroad
Description
The study abroad program included a 3-credit independent study project of our choosing. The topic was very open-ended, but when I experienced the Paris Metro I knew that I wanted to write about the topic. I did a lot of research on foot myself and did the print research when I got back to the states. During my 5 week stay in Paris I traveled on all of the lines and visited about half of the 370-odd stations. I also purchased a few spectacular books on the subject, including one which was 3 feet wide when opened and contained panoramas of many stations.
The Presentation
I printed the report in a book format with a double-leaf spread. The PDF is paginated as it would be read in a book.
- Download my Paris Metro report in PDF format - 17.4 mb (or click the PDF logo)
Image Spreads
The report with each page saved as an image. Click on the thumbnails to view each page full-sized.
The Report Formatted for the Web
Le Métro de Paris
Paris/Rome 2006 - Independent Study
By Alex Fortney
Professor Celia Liu - 12/18/06
I encountered the Paris Métro within a mere 5 minutes of arriving in the city on a train from Barcelona, Spain. My friends and I had to get to the school building to check into our housing, but no one knew exactly where it was. We got on the nearest line, the 5, and waited. The train came flying along shortly on the viaduct and stopped at the station. We got on, the doors slammed shut and we were off. The first leg went across the Seine River. We caught a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in the distance before the train went around a sharp curve, down a hill, through a short tunnel only to emerge at Qua de la Rapée. We stayed on for one more stop, passed the abandoned station at Arsenal, getting off at Bastille to switch to the 8. Finding it with no problem because it was clearly marked by name and color everywhere, we continued to our destination at Ledru-Rollin.
Only later did I find out that the route we took was one of the most highly unusual of the system. Over the next few days we got somewhat lost on the system, but it was easy to get back to where we needed to go and it was easy to get our bearings. Coming from Barcelona, where our metro experience including being stuck, sweating on a train that broke down, and in Rome, where only 2 pathetic lines struggle to cope with the massive number of passengers, the Paris Métro was amazing.
Fast, reliable, popular (sometimes too popular), clean (relatively, at least on the train) and beautiful (most of the stations) come to my mind as I recall my time there. I rode all 14 major lines, passed through an estimated 185 of the stations (almost half), covering most of the inner city. I was more enthusiastic about the system and covered more ground than most tourists. It wasn't long before I became curious about the deeper workings of the system and bought a few books for amusement and compiled enough trivia to write a short book, which is what follows.
The Numbers
Current Métro System Map
The Paris Métro (operated by the company called RAPT) is very highly regarded because of its ease of use, speed and efficiency. One goal of the original designers was to make every building in the inner city within 500 meters of a Métro entrance, and in most cases that is true (however, many times it is faster to walk to a station farther away but is a more direct journey). Entrances are usually located on at least two sides of the street, and are clearly marked with large M or MÉTRO signage. There are 14 main lines and two extensions, comprising about 220 km of track distance and 379 stations, 87 of which connect more than one line. Stations are on an average of 562 meters from each other, meaning that at the 35 km/h speed of trains it takes an average of 1 minute to travel between stations. Trains pause for about 30 seconds at each station.
It is fairly straight-forward to find and get on the right train, since each line has a number and a color associated with it that is used on the signage. Each line is additionally identified by its terminus, or end points. Once on the right platform (there are only two per line, one of each direction) one simply gets on the next train to arrive. On other systems, all trains don't go to all stops, but with the Paris Métro every train stops at every stop and lines do not share platforms with other lines and cannot switch lines. Trains come at around 4 minute intervals, except during rush hours where they come as quickly as one every 95 seconds. Slow times at night the wait can be around 7 minutes, but never more.
The system runs from 5:30 am to 12:30 pm, but hours will be gradually extended in the upcoming years to 2:30 am for Fridays and Saturdays. Single tickets cost €1.40 ($1.79), which is about the same cost as a single ticket for the Milwaukee County Transfer System ($1.75). Stations are usually located underground, though the 2, 6 and part of the 5 are elevated and have stations above the roadway (like the Chicago L). In 2004, people made 1.3 billion journeys on the Métro system, though most trips require using two or more different lines, and a journey is counted as a ride on any single line. This makes it the 6th busiest system, beaten out by Tokyo, Moscow, Seoul, NYC, and Mexico City, and the second largest system, with 369 stations (NYC has 468).
History
Line 1 Construction near Bastille, 1899
The original transportation system in Paris was similar to the rest of the large cities in the world in the late 19th century. It was a complicated series of trams, horse-drawn carriages and regular trains. The horse-drawn 'buses' required more than ten thousand horses total, which ate a tremendous amount of food and left behind a tremendous amount of waste in the streets of Paris. The carriages also only held about twenty people, half of which had to ride on the roof. Remarkably, around one hundred million rides per year were provided by this hodge-podge, inconstant and unpleasant system. Unsurprisingly, most people chose to walk or ride bikes for medium-distance trips.
Line 5 River Crossing, 1904
Two competing visions prevented the project from moving forward between 1856 and 1890. One concept involved taking the suburban surface lines and extending them into the city underground, the other was to create an independent system. The railway companies supported the former, because it would save costs because they could use the same rolling stock (cars) and enlarge their existing system, thereby creating more profit. The leaders of the City of Paris, on the other hand, supported the other system because they could exercise greater control. The conflict was resolved in 1895 when a French law was passed that allowed cities, such as Paris, to regulate their railways; previously it was regulated on a national level.
Fulgence Bienvenüe
Two years of planning later, on July 9, 1897, the plan was submitted to the city. The original plan called for six lines totaling 65 km. The rails would be of standard gauge, 1.435 meters wide, the same as regular trains. However, with the turning radius and angle of the ceilings, the tunnels were too sharp for mainline trains to use the Métro, but conversely the Métro trains could leave the underground system and use the main lines. Parisians were skeptical about the system initially, as they were concerned that criminals from the poorer industrial suburbs would have easier access to the city. To address their concerns, the design called for the trains to not be extended to the inner suburbs and as a way to physically prevent it they made the Métro trains run on the right; mainline trains ran on the left.
Line 1 Construction near the Louvre, 1898
On April 20, 1896, the city of Paris finally formally accepted the plan, started disbursing funds and appointed Fulgence Bienvenüe to oversee the project. Bienvenüe had prior experience with Métro systems and a degree in engineering. He would to oversee and lead the project for thirty years.
Line 4 Tunnel Section Positioning, 1906
Work proceeded immediately, spurred by the upcoming 1900 World's Fair and the City's desire to impress visitors with a modern system. Line 1 was the first line completed. It was started in 1898, and over an 18 month period much of Paris was dug up and horribly muddy as they employed a 'cut-and-cover system. Workers dug a trench in the street, poured the concrete walls and used a post-and-beam method to enclose the stations. As a result, the Line 1 is just under the surface of the street, and most of the complications from construction related to utilities and sewers that they had to jockey position within the underground. Construction techniques at that time didn't allow for underwater construction or deep tunneling under buildings. As a result, line 1 follows the direction and curves of roads, which created a 40-meter radial turn next to the Bastille and misaligned platforms along Rue Rivoli because the street was too narrow to allow them to be built across from each other.
Original Métro Map, 1900
The construction mess that was created angered and inconvenienced many Parisians who though the mud hole that cut across the city would end in failure. However, Line 1 opened on July 19, 1900 in time for the World's Fair and was an instant success. Over 30,000 tickets were bought in advance and in the first few days and was heavily ridden by the visitors as it passed by many of the major sites like the Louvre.
Métro Map, 1904
Simultaneously constructed with Line 1 was Line 2 Nord (North) which was a mostly elevated line that ran along the north of the city. A few years later the Sud (South) part was built, completing a large loop around the city. Over the next 23 years all of the original lines, 1 through 10, were completed. The plans changed somewhat over time, parts of different lines were given to others. The plan to have an inner-circle that connected all of the main railway stations was only partially realized, as were some other smaller extensions. The RAPT was not the only entity responsible for the current Métro system.
Métro Map, 1928
In 1904 Paris granted permissions to the Société du chemin de fer électrique souterrain Nord-Sud de Paris, aka Nord-Sud or North-South company to build additional lines. These 3 lines, A, B and C ran in a north-south direction in contrast to the city lines that ran mostly east-west, diagonally and circularly (except for 4 and 7). These other lines filled critical gaps in the system, particularly with connecting the main railways stations. The Nord-Sud company spent more money on the stations, with finer tile work and brighter colors than the RAPT. However, the company could not remain profitable, and went bankrupt in 1930 before they were able to complete the C line. A and B were integrated into the system becoming today's 12 and 13.
Métro Map, July 1939
World War I saw the closure of a few stations and a reduction of service, but it did not make any significant changes. However, with the onset of World War II, and with the invasion of German troops, the Métro system service was reduced. Several lines were closed, specifically the elevated lines of 2 and 6. Also, over half of all stations were closed or their hours limited. After the war full service resumed, but several of the stations never reopened and became 'ghost' stations.
Métro Map, September 1939
The period after World War II saw most of the lines extended farther into the suburbs. In spite of their original plan, and to some Parisian's objections, the lines were extended beyond the city walls. A 'rebirth' of the Métro occurred in the 1970s when steps were taken to update the system with new trains on most of the lines, improvements with the signage, a focus on station aesthetics, safety and extensions on most lines. Many stations were updated and the closed stations were made permanent. The same period saw reorganization of several lines, including splitting the 3 and the 7 with 3bis and 7bis, thus improving the system because every-other train was directed to a different terminus.
RER System Map
In spite of the Métro's extensions into the suburbs, it did little or nothing to help the larger transportation problem. Métro systems only work in very high density areas, where a station every 500 meters is reasonable and well populated. However, in the suburbs Métro stations are father apart, around 1 or 2 kilometers. Over 2 kilometers however, the efficiency of the system breaks down because the distance it takes to get between stations slows the trains down. As a result the Réseau Express Régional (Regional Express Railway) was established. It used existing suburban lines and extended them through the inner city by way of deep tunnels, underneath the existing Métro network and connects to it in many important places. Planning and construction took place in the 1960s and early 1970s, and in 1977 the A and B lines opened, crossing at Châtelet making it a major hub. They were named using letters to keep them separate from the Métro system. Line C was opened two years later to serve the south side of the river.
Suburban Rail System Map
Lines D (1995) and E (1999) were added to connect the major train stations and suburbs. These followed the deep tunnels of Line B and the Métro 14 under the middle of the city. With so many lines using Châtelet as their hub, it is currently the largest transport interchange in the world by size and ranks high with the number of passengers. Extensions of all RER lines occur at relative frequency. The RER trains run on the left to be compatible with the mainline system. Also, unlike the Métro, not every train goes to every stop since there are several branches for each line and express trains. Trains run every few minutes, but the same train runs about every 10 minutes.
The RER
Line A
Line A
Line A runs east-west connecting the east suburbs with Gare de Lyon, Châtelet, Nation, and the west suburbs. It has 5 branches, 46 stops and carries about 272 million passengers per year.
Line B
Line B
Line B runs north-south connecting both airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly. It also connects Gare du Nord, passes through Châtelet, and to the far southern suburbs. It has 4 branches, 47 stops and carries about 165 million passengers per year.
Line C
Line C
Line C runs from the northwest to the southwest through the middle of the city along the Seine River. It has several branches that reconnect creating 8 different train patterns. It has 84 stations in total serving 140 million people every year.
Line D
Line D
Line D runs north-south connecting Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, Châtelet and the northeastern and southeastern suburbs. It has 4 branches, 58 stops and 145 million people make use of it every year.
Line E
Line E
Line E is currently short, with only 3 branches going east-west. It starts at Saint Lazare train station and extends to the eastern suburbs, bypassing the center of Paris. It only has 21 stations so far, and serves a relatively small 60 million people yearly.
Design
Abesses Entrance by Guimard
The RAPT was eager to gain approval from the citizens of Paris so they hired Hector Guimard, a relatively unknown art nouveau artist, to create beautiful entrances for the new Métro stations. Today, there are around 86 of his entrances remain, including three fully enclosed stairways. Two are original, and only one is where it was originally installed, at Porte Dauphine. The other, currently at Abbesses, was originally at Hôtel de Ville, and a replica was put into place at Châtelet in 2000 to celebrate the centennial of the Métro system. Also, some Guimard entrances are in museums, and replicas were given at gifts to the Chicago Subway and the Toronto Metra.
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Arts et Métiers Station
Several stations in the system have received special attention over the years and as a result stand out against their white-tiled brothers. Because of its close proximity to the Arts et Métiers, the station with the same name on Line 11 has been converted to be the inside of a submarine, Jules Verne style. Copper bulkheads line the vault complete with porthole windows and giant gears in the ceiling.
Cluny - La Sabonne Station
Closed for many years, Cluny - La Sabonne on Line 10 was sorely neglected. When it was reopened, instead of restoring it to match white tile scheme, colorful mosaics were added to the ceiling and walls. The Concorde station on Line 1 has white tiled walls, but instead of rectangular ones they are square and each has a letter on it, making the wall look like a giant crossword puzzle. There are supposed to be words written, but obviously they are in French and indecipherable by foreign visitors.
Cité Station
The Cité stop on Line 4 is unusual because it is one of the very deep caisson stations. In the 1990s when the lighting was renovated they chose curving lampposts with round bulbs creating a cool street-like appearance. Bastille on Line 1 was renovated in the 1980s and has colorful, painted tiles depicting scenes from the Storming of the Bastille which ushered in the French Revolution. It is also a strange station because it is on a bridge and windows provide a view of the Canal Saint Martin.
Louvre - Rivoli Station
The Louvre - Rivoli on Line 1 was redesigned in the 1980s to look like the inside of a museum, complete with replica paintings, statuary and other oddities set into niches in the walls. The primary stop for Louvre-goers is at the Palais Royal, but it is still a neat station to look at. The Franklin D. Roosevelt stop on Line 1 was redesigned in the 1960s, and has not aged well. The dim yellow color and metal panels and orange seating is not what it could be. Several other stations have been changed around the same time, and look equally bad. Steps are being taken with the station renovation project to correct this. Abbesses, the deepest station on the system, is over 100 meters deep! One way to access it is a spiral staircase which is decorated with murals the entire length.
Line 14 at Châtelet Station
Most of Line 14's stations are very interesting with its curving steel tube containing the trains and the pre-cast concrete arches add to the modern-yet-classical look. The Bibliothèque station has a huge indoor 'Amphitheatre' made of steps and escalators transferring people from the RER lines to the 14.
System Overview
Each line in the system has developed and changed greatly over time.
Line 1
Line 1
Line 1 was, as one would guess, was the first line opened in the system. It was inaugurated in 1900 for the World's Fair, with more stations opening shortly afterward. Between 1934 and 1937 the line was extended on both sides for several stops. In 1992 it was extended again into the La Défense business district on the eastern side of the city. The Line runs in an east-west direction running by many famous places such as Nation, Bastille, Hôtel de Ville, Châtelet, the Louvre and Palais Royal, Tuleries Gardens, Arc de Triomphe, and La Grade Arch in the La Défense business district. This is a very popular line, particularly with tourists, serving 161.6 million people in 1997.
Line 2
Line 2
Line 2 was the second line open shortly after Line 1 in 1900. Unlike Line 1, a large portion of the line is above ground on a viaduct, with several raised stations. This became a concern during World War II that it could be bombed and was consequently shut down for safety reasons.
Line 2 Viaduct
Originally called Linge 2 Nord (North Line 2) runs from east to west, but in an arch extending to the northern points in the city. Line 2 passes by Nation, Parc Monceau, Montmartre, the Mulan Rouge, and back to the Arc de Triomphe. Because of the popularity of the Moulin Rouge and red light district near there, part of the line is filled with tourists and is also a great line to ride for a while because it provides great views of the city in its elevated portions.
Line 3
Line 3
While Line 3 was the next one to be planned and it was not completed until 1904, after 5, because of construction complications and has been extended six times since then. Originally the west side was split between two branches, but in 1971 it was split between the 3 and 3bis (3b), so that the minor branch was its own line and trains did not transfer between.
Line 3bis
Line 3 runs generally from east to west, like Line 1, but is positioned farther north and intersects Line 2 in two places. It runs by the Place de la République, Père Lachaise cemetery, the Garnier Opera House and Saint Lazare, a major railway station. It is a popular connection between the residential areas around République and Saint Lazare, so it is filled with more locals than tourists.
Line 4
Line 4
Line 4 was originally opened in two separate pieces, a north part and a south part, spit by the Seine River. The problem was due to difficulties digging under the river, Line 4 was the first to go under the river; lines 5 and 6 go over allowing them to be finished first. Because unlike in London, the earth under the river was too soft to allow regular tunneling, so giant iron tunnel sections were fabricated on shore, floated into position and then sunk. When they were on the bottom of the river, they were excavated from below like caissons. As a result, the Cité and Saint Michael stations are extremely deep (around 60 feet) because they are right next to the river. Because they are below the water line, the entrances are in large, waterproof steel drums, put in place by freezing the muddy ground with chemicals. The line was opened in its entirety in 1910 from Porte d'Orleans to Porte de Clingancourt, running generally in a north-south direction. Remarkably, Line 4 has not been changed since. Line 4 connects three major train stations, as well as Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter, popular with tourists.
Line 5
Line 5
Line 5 was opened in 1906, before Line 4 because it went over the Seine by way of a bridge. However, Line 5 is made up of a hodge-podge of lines originally given to other lines. Line 5 was originally designed to connect the train station Gare de Lyon with the northeast part of the city containing 2 other stations. However, it was later decided to move it to another train station, Gare d'Austerlitz, and then later absorbed part of Line 2 Sud (southern line 2). Both in the 30s and later in the 80s.
Construction of Saint Michael Station
The line travels in northeast-southwest diagonal connecting 3 major train stations and passes near a 4th at Bastille, so the line is mostly populated by commuters between stations. Little in the way of tourist attractions occurs along Line 5, aside from Parc Villette. Line 5 also serves as a way to take shortcuts between lines.
Line 6
Line 6
Line 6, along with Line 2, forms a large circle around the city. It was originally called Ligne 2 Sud, or the South Line 2. Later it was called Line 5 and finally Line 6. Like Line 2, it lies in an east-west direction, but swings far to the south. It has a large portion that is on a viaduct, or elevated tracks. It passes over the Seine twice, both on top of existing bridges making a double-decker bridge. The largest portion that is now known as Line 6 was opened in early 1906, before Line 4 and 5 because of their construction problems. The company in charge of the Métro was not enthusiastic for getting Line 6 operating because it didn't promise to generate much traffic, however, people found it convenient for getting around the south of the city (in spite that it connects only one train station) and remains more popular than average. Similarly to Line 2, the vast portions of elevated tracks provide some great views while riding Line 6. Particularly in the west side, where while passing over the Seine the Eiffel Tower can be clearly seen. Line 6 connects the hub at Nation, the massive train complex at Montparnasse, the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro and back to the Arc de Triomphe.
Line 7
Line 7
Line 7 was the last of the original planned lines to be opened. It was approved early on, in 1903 after the success of Lines 1 and 2, but construction slowed dramatically by problems relating to the network of underground quarries in the area. Consequently, the line opened in 1910 but was only half of a line, from the center of the city to the northeast. After the problems with the quarries were resolved, World War I broke out and construction was suspended. It resumed again, only to be delayed as they dug under the Seine, that branch was finally opened in 1931 along with a southern section.
Line 7bis
Line 7 became somewhat of a perpetual construction project. It was the only line extended during World War II, with its huge southern branch opening in 1946. In 1967 in order to improve traffic patterns one branch of the line was split off, creating the 7bis line and in the 1980s the main line was extended farther into the suburbs using two branches. Line 7 is the 3rd busiest line, contains the most stations (38), the longest running distance (22.4km) and has the most trains (64 during rush periods). Line 7 runs generally north-south, but zigzags across the city connecting the Garnier Opéra, Palais Royal, the Louvre, several stations near the Seine River and one train station.
Line 8
Line 8
Line 8, 9 and 10 were part of the 'additional network' conceived in 1903 but were not explicitly planned. In 1907 the original idea was to create an inner-circle using the 3 lines. The original part of Line 8 opened in 1913, including the part that went under the river. Following a few extensions in the 1930s, in 1937 a large western portion was given to Line 10 and Line 8 went farther south. This makes for a mess at the station La Motte Piquet-Grinelle where on one platform Line 8 is served and the adjacent one serves Line 10 due to the reorganizations in 1937. During the second wave of construction the 1970s, Line 8 was extended for many kilometers to the southeast, running above ground in the suburbs. Line 8 is mostly east-west making a northern arc and then going far southeast with the extensions in the suburbs. It connects the Eiffel Tower, Invalides, the Tuleries Gardens, Opéra, Place de la République and Bastille.
Line 9
Line 9
Line 9 started in the far western side of the city in 1922 and extended in segments eastward. It was intended for this to be part of the 'inner circle' joining lines 8 and 10. As a result, Line 9 follows part of Line 8, sharing an astounding 5 consecutive stations. In fact, Line 9 is buried directly below. Line 8 along Grands Boulevards (former rue Montmartre), this section opened in 1930. At République the lines diverge, Line 9 continues in a western direction. In the years leading up to World War II Line 9 was extended further west to reach Montreuil and has not been changed since 1937. Because of its redundancy with Line 8, most of the important places are the same, such as the Eiffel Tower and République, but it also serves the Trocadéro, runs under the avenue des Champs-Élysées, is connected to Saint Lazare by a passage and Nation. It is generally east-west, but has a north and south bend to it.
Line 10
Line 10
Line 10 was supposed to complete the 'inner circle' but by 1922 it was decided that it should serve the south exclusively and not cross the Seine in the east. Line 10 was treated as a sort of 'spare' line for most of its life and as a consequence has had portions given to Lines 5, 7, 8 and 13 and taken parts from 8 and 13 during the 1930s. Line 10 still forms a pseudo-inner circle, but it doesn't connect much besides the train station Austerlitz. In fact, Line 10 is the least-used line aside from 3bis and 7bis in spite of having 23 stations. Line 5 has the same number (22) but serves double the passengers and Line 11 has half the stations (13) and serves about the same numbers.
Line 11
Line 11
Line 11 is a rather strange line because it is only half what the others are. It was designed to replace the Belleville Funicular in 1922 and construction finished in 1935. The Funicular was unable to handle the numbers trying to get to the transport hub at Châtelet, so the new line was added. The Line 11 passes near the Hôtel de Ville, the Pompidou art center, Arts et Métiers technology museum, and to the Belleville neighborhood. It runs from the center city to the northeast.
Line 12
Line 12
Line 12 was originally called Line A and was run by the Nord-Sud Company, a competitor with the Paris Métro company. It was opened in 1910 along with the other earlier lines, and was transferred to the rest of the network in 1930 and became the next number, 12. As the company name would suggest, it runs basically in a north-south direction with a few diversions. It is immensely popular by commuters getting from Saint Lazare to Montparnasse. It also passes by some highly popular tourist places; Montmartre and the Basilica of the Sacré Coeur, the Moulin Rouge, Assemblée Nationale and the Luxembourg Gardens (like NYC's Central Park).
Line 13
Line 13
Line 13's history is the same as 12's; it was originally called Line B and was run by the Nord-Sud. It was opened in 1911, and was sold to the RAPT in 1930 and became the next number, 13. Line 13 was originally in 2 pieces, divided by the Seine. The 13 part was called B and the southern part called 14 by the Paris Métro, was their line C, but neither projects were completed before it was bought out. In 1937 part of line 10 was given to 14. It was not until the 1970s that Line 13 and the former 14 were connected under the Seine in order to improve getting between the two train stations. Line 13 is quite long, and serves along with Line 12 as a link between Saint Lazare and Montparnasse train stations. It has two long northern branches which cause efficiency problems especially considering that Line 13 is one of the busiest lines. Proposals including giving one of the branches to the new Line 14. Overall Line 13 is a north-south serving line but like its sister Line 13 it curves east and west. Tourists have little need for this line because it is mostly a commuter line and used by residents.
Line 14
Line 14
Today's current Line 14 (not the old part of 13) began in 1988 as a way to ease the pressure off of the RER network and to connect a new part of the city. Construction began in 1992 between Gare de Lyon east to Châtelet, completed in 1998 and then to Saint Lazare in 2003. Line 14, called Météor, is a state-of-the-art system. It boasts the highest efficiency Métro, with 64 million people served in 8 stops, or 8 million people per station per year. The best the rest of the system does is around 3.5 million people per station per year. The reason for this is the largest trains run at the closest intervals, as quickly as 85 seconds. The system is completely automated and the trains do not have drivers. Door opening and closing is controlled by a computer, as well as the speed (which is 10-15kph faster than the other lines) and position of the train. The stations also have doors as well as the trains and they simultaneously open when the train is aligned with the sensors and can be opened from the train in an emergency.
Bibliothèque François Mitterrand Station
Because of the modern construction, comforts and safety have been improved. All of the stations on the Météor are handicap accessible with elevators and wide platforms. The trains align exactly with the platform, making a gap of around 2 inches and no change in elevation. The platform doors reduce the gusts of wind and increase safety since people cannot fall onto the tracks or commit suicide, nor can the train pull out of the station while a door is not closed. The tunnels also have a 24 inch walkway on both sides in case of evacuation. The Météor acts as a sort of express train it does not follow the average of 500 meters between station and the average is over 1 km; the longest distance is almost 3. Extensions on both ends are planned; one to Olypiades will open in 2007. Eventually, it will be tied in with one of the branches of Line 13 in the north and proposals exist to convert one of the Line 7 branches in the south. Line 14 connects two major train stations and one minor one and the transport hub of Châtelet. The southern part connects the new business and residential area around Bibliothèque François Mitterrand. Currently the general direction is east-west but if/when it integrates the sections of 13 and 7 it will be more generally north-south.
Analysis
North/South
North-South Axial Diagram
The North-South axis is served by lines 4, 5, 7, 12 and 13. Lines 12 and 13 were formerly part of the Nord-Sud company, which literally means north south. One branch of Line 13 serves the northwest inner suburbs, 7 and 5 serve the northeast, Line 12 serves the southwest, and a branch of 7 serves the southeast. There are 5 main stations connecting the lines to each other, distributed fairly evenly.
East/West
East-West Axial Diagram
The East-West axis is formed using lines 1, 3, 9 and 10. Line 6 also contributes to the east-west for part of its path. The northwest is served by lines 1 and 3 while the southwest is served by 9 and 10, but in the east only the middle is well saturated with metro stops, the northeast and southeast are only served by Métro lines going north-south.
Outer Ring
Outer Ring Diagram
The Outer Ring is formed by lines 2 and 6, connecting and terminating in the west at Nation and in the east at Charles de Gaulle - Étoile. Line 2 goes eastward for two more stops, terminating at Porte Dauphine. They were originally part of the same network, collectively called Line 2 with a north and south branch. Both consist of large portions of elevated tracks which give the passengers a great view of the city. Also, these elevated portions make them subject to ill weather, including ice and snow and extra traction track is required. They were also closed during World War II because of the fear that they would be bombed. The trains are loud as they go over them, but unlike Chicago's L, the steel beams are filled with brick and concrete arches and the posts are made of cast iron, so the increased density dulls the rattle.
Inner Ring
Inner Ring Diagram
The Inner Ring is formed mostly by lines 8 and 10, but a few stops along line 5 complete the circle. It was originally supposed to use 8 and 9, but the idea was abandoned and 9 ran fairly similar to 8. The inner ring was intended to connect all of the major railway stations, but because of the change in plans it currently only connects Gare d'Austerlitz and can barely be called a ring at all.
Tourist Lines
Tourist Route Diagram
The Tourist Lines, those that lie along major attractions and are used by foreigners, include lines 1, 2, 4 and 6. Attractions include the Arc de Triomphe, La Défense, Moulin Rouge, Montmartre, the Louvre, Palais Royal, Pont Neuf, Notre Dame, San Chapelle, Luxembourg Gardens, Latin Quarter, Trocadéro, Eiffel Tower, Hôtel de Ville, the Pompidou Center, Les Halles, the Catacombs as well as some minor attractions.
Railway Interstations
Railway Stations and Connecting Lines
The lines that serve the Rail Stations (Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord, Gare Saint Lazare, Gare Montparnasse, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare de Lyon) are Lines 1, 4, 5, 10, 12 and 13. 12 and 13 serve the West Stations of Saint Lazare and Montparnasse, 4 and 5 serve the East Stations of Est, Nord and Austerlitz. 1 and 10 connect them, although with one transfer, across the city. Line 14 serves as an express line between Lyon and Saint Lazare.
Future
Proposed Line 14 Extensions
Proposed Line 15 Integration
The future of the system will see improvements of the current system and further expansions. With the success of automating Line 14, Line 1 will be fully automated by 2010 and other lines will likely follow suit. However, unlike Line 14, the other lines will probably not be made handicap accessible any time soon. Line 14 will be extended and tied into the northern branch of Line 13 and perhaps south to Line 7. Lines 3bis and 7bis, which are currently linked by an unused tunnel, would only need some minor construction to make them together into a complete Line 15. Since 2000, the RAPT has been renewing the older stations, with only requires a few months, so no more than a handful of stations are closed at any one time. They are close to completing this project with over 200 stations revitalized. The E line of the RER will be finished, extending to the east. A Line F is proposed, but it is a very distant plan with no construction beginning before 2020.
Back to Reality
Porte Dauphine Entrance
Upon returning to Milwaukee I very quickly discovered the advantages of a subterranean rail system over street busses; after having to wait for over 30 minutes in the freezing, windy "shelter." Without the Métro, as is clear when there are strikes, Paris grinds to a halt. The Métropolitian is a vital component of the city, itself more than enough reason to return. ¤
Resources
Guimard Art Nouveau Entrance at Abessess
- Hardy, Brian. Paris Métro Handbook. Middlesex: Capital Transport, 1999.
- Plotkin, Susan L. The Paris Métro: A Ticket to French History. USA: Xlbris, 2000.
- RAPT. Le Métro de Paris. Paris: Paris Musées, 2004. (source of historical images)
- Yust, Larry. Métro. Vicenza, Italy: Graphicom, 2004.
- Paris Railway Map: Fifth Edition. Exeter,UK: Quail Map Company, 2004.
- Wikipedia. "Paris Métro." 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Metro>. (source of line routes)
- Unofficial Paris Métro Site. "Paris Métro." 2006. <http://www.Metro-paris.net/Metro.html>.
- RAPT. "Official Paris Métro Site." 2006. <http://www.ratp.fr>. (source of data)
- All other images by Alex Fortney.
Palais Royale Contemporary Entrance
Important Copyright Notice:
All content in this report is © Alex M Fortney and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without expressed written permission. Color images photographed by Alex Fortney, black and white historical images found in the public domain. Line route graphics are from Wikipedia.org but have been released into the pubic domain. Metro Maps are © RAPT but are public information.