Gare Montparnasse
Encyclopedia
Paris Montparnasse is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris, located in the Montparnasse
area in the XIVe arrondissement
. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969. A steam train crashed through the station in 1895; there is a well-known photograph of the event, and full scale reproductions outside a museum chain in South America.
The station is used for the intercity TGV
trains to destinations in the west and south-west of France including Tours
, Bordeaux
, Rennes
and Nantes
. Additionally, it is served by several suburban and regional services on the Transilien Paris – Montparnasse routes. There is also a metro station
.
On 25 August 1944, the German military governor of Paris, General von Choltitz
, surrendered his garrison to the French General Philippe Leclerc at the old train station, after disobeying Adolf Hitler
's direct order to destroy the city (see Liberation of Paris
).
During the 1960s, a newer station integrated into a complex of office buildings was built. In 1969, the old station was torn down and the Tour Montparnasse
built on its spot. An extension was built in 1990 to host the TGV Atlantique.
The Gare Montparnasse became famous for a derailment on 22 October 1895 of the Granville
-Paris Express that overran the buffer stop
. The engine careered across almost 30 metres (98.4 ft) of the station concourse, crashed through a 60 centimetres (2 ft) thick wall, shot across a terrace and sailed out of the station, plummeting onto the Place de Rennes 10 metres (33 ft) below, where it stood on its nose. Two of the 131 passengers sustained injuries, along with the fireman and two conductors. The only fatality was a woman on the street below who was killed by falling masonry. The accident was caused by a faulty Westinghouse
brake and the engine drivers who were trying to make up for lost time.
A conductor incurred a 25 franc
penalty and the engine driver a 50 franc penalty.
The story of the train crash and the picture feature in the 2007 children's novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick
. For the film version, Hugo, the crash was detailed as a nightmare the main character was having. It was re-created using a detailed quarter-scale model by technicians at New Deal Studios. The story of the 1895 was also referenced in the television series Thomas and Friends in "A Better View For Gordon". The event is also depicted in the comic book The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
.
Replicas of the train crash are recreated outside the Mundo a Vapor ("Steam World") museum chain buildings in Brazil, at the southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, in the city of Canela.
station:
Nearby station:
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
area in the XIVe arrondissement
XIVe arrondissement
The 14th arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France....
. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969. A steam train crashed through the station in 1895; there is a well-known photograph of the event, and full scale reproductions outside a museum chain in South America.
The station is used for the intercity TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
trains to destinations in the west and south-west of France including Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
and Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
. Additionally, it is served by several suburban and regional services on the Transilien Paris – Montparnasse routes. There is also a metro station
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
.
History
The original station opened in 1840, and was named Gare de l'Ouest, before later being renamed. A second station was built between 1848 and 1852.On 25 August 1944, the German military governor of Paris, General von Choltitz
Dietrich von Choltitz
General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz was the German military governor of Paris during the closing days of the German occupation of that city during World War II...
, surrendered his garrison to the French General Philippe Leclerc at the old train station, after disobeying Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's direct order to destroy the city (see Liberation of Paris
Liberation of Paris
The Liberation of Paris took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the surrender of the occupying German garrison on August 25th. It could be regarded by some as the last battle in the Battle for Normandy, though that really ended with the crushing of the Wehrmacht forces between the...
).
During the 1960s, a newer station integrated into a complex of office buildings was built. In 1969, the old station was torn down and the Tour Montparnasse
Tour Montparnasse
Tour Maine-Montparnasse , also commonly named Tour Montparnasse, is a tall office skyscraper located in Paris, France, in the area of Montparnasse. Constructed from 1969 to 1972, it was the tallest skyscraper in France until 2011, when it was surpassed in height by the Tour First...
built on its spot. An extension was built in 1990 to host the TGV Atlantique.
1895 derailment
Granville, Manche
-Sights:The old town preserves all the history of its military and religious past. The lower town was partly built on land reclaimed from the sea. The upper part of the old town is surrounded by ramparts from the fifteenth century...
-Paris Express that overran the buffer stop
Buffer stop
A buffer stop or bumper is a device to prevent railway vehicles from going past the end of a physical section of track.The design of the buffer stop is dependent in part upon the kind of couplings that the railway uses, since the coupling gear is the first part of the vehicle that the buffer stop...
. The engine careered across almost 30 metres (98.4 ft) of the station concourse, crashed through a 60 centimetres (2 ft) thick wall, shot across a terrace and sailed out of the station, plummeting onto the Place de Rennes 10 metres (33 ft) below, where it stood on its nose. Two of the 131 passengers sustained injuries, along with the fireman and two conductors. The only fatality was a woman on the street below who was killed by falling masonry. The accident was caused by a faulty Westinghouse
Westinghouse Air Brake Company
The railway air brake was invented by George Westinghouse of New York state in 1869. Soon after, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company on September 28, 1869...
brake and the engine drivers who were trying to make up for lost time.
A conductor incurred a 25 franc
French franc
The franc was a currency of France. Along with the Spanish peseta, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra . Between 1360 and 1641, it was the name of coins worth 1 livre tournois and it remained in common parlance as a term for this amount of money...
penalty and the engine driver a 50 franc penalty.
The story of the train crash and the picture feature in the 2007 children's novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a historical-fiction book written and illustrated by Brian Selznick and published by Scholastic Press. The hardcover edition was released on January 30, 2007, and the paperback edition was released on June 2, 2008. With 284 pictures between the book's 533 pages, the...
by Brian Selznick
Brian Selznick
Brian Selznick is a Caldecott-winning American author and illustrator of children's books.-Life and career:Selznick was born in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey...
. For the film version, Hugo, the crash was detailed as a nightmare the main character was having. It was re-created using a detailed quarter-scale model by technicians at New Deal Studios. The story of the 1895 was also referenced in the television series Thomas and Friends in "A Better View For Gordon". The event is also depicted in the comic book The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec is a historical fantasy comic book series first appearing in 1976 written and illustrated by French comics artist Jacques Tardi and published in album format by Belgian publisher Casterman, sometimes preceded by serialisation in various periodicals,...
.
Replicas of the train crash are recreated outside the Mundo a Vapor ("Steam World") museum chain buildings in Brazil, at the southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, in the city of Canela.
Lines serving this station
Adjacent metroParis Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
station:
- Montparnasse - BienvenüeMontparnasse - Bienvenüe (Paris Metro)Montparnasse — Bienvenüe is a station of the Paris Métro which is a transfer point between lines 4, 6, 12 and 13. It is the third-busiest station on the metro system in Montparnasse at the intersection of the 6th, 14th and 15th arrondissements.-Location:...
Nearby station:
- PasteurPasteur (Paris Metro)Pasteur is a station on lines 6 and 12 of the Paris Métro in the 15th arrondissement. The platforms on both lines are underground, although line 6 becomes elevated just to the northwest of the station. Nearby are the Pasteur Institute and the Lycée Buffon .-History:The station opened on 24 April...
Travelling between the Gare Montparnasse and other Paris main line stations
- Gare du NordGare du NordParis Nord is one of the six large terminus railway stations of the SNCF mainline network for Paris, France. It offers connections with several urban transportation lines, including Paris Métro and RER...
and Gare de l'EstGare de l'Estis one of the six large SNCF termini in Paris. It is in the 10th arrondissement, not far from the Gare du Nord, facing the Boulevard de Strasbourg, part of the north-south axis of Paris created by Baron Haussmann...
: take Métro Line 4Paris Metro Line 4Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called... - Gare Saint-LazareGare Saint-LazareParis Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
: take Métro Line 12Paris Metro Line 12Paris Métro Line 12 is one of sixteen metro lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux in southern Paris to Porte de la Chapelle in the north. With 72 million journeys per year, Line 12 is the eleventh busiest on the Parisian Métropolitan system...
or 13Paris Metro Line 13Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the... - Gare de LyonGare de LyonParis Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...
and Gare d'AusterlitzGare d'AusterlitzParis Austerlitz is one of the six large terminus railway stations in Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine in the southeastern part of the city, in the XIIIe arrondissement...
: take bus 91
See also
- Transportation in France
- List of stations of the Paris RER
- List of stations of the Paris Métro
- Gare d'AusterlitzGare d'AusterlitzParis Austerlitz is one of the six large terminus railway stations in Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine in the southeastern part of the city, in the XIIIe arrondissement...
- Gare de l'EstGare de l'Estis one of the six large SNCF termini in Paris. It is in the 10th arrondissement, not far from the Gare du Nord, facing the Boulevard de Strasbourg, part of the north-south axis of Paris created by Baron Haussmann...
- Gare de LyonGare de LyonParis Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...
- Gare du NordGare du NordParis Nord is one of the six large terminus railway stations of the SNCF mainline network for Paris, France. It offers connections with several urban transportation lines, including Paris Métro and RER...
- Gare Saint-LazareGare Saint-LazareParis Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
External links
- Gare Montparnasse- current photographs and of the years 1900.
- Satellite image from Google Maps
- Mundo a Vapor Museum The Brazilian museum which contains the 1895 derailment accident replica.