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Montparnasse - Bienvenüe (Paris Metro)
Encyclopedia
Montparnasse — Bienvenüe (mɔ̃paʁnas bjɛ̃vəny) 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.
district, the Tour Montparnasse
office tower, the Musée Bourdelle
(art museum), the Montparnasse Cemetery
, the Musée de La Poste
(postal museum) and the Jardin Atlantique
(a rooftop garden on the roof of the Gare Montparnasse
).
from Passy
to Place d'Italie
. On 14 October 1907 line 2 Sud became part of line 5
. On 11 March 1910 the Montparnasse station was renamed Avenue du Maine and on 30 June 1933 it was renamed Bienvenüe in honour of the principal engineer
of the Paris Métro, Fulgence Bienvenüe
(accounting for the unusual diaeresis in the station's name). On 12 October 1942 the section of line 5 between Étoile
and Place d'Italie, including Bienvenüe was transferred from line 5 to line 6
in order to separate the underground and elevated sections of the metro (because the latter were more vulnerable to air attack during World War II
).
The line 4
platforms opened as Montparnasse in the Boulevard du Montparnasse
, near the main entrance of the old Gare Montparnasse (on its northern side) on 9 January 1910 as part of the connecting section of the line under the Seine
between Châtelet
and Raspail
. The line 12 platforms were opened in the Boulevard du Montparnasse on 5 November 1910 as part of the first section of the Nord-Sud Company
's line C from Porte de Versailles
to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
. This line was taken over by the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
and was renamed line 12 on 27 March 1931. In 1913 a connection was opened between the platforms of lines 4 and line 12 situated on the Boulevard du Montparnasse, both called Montparnasse.
The line 13
platforms opened in the Avenue du Maine as Bienvenüe on 21 January 1937 as part of the original line 14 between Bienvenüe and Porte de Vanves
and was connected to the line 5 platforms. This line became part of line 13 on 9 November 1976.
In 2002, in an experimental move, the RATP installed a moving walkway
that moved at 12 km/h, which was then termed the "fastest in the world." (The speed has however been reduced to 9 km/h afterwards). The first several metres consist of metal rollers that accelerate passengers as they hold onto the handrail, because it would be dangerous to step directly onto the fast-moving conveyor. However, RATP announced in May 2009 that they would replace the walkway with an ordinary one in March 2011 in response to 'numerous customer complaints concerning safety and unreliability'.
; the gate was built between 1784 and 1788 and demolished in the nineteenth 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 ...
which is a transfer point between lines 4, 6, 12 and 13. It is the third-busiest station on the metro system in Montparnasse
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...
at the intersection of the 6th, 14th and 15th arrondissements.
Location
Montparnasse — Bienvenüe station is located at the intersection of the 6th, 14th, and 15th arrondissements of Paris. Nearby are the MontparnasseMontparnasse
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...
district, 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...
office tower, the Musée Bourdelle
Musée Bourdelle
The Musée Bourdelle is an art museum located in the 15th arrondissement at 18, rue Antoine Bourdelle, Paris, France. It is open daily, except Mondays. The nearest métro stations are Falguière and Montparnasse – Bienvenüe....
(art museum), the Montparnasse Cemetery
Montparnasse Cemetery
Montparnasse Cemetery is a cemetery in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, part of the city's 14th arrondissement.-History:Created from three farms in 1824, the cemetery at Montparnasse was originally known as Le Cimetière du Sud. Cemeteries had been banned from Paris since the closure, owing to...
, the Musée de La Poste
Musée de La Poste
The Musée de La Poste is the museum of the French postal operator La Poste. It specialises in the postal history and philately of France...
(postal museum) and the Jardin Atlantique
Jardin Atlantique
The Jardin Atlantique is a public park and garden located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, on the roof that covers the tracks and platforms of the Gare Montparnasse railway station. It has an area of 3.4 hectares...
(a rooftop garden on the roof of the Gare Montparnasse
Gare Montparnasse
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...
).
History
On 24 April 1906 the station opened as Montparnasse station in the Avenue du Maine at the southern end of the old Gare Montparnasse (at the site currently occupied by the Tour Montparnasse, before it was moved south of the Avenue du Maine in the 1960s) with the opening of the extension of line 2 SudParis Metro Line 2
Line 2 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Situated almost entirely above the former city walls , it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris....
from Passy
Passy (Paris Metro)
Passy is a rapid transit station on Line 6 of the Paris Métro in the 16th arrondissement of the city. It is elevated at its eastern end, while its western end is in the mouth of a tunnel.-Location:...
to Place d'Italie
Place d'Italie (Paris Metro)
Place d'Italie is a rapid transit station of the Paris Métro located in the heart of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, at the Place d'Italie. It is the terminus of Line 5 and is also served by Line 6 and Line 7.-History:...
. On 14 October 1907 line 2 Sud became part 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....
. On 11 March 1910 the Montparnasse station was renamed Avenue du Maine and on 30 June 1933 it was renamed Bienvenüe in honour of the principal engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
of the Paris Métro, Fulgence Bienvenüe
Fulgence Bienvenüe
Fulgence Bienvenüe was a French civil engineer, best known for his role in the construction of the Paris Métro....
(accounting for the unusual diaeresis in the station's name). On 12 October 1942 the section of line 5 between Étoile
Charles de Gaulle - Étoile (Paris Metro and RER)
Charles de Gaulle – Étoile is a station on Paris Métro Line 1 and of the RER urban rail network. It lies on the boundary of the VIIIe and XVIIe arrondissements of Paris...
and Place d'Italie, including Bienvenüe was transferred from line 5 to 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...
in order to separate the underground and elevated sections of the metro (because the latter were more vulnerable to air attack during 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...
).
The line 4
Paris Metro Line 4
Line 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...
platforms opened as Montparnasse in the Boulevard du Montparnasse
Boulevard du Montparnasse
The Boulevard du Montparnasse is a two-way boulevard in Montparnasse, in the 6th, 14th et 15th arrondissements in Paris.-Situation:The boulevard joins the place Léon Paul Fargue and place Camille Jullian. The Tour Montparnasse and place du 18 juin 1940 also found along it.- See also :*Cimetière du...
, near the main entrance of the old Gare Montparnasse (on its northern side) on 9 January 1910 as part of the connecting section of the line under 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...
between Châtelet
Châtelet (Paris Metro)
Châtelet is a station on lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14 of the Paris Métro in the centre of medieval Paris and the 1st arrondissement. The station is made up of two parts connected by a long corridor:...
and Raspail
Raspail (Paris Metro)
Raspail is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 4 and Line 6 in the 14th arrondissement. The station is currently undergoing renovation works....
. The line 12 platforms were opened in the Boulevard du Montparnasse on 5 November 1910 as part of the first section of the Nord-Sud Company
Nord-Sud Company
The 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...
's line C from Porte de Versailles
Porte 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...
to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
Notre-Dame-de-Lorette (Paris Metro)
Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 9th arrondissement.The station opened on 5 November 1910 as part of the original section of the Nord-Sud company's line A between Porte de Versailles and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. It was the northern terminus of the line until its...
. This line was taken over by the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
The Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris , or CMP, was the forerunner of the RATP, the company managing the Parisian subway.- Origin :...
and was renamed line 12 on 27 March 1931. In 1913 a connection was opened between the platforms of lines 4 and line 12 situated on the Boulevard du Montparnasse, both called Montparnasse.
The 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...
platforms opened in the Avenue du Maine as Bienvenüe on 21 January 1937 as part of the original line 14 between Bienvenüe and Porte de Vanves
Porte de Vanves (Paris Metro)
Porte de Vanves is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3.The station was opened on 21 January 1937 on old Line 14, which was absorbed into 13 in 1976. It was the southern terminus of the line until its extension to Châtillon - Montrouge on 9 November 1976. In 2006,...
and was connected to the line 5 platforms. This line became part of line 13 on 9 November 1976.
Connecting the southern and northern stations
At the end of the 1930s, a long corridor was built to connect the Montparnasse and Bienvenüe stations. Accordingly, the stations' names were fused to create the one now known as Montparnasse-Bienvenüe on 6 October 1942. This long corridor is now equipped with moving sidewalks to facilitate access between the two parts of the Métro station. The old Bienvenüe station serves lines 6 and 13, while the old Montparnasse station serves lines 4 and 12.In 2002, in an experimental move, the RATP installed a moving walkway
Moving walkway
A moving walkway or moving sidewalk is a slow moving conveyor mechanism that transports people, across a horizontal...
that moved at 12 km/h, which was then termed the "fastest in the world." (The speed has however been reduced to 9 km/h afterwards). The first several metres consist of metal rollers that accelerate passengers as they hold onto the handrail, because it would be dangerous to step directly onto the fast-moving conveyor. However, RATP announced in May 2009 that they would replace the walkway with an ordinary one in March 2011 in response to 'numerous customer complaints concerning safety and unreliability'.
Barrière du Maine
The southern part of the station in the Avenue du Maine was the location of the Barrière du Maine, a gate built for the collection of taxation as part of the Wall of the Farmers-GeneralWall of the Farmers-General
The Wall of the Farmers-General was built between 1784 and 1791 by the Ferme générale, the corporation of tax farmers. It was one of the several city walls of Paris built between the early Middle Ages to the mid 19th century. It was 24 kilometers long and roughly followed the route now occupied by...
; the gate was built between 1784 and 1788 and demolished in the nineteenth century.