Ghost stations of the Paris Métro
Encyclopedia
Ghost stations of the Paris Métro are stations that have been closed to the public and are no longer used in commercial service. For historical or economical reasons, many stations on the Paris Métro
have been made inaccessible and lie unused, conferring a sense of mystery over Parisians.
The majority of these ghost station
s were closed when France entered World War II
in September 1939, and some have been closed ever since. Others have been reused or disappeared completely as the network evolved. Two stations were constructed but never actually used, and today still lie inaccessible to the public. Three others were designed but were never serviced by a Métro line.
were constructed but never used, and have no way to be accessed by the public: Porte Molitor
and Haxo
. Only during rare special service to these stations can they be visited.
Porte Molitor is a station constructed in 1923 on a linking of lines 9 and 10 and was originally intended to service the stadiums Parc des Princes
and Roland Garros
on the nights of matches. Logistics of this service became too complex, however, and the project was abandoned; access to the station was never constructed. The tracks today serve as a garage for trains.
A special tunnel, the voie des Fêtes, links the Place des Fêtes to the Porte des Lilas
with an intermediary station called Haxo
, constructed in 1921. This tunnel was intended to connect lines 3 and 7 (now 3bis
and 7bis
). Actually the tunnel was never used as it was decided to run a shuttle service between the stations of each of these lines. This shuttle proved unpopular with passengers and service stopped in 1939. Haxo has never been used for passenger transport, and there is no street level access.
, the French government put into action a plan that called for reduced service on the Métro network; specifically, it closed all but 85 stations. The majority of stations that were closed reopened in the following years, however some lightly trafficked and therefore unprofitable stations remained closed for a longer time.
Varenne
(line 14, now line 13
) re-opened on December 24, 1962, followed by the station Bel-Air
(line 6
) on January 7, 1963. Rennes
(line 12
) and Liège
(line 13
) re-opened to the public after about 30 years of being closed, on May 20, 1968 and September 16, 1968 respectively. These stations were subject to abbreviated schedules: they closed at 8 PM on weekdays and Saturdays, and did not open on Sundays and holidays. Rennes returned to normal service schedules on September 6, 2004, and Liège, the last station on an abbreviated schedule of the network, returned to normal hours on December 4, 2006.
Cluny (line 10
) remained forgotten for almost half a century, however the construction of the train station Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame to service line B
of the RER
caused it to be re-opened in order to provide a connection to line 10. It was re-opened to the public on February 17, 1988, the same day on which the RER line B station was opened. The station was renamed to Cluny – La Sorbonne
.
has been closed in 1939, opened after the Liberation and closed again. This station was situated on the Grands Boulevards and therefore served as an important access point, however it was eventually closed again because of its proximity—less than 100 metres (109.4 yd)—to the neighboring station Strasbourg – Saint-Denis
.
Three stations have remained closed since 1939: Arsenal
(line 5
), Champ de Mars
(line 8
), and Croix-Rouge (line 10
).
Two other open stations contain unused platforms (that is they are inaccessible to the public): Porte des Lilas – Cinéma
(line 3bis
) and Invalides (a platform for line 8
is unused after renovations made to the station).
to Gallieni
, the station Martin Nadaud was integrated into the station Gambetta
. The station still exists today: it is situated in the extension of the Gambetta station in the direction of Pont de Levallois, at a site surrounded by a gate.
, the old terminus of line 5
until 1942 and situated on the boulevard de Danain, became a ghost station after the expansion of line 5
to Pantin, which involved the construction of a new station under the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis. It has since served as the center for training RATP conductors.
The station Olympiades
was used as a service depot for line 14
before the expansion of the tunnel to Maison Blanche
and the creation of a new service depot.
The old terminus of line 3 at Villiers
was also turned into a training center for the RATP, just outside of Parc Monceau
.
and the Orly Airport
, but have never been serviced by any lines. Two are situated under the flagstone of the business district, and another under the southern part of the Orly Airport. These stations consist only of a concrete box, void of any further development.
Since the expansion of line 1
to Pont de Neuilly
in 1937, the future expansion to La Défense
had already been considered. Outside of the flagstone pedestrian walks, which include a number of platforms and underground parking from the 1960s and 1970s, the Établissement public pour l'aménagement de la région de la Défense (EPAD) reserved two areas destined to hold two future Métro stations on the axis intended to be served by the line. La Défense – Michelet and Élysées – La Défense are situated under the neighborhood of Michelet and the apartment building Élysée Défense, respectively.
However, as a result of the planning for the expansion, which was not completed until the 1990s, the complexity and the cost of an under-river crossing in this area was judged to be too prohibitive to complete. Instead, the crossing of the Seine
was achieved by passing over the pont de Neuilly
, and not in a tunnel as had previously been planned. Thus, the two areas reserved for these stations are not serviced and remain accessible only via a trap door five floors below ground level in an underground parking lot. The current line was realized in part by the number of lanes on the A14 autoroute
, which were reduced to 2x2 instead of 3x3, as had previously been planned.
Orly-Sud was conceived at the same time as the terminal, and was dug out under the building in preparation of a future expansion of the Métro to this location. However no such expansion ever occurred, and the automated Métro Orlyval
instead opened in 1997 without using the location that had been reserved for the Métro station. The station has now sat as a simple box for more than half a century.
Paris 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 ...
have been made inaccessible and lie unused, conferring a sense of mystery over Parisians.
The majority of these ghost station
Ghost station
Ghost stations is the usual English translation for the German word Geisterbahnhöfe. This term was used to describe certain stations on Berlin's U-Bahn and S-Bahn metro networks that were closed during the period of Berlin's division during the Cold War...
s were closed when France entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in September 1939, and some have been closed ever since. Others have been reused or disappeared completely as the network evolved. Two stations were constructed but never actually used, and today still lie inaccessible to the public. Three others were designed but were never serviced by a Métro line.
Unopened stations
Two stations on the Paris MétroParis 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 ...
were constructed but never used, and have no way to be accessed by the public: Porte Molitor
Porte Molitor (Paris Métro)
Porte Molitor, along with the station Haxo makes up a part of the Ghost stations of the Paris Métro that have never seen a single passenger. It is situated in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.-The station:...
and Haxo
Haxo (Paris Métro)
Haxo is a ghost station on the Paris Métro. It lies on an unused connecting branch between lines 3bis and 7bis. - History :The station is situated on a line which was constructed in the 1920s between Porte des Lilas and Pré Saint-Gervais...
. Only during rare special service to these stations can they be visited.
Porte Molitor is a station constructed in 1923 on a linking of lines 9 and 10 and was originally intended to service the stadiums Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
and Roland Garros
Stade Roland Garros
Le Stade de Roland Garros is a tennis venue located in Paris, France. It hosts the French Open tennis tournament , a Grand Slam event played annually in May and June. The facility was constructed in 1928 to host France's first defense of the Davis Cup...
on the nights of matches. Logistics of this service became too complex, however, and the project was abandoned; access to the station was never constructed. The tracks today serve as a garage for trains.
A special tunnel, the voie des Fêtes, links the Place des Fêtes to the Porte des Lilas
Porte des Lilas (Paris Metro)
Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
with an intermediary station called Haxo
Haxo (Paris Métro)
Haxo is a ghost station on the Paris Métro. It lies on an unused connecting branch between lines 3bis and 7bis. - History :The station is situated on a line which was constructed in the 1920s between Porte des Lilas and Pré Saint-Gervais...
, constructed in 1921. This tunnel was intended to connect lines 3 and 7 (now 3bis
Paris Metro Line 3bis
Paris Métro Line 3bis is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the Gambetta and Porte des Lilas stations in the 20th arrondissement of Paris . With a length of and only four stations, the line is the shortest in the network...
and 7bis
Paris Metro Line 7bis
Paris Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:...
). Actually the tunnel was never used as it was decided to run a shuttle service between the stations of each of these lines. This shuttle proved unpopular with passengers and service stopped in 1939. Haxo has never been used for passenger transport, and there is no street level access.
Stations closed and later reopened
At the beginning of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the French government put into action a plan that called for reduced service on the Métro network; specifically, it closed all but 85 stations. The majority of stations that were closed reopened in the following years, however some lightly trafficked and therefore unprofitable stations remained closed for a longer time.
Varenne
Varenne (Paris Metro)
Varenne is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro in the 7th arrondissement, named after the Rue de Varenne.The station was opened on 20 December 1923 as part of the original section of line 10 between Invalides and Croix Rouge...
(line 14, now line 13
Paris Metro Line 13
Line 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...
) re-opened on December 24, 1962, followed by the station Bel-Air
Bel-Air (Paris Metro)
Bel-Air is a station on line 6 of the Paris Métro in the 12th arrondissement. The station is located in the Boulevard de Picpus, between the districts of Picpus and Bel-Air....
(line 6
Paris Metro Line 6
Line 6 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Following a semi-circular route around the southern half of the city above boulevards formed by ancient city walls , it runs from Charles de Gaulle – Étoile in the west and Nation in the east.Opened between 1900 and 1906...
) on January 7, 1963. Rennes
Rennes (Paris Metro)
Rennes is a station on line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 6th arrondissement.-Location:Located in the 6th arrondissement, part of the Left Bank of the city, Rennes is one of a number of Line 12 stations underneath Boulevard Raspail, in this case at its intersection with Rue de Rennes...
(line 12
Paris Metro Line 12
Paris 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...
) and Liège
Liège (Paris Metro)
Liège is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro on the border of the 8th and 9th arrondissements.It was built as part of the Nord-Sud Company's Line B from Saint-Lazare to Porte de Saint-Ouen and opened on 26 February 1911 as Berlin, named after the nearby Rue Berlin...
(line 13
Paris Metro Line 13
Line 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...
) re-opened to the public after about 30 years of being closed, on May 20, 1968 and September 16, 1968 respectively. These stations were subject to abbreviated schedules: they closed at 8 PM on weekdays and Saturdays, and did not open on Sundays and holidays. Rennes returned to normal service schedules on September 6, 2004, and Liège, the last station on an abbreviated schedule of the network, returned to normal hours on December 4, 2006.
Cluny (line 10
Paris Metro Line 10
Paris Métro Line 10 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. The line links the Boulogne – Pont de Saint Cloud metro station in Boulogne in the west with the Gare d'Austerlitz, travelling under the neighborhoods situated on the Rive Gauche in the southern half of Paris and the commune of...
) remained forgotten for almost half a century, however the construction of the train station Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame to service line B
RER B
The RER B is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line runs from the northern termini Aéroport Charles de Gaulle and Mitry-Claye to the southern termini Robinson and Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse ....
of the RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
caused it to be re-opened in order to provide a connection to line 10. It was re-opened to the public on February 17, 1988, the same day on which the RER line B station was opened. The station was renamed to Cluny – La Sorbonne
Cluny - La Sorbonne (Paris Metro)
Cluny - La Sorbonne is a station on line 10 of the Paris Metro in the 5th arrondissement. It is in the heart of the Latin Quarter and Paris' Left Bank.-History:...
.
Closed stations
The station Saint-MartinSaint-Martin (Paris Métro)
Saint-Martin is a ghost station of the Paris Métro, located on lines 8 and 9 between the stations of Strasbourg - Saint-Denis and République, on the border of the 3rd and 10th arrondissements of Paris....
has been closed in 1939, opened after the Liberation and closed again. This station was situated on the Grands Boulevards and therefore served as an important access point, however it was eventually closed again because of its proximity—less than 100 metres (109.4 yd)—to the neighboring station Strasbourg – Saint-Denis
Strasbourg - Saint-Denis (Paris Metro)
Strasbourg - Saint-Denis is a station of the Paris Métro, serving line 4, line 8, and line 9. The section of lines 8 and 9 from just east of Richelieu - Drouot to west of République was built under the Grand Boulevards, which replaced the Louis XIII wall and is in soft ground, which was once the...
.
Three stations have remained closed since 1939: Arsenal
Arsenal (Paris Métro)
Arsenal is a ghost station on the Paris métro, situated on line 5 between the stations of Bastille and Quai de la Rapée, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris.-The Station:...
(line 5
Paris Metro Line 5
Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....
), Champ de Mars
Champ de Mars (Paris Métro)
thumb|left|LocationChamp de Mars is a ghost station along line 8 of the Paris Métro, between the stations la Motte-Picquet - Grenelle and École Militaire. It is situated in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, to the southwest of the public garden called Champ de Mars.-The station:The station was...
(line 8
Paris Metro Line 8
Paris Métro Line 8 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. It connects the Balard station in southwestern Paris, to Créteil – Préfecture station in Créteil, a town south-east of the French capital, following a parabolic route on the right bank of Seine River...
), and Croix-Rouge (line 10
Paris Metro Line 10
Paris Métro Line 10 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. The line links the Boulogne – Pont de Saint Cloud metro station in Boulogne in the west with the Gare d'Austerlitz, travelling under the neighborhoods situated on the Rive Gauche in the southern half of Paris and the commune of...
).
Two other open stations contain unused platforms (that is they are inaccessible to the public): Porte des Lilas – Cinéma
Porte des Lilas (Paris Metro)
Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
(line 3bis
Paris Metro Line 3bis
Paris Métro Line 3bis is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the Gambetta and Porte des Lilas stations in the 20th arrondissement of Paris . With a length of and only four stations, the line is the shortest in the network...
) and Invalides (a platform for line 8
Paris Metro Line 8
Paris Métro Line 8 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. It connects the Balard station in southwestern Paris, to Créteil – Préfecture station in Créteil, a town south-east of the French capital, following a parabolic route on the right bank of Seine River...
is unused after renovations made to the station).
Merged stations
As a result of the expansion of line 3Paris Metro Line 3
Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
to Gallieni
Gallieni (Paris Metro)
Gallieni is a station on Paris Métro Line 3, being its eastern terminus. It was opened on 2 April 1971 when the line was extended from Gambetta...
, the station Martin Nadaud was integrated into the station Gambetta
Gambetta (Paris Metro)
Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
. The station still exists today: it is situated in the extension of the Gambetta station in the direction of Pont de Levallois, at a site surrounded by a gate.
Recycled stations
Gare du Nord USFRTGare du Nord (Paris Metro)
Gare du Nord is the busiest station of the Paris Métro, handling 95.6 million entries/exits a year and serving line 4 and line 5. It is connected to the SNCF's major station, Gare du Nord, which serves RER and Transilien commuter trains as well as interurban trains to northern France, Eurostar...
, the old terminus of line 5
Paris Metro Line 5
Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....
until 1942 and situated on the boulevard de Danain, became a ghost station after the expansion of line 5
Paris Metro Line 5
Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....
to Pantin, which involved the construction of a new station under the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis. It has since served as the center for training RATP conductors.
The station Olympiades
Olympiades (Paris Métro)
Olympiades is a station of the Paris Métro. It is the southern terminus of Line 14.The station was formally inaugurated on June 25, 2007 in the presence of the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, and opened to the general public at just before 5.30am on June 26, 2007.It takes its name from the area...
was used as a service depot for line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
before the expansion of the tunnel to Maison Blanche
Maison Blanche (Paris Metro)
Maison Blanche is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 7. South of this station, the line forks into two branches, one leading to Villejuif – Louis Aragon and the other to Mairie d'Ivry...
and the creation of a new service depot.
The old terminus of line 3 at Villiers
Villiers (Paris Metro)
Villiers is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 2 and Line 3 on the border of the 8th and 17th arrondissement of Paris.The Line 2 platforms opened on 21 January 1903, although trains had been operating between Étoile and Anvers since 7 October 1902. On 19 October 1904, it became the terminus...
was also turned into a training center for the RATP, just outside of Parc Monceau
Parc Monceau
Parc Monceau is a semi-public park situated in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, at the junction of Boulevard de Courcelles, Rue de Prony and Rue Georges Berger. At the main entrance is a rotunda. The park covers an area of 8.2 hectares ....
.
Moved stations
Four stations have been moved during the construction and expansion of lines:- Porte de VersaillesPorte de Versailles (Paris Metro)Porte de Versailles is a station on line 12 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway lines 2 and 3.The station was opened on 5 November 1910 as part of the stage of the Nord-Sud Company's line C from Porte de Versailles to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. The line was taken over by the metro in 1930 and...
: old terminus of line AParis 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...
of the former Nord-Sud CompanyNord-Sud CompanyThe Nord-Sud Company was an operator of underground trains in Paris established in 1904, which built two lines and had a concession to build a third...
, at the end of the current station.
- Victor HugoVictor Hugo (Paris Metro)Victor Hugo is a station on Paris Métro Line 2. It is named after the author Victor Hugo.When first opened in 1900 as part of line 2 Nord, the platforms were built on the tight bend between Avenue Victor Hugo and Avenue Bugeaud. However, when new rolling stocks were introduced in 1931, the curve of...
: the station was moved a few hundred meters to the east due to new rolling stockRolling stockRolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
which consisted of elongated cars, proving too long for the original station's platforms.
- Buckle of Porte MaillotPorte Maillot (Paris Metro)Porte Maillot is a station on Paris Métro Line 1 and on the RER C. The station replaces another station of the same name, the original terminus of Line 1, which was demolished and moved in 1936....
: old terminus of line 1Paris Metro Line 1Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
before its expansion to Pont de NeuillyPont de Neuilly (Paris Metro)Pont de Neuilly is a station on Paris Métro Line 1, situated in the commune of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Between 1940 and 1950 it was known as Pont de Neuilly, Avenue de Madrid. It is named after the Pont de Neuilly, a nearby bridge....
. At one point, one of its platforms served as a stateroom for the RATP. Since the beginning of 2007, the buckle is undergoing renovations to become an extra service depot for the future MP 05MP 05The MP 05 Rubber-tyred metro ordered in 2005 is a rubber-tyred electric multiple unit with automatic opearation, ordered by the RATP in 2005 for the Paris Métro. The units are to replace the older MP 89s on line 1 in order to remove drivers from the line...
rolling stock, part of the automation of line 1.
- Les HallesLes Halles (Paris Metro)Les Halles is a station on line 4 of the Paris Métro in the 1st arrondissement.The original station on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet to Porte de Clignancourt to serve Les Halles . The station was rebuilt in 1977 about ten metres further east to interchange...
: the station was reconstructed in 1977 a few dozen meters towards the east (parallel to the old station) in order to allow for a better connection with the newly constructed RERRERThe RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
station. It does not use any part of the old station.
Abandoned stations
Three other stations had been planned, outside the neighborhood of La DéfenseLa Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
and the Orly Airport
Orly Airport
Paris-Orly Airport is an airport located partially in Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi, south of Paris, France. It has flights to cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, North America and Southeast Asia. Prior to the construction of Charles de Gaulle Airport, Orly was...
, but have never been serviced by any lines. Two are situated under the flagstone of the business district, and another under the southern part of the Orly Airport. These stations consist only of a concrete box, void of any further development.
Since the expansion of line 1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
to Pont de Neuilly
Pont de Neuilly (Paris Metro)
Pont de Neuilly is a station on Paris Métro Line 1, situated in the commune of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Between 1940 and 1950 it was known as Pont de Neuilly, Avenue de Madrid. It is named after the Pont de Neuilly, a nearby bridge....
in 1937, the future expansion to La Défense
La Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
had already been considered. Outside of the flagstone pedestrian walks, which include a number of platforms and underground parking from the 1960s and 1970s, the Établissement public pour l'aménagement de la région de la Défense (EPAD) reserved two areas destined to hold two future Métro stations on the axis intended to be served by the line. La Défense – Michelet and Élysées – La Défense are situated under the neighborhood of Michelet and the apartment building Élysée Défense, respectively.
However, as a result of the planning for the expansion, which was not completed until the 1990s, the complexity and the cost of an under-river crossing in this area was judged to be too prohibitive to complete. Instead, the crossing of the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
was achieved by passing over the pont de Neuilly
Pont de Neuilly
Le pont de Neuilly is a road and rail bridge carrying Route nationale 13 and Paris Métro Line 1 which crosses the River Seine between the right bank of Neuilly-sur-Seine and Courbevoie and Puteaux on the left bank in the French department of Hauts-de-Seine...
, and not in a tunnel as had previously been planned. Thus, the two areas reserved for these stations are not serviced and remain accessible only via a trap door five floors below ground level in an underground parking lot. The current line was realized in part by the number of lanes on the A14 autoroute
A14 autoroute
The autoroute A14 is an autoroute in the western suburbs of Paris, France.The motorway starts at La Défense in Hauts-de-Seine and ends at Orgeval in Yvelines. The A14 was built to relieve the congested A13 between Paris and Normandy. The A14, opened in 1996, is operated by the Société des...
, which were reduced to 2x2 instead of 3x3, as had previously been planned.
Orly-Sud was conceived at the same time as the terminal, and was dug out under the building in preparation of a future expansion of the Métro to this location. However no such expansion ever occurred, and the automated Métro Orlyval
Orlyval
Orlyval is a small automatic metro which runs a shuttle service to Paris's Orly Airport from the RER network, with which it connects at Antony station on line RER B.It was opened on 2 October 1991, the second line to use the VAL automatic metro....
instead opened in 1997 without using the location that had been reserved for the Métro station. The station has now sat as a simple box for more than half a century.
External links
- Phantom Train Stations — articles with description and photographs of ghost stations of Paris metro