Paris Metro Line 12
Encyclopedia
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
. It has several important stops, such as Madeleine
, the 6th arrondissement of Paris, Porte de Versailles
and two national railway stations, Gare Montparnasse
and Gare Saint-Lazare
. The service runs every day of the week, starting at 5.30 am; the last departure is at 12.39 am, or on Fridays and Saturdays, one hour later. The line uses MF 67
series trains, the network's standard since the early 1970s; they make a complete journey in 36 minutes.
Line 12 was founded as "Line A" by the Nord-Sud Company
, who also built line 13
. It was built between 1905 and 1910, to connect the districts of Montparnasse
, in the south, and Montmartre
, in the north. The first trip, from Porte de Versailles to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, was on 5 November 1910. The line was the second to be built on the north-south axis of the city, in competition with Line 4
of the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
("Paris Metropolitan Railway Company", "CMP"). It was extended bit by bit until 1934 when it reached Mairie d'Issy
in the south. Tunnelling to the northern terminus at the Porte de la Chapelle
on the perimeter
of Paris had been completed in 1916. In 1930, the CMP bought the Nord-Sud company and Line A was integrated into the new, unified network as Line 12. In 1949, the CMP was itself merged into the RATP, Paris's public transport company. They operate the line today and have plans to extend it south as far as the town of Issy, and north to La Plaine Saint-Denis
.
The line was built using cut-and-cover excavation techniques. Since this method cannot be used under buildings, the route follows the streets above. It remains unchanged today and many original design features, such as the CMP's mosaic, remain in the stations. Some stations are decorated thematically: Assemblée Nationale
has murals depicting politicians' silhouettes, and the tiling in Concorde
represents an extract from the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen in 1789.
proposed to the City of Paris to finance and build a new line linking the areas of Montmartre
and Gare Saint-Lazare
in the north with Montparnasse
and Vaugirard in the south. The line would establish a second north-south transport axis of the city, west of the existing line four
. Berlier's design of two deep, parallel, iron-lined tunnels was modelled on the London Underground
system. This method allowed the straightest line possible to be built, without passing underneath buildings and free from interference with underground sewers. The City Council liked the plan and on 28 December 1901 granted the tender for a Montparnasse-Montmartre line to Messrs Janicot and Berlier. In June 1902, a new company, new competitor of the "Parisian Metropolitan Rail Company" (CMP), was established : the Nord-Sud Company
(in French ). The grant to build what would become Line A was transferred to the Nord-Sud Company; which was approved on 26 March 1907. While the infrastructure of the CMP was financed by the city corporation, Nord-Sud project was the sole responsibility of the Nord-Sud Company.
The link between two important but distant urban centres guaranteed heavy traffic for the line and it would also directly compete with the CMP and tramway companies, threatening their monopoly across the city. The City was wary of inciting new demands to license other lines, and of eventually provoking industrial disorder
, something already experienced on the tramway network. French law required a Déclaration d'utilité publique
("Declaration of Public Utility"), a statement of the project's public benefit before municipal construction, the concerns meant that it was not promulgated for the 6.216 km line until 3 April 1905. The law announced the creation of "of [] public utility, of local interest, this establishment, in Paris, of a railroad, electrically powered, dedicated to the transport of passengers and their hand-luggage, from Montmartre to Montparnasse". The law became active on the 19 July 1905, the southern terminus was at Porte de Versailles, 3.154 km long, with a northern branch from Gare St. Lazare to Porte de Saint-Quen. On the 10 April 1908, the northern extension from Place des Abbesses to Place Jules Joffrin, 1.32 km long, was in turn authorised, followed by the final section to Porte de la Chapelle (2.067 km) on the 24 January 1912.
Work on the sub-fluvial tunnel underneath the Seine
, between the Chambre des Députés station (now known as Assemblée nationale
) and Concorde
, took place between July 1907 and July 1909. This 657 m (2,155.5 ft) long section runs through a bed of limestone
after a break in the sand on the Rive Gauche
. The under-river passage was bored by two early tunnel boring machine
s, each with an external diameter of 5.24 m (17.2 ft). The head of the machine cut into the rock, while in two intermediate chambers 24 hydraulic jacks exerted a pressure of 2.4 tonnes (2.6 ST) on the rock walls so the machine could advance. At the back, a mobile arm turned on the axis of the tunnelling shield
to install panels on walls of the tunnel.
The two tubes, with an internal diameter of 5 m (16.4 ft), were made from 60 cm (23.6 in) thick rings of cast iron
. Each ring was constructed from ten 1.54 m (5.1 ft) panels, with one 0.77 m (2.5 ft) counter-key panel and a 0.29 metre (0.951443569553806 ft) key panel to lock the segments in place. The casing extended 548 m (1,797.9 ft) downstream and 533 metres (1,748.7 ft) upstream. The two tubes are not parallel: the distance between them varies from 5.8 to 18.6 m (19 to 61 ft). Work was delayed by the 1910 Great Flood of Paris
. During the works, the future Chambre des Députés station housed an air and water compressor. The compressed air prevented the collapse of the digging shield from the weight of the waters above. The tubes, initially unlined apart from the cast iron rings, were covered with an internal protective layer of masonry in 1920.
The section from Porte de Versailles to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette was inaugurated on 4 November 1910 and opened to the public on the next day. Porte de Versailles was set up as a terminus station with a connection to a workshop. The latter was joined by to the Petite Ceinture
rail line, which allowed for the transfer of trains between lines. At the other end, the provisional terminus at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
was set up with three tracks including a central depot.
On the opening day, public representatives rode from Notre-Dame-de-Lorette to Porte de Versailles, and returned to Gare Saint-Lazare for a buffet held in the rotunda. The press reports were laudatory, commenting on the smoothness of journey, and their brightness of the stations. From the beginning, the traffic on the line was significant and the quantity of rolling stock had quickly to be increased. From 5 November 1910 until 30 June 1911, the line carried 29,263,610 passengers.
to make plaster of paris. During the construction of the tunnel, numerous unknown quarries were discovered forcing a change in the line's route to avoid them. The two intermediate stations, Abbesses
and Lamarck – Caulaincourt
, are particularly deep: here the tunnels are situated 36 m (118.1 ft) and 25 m (82 ft) below ground level, respectively. The engineers constructed arches underground to support the weight of the gypsum above. The extension was put into service on 30 October 1912.
Work on the final extension northwards began in September 1912, but the tunnel was not finished at the beginning of the First World War. Though lacking personnel, the construction work continued at a slower pace. On 23 August 1916, in the middle of the war, the line reached Porte de la Chapelle
. This extension comprised three new stations, of which the final included three tracks and two central platforms, the central track being used by trains leaving or arriving. Line A intersected with Line 4 at Marcadet – Poissonniers
, but no transfer had yet been set up.
On 1 January 1930, the CMP absorbed the Nord-Sud company, and line A became line 12 of the Métropolitain network on 27 March 1931. The line that bore the number 12 in the 1922 plan for a complementary network, from Porte d'Orleans to Porte d'Italie
, was abandoned. Thinking that the number of trains on the line was insufficient, the CMP transferred four trains from their holding to augment the service.
The Nord-Sud company lines were powered through overhead cables, whereas the third rail
system was in use on the CMP's network. With the ownership transition, the CMP standard was adopted on the lines 12 and 13. As a result, the overhead cables of the Nord-Sud were decommissioned in 1932, one year after those of line 13. Pantograph
s continued to be used in the Vaugirard workshop. To improve the connection of the lines and facilitate the transfer of the carriages, a new link was built in 1935, between the Montparnasse
station and the Vavin
station of line 4.
On 12 July 1928, the Seine general council
decided to extend the Métropolitain by 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi), taking it beyond the limit of Paris so that line A would serve the town of Issy-les-Moulineaux with two new stations. Work began in 1931 and led to the relocation of Porte de Versailles
station further from the city, the new station being set up with two platforms staggered by 40 m (131.2 ft). The platforms of the old station were removed and sidings were installed to house trains not in use. The extension comprised only two stations with 75 metres (246.1 ft) long platforms, terminating at standard two track station, followed by a reversing area. On 24 March 1934, the southern extension to Mairie d'Issy
was inaugurated, the same day as that of line 1 to Château de Vincennes
.
On the night of 20 April 1944, during the Liberation of Paris
, the freight station of Porte de la Chapelle and the RATP central workshop on rue Championnet were bombarded. The former, which is also the line's terminus, was severely damaged though hasty repairs returned it to service a few days later.
The line was equipped with a centralised control room in 1971. In 1977 the use of MF 67
rolling stock allowed the inauguration of Automatic Train Control
on Line 12. A project to extend the line northwards began in 2007, it is scheduled to be completed in 2012.
Line 12 is 13.888 km (8.6 mi) long and completely underground. It is, by design, a particularly twisting route with multiple corners and steep climbs.
Beginning at Issy-les-Moulineaux, south-west of Paris, with a three way tunnel underneath l'avenue Victor-Cresson, the terminus is at Mairie d'Issy
, and has only two tracks. It runs north-east, entering Paris at Porte de Versailles
, a major station with three tracks, one of which gives access to the workshop at Vaugirard. The line then runs underneath rue de Vaugirard, following all the bends of this narrow street.
After Falguière
, the line veers back south-east in a 150 m (492.1 ft) radius bend underneath the boulevard du Montparnasse. It connects with line 13
at Montparnasse – Bienvenüe
, and exit leads toward the Tour Montparnasse
. Before the station, a two-way tunnel branches right (i.e., south), the beginning of a planned branch line to la Porte de Vanves (which later became line C of the Nord-Sud Company). This branch was in turn integrated into the original line 14 of the Métropolitian system, and became a part of line 13 when 13 and 14 were joined at the Seine. The Vanves branch now serves as a depot and workshop.
After the junction with Line 4 at Montparnasse – Bienvenüe, Line 12 goes north-west underneath the Boulevard du Raspail; at 1274 m (4,179.8 ft) long. After the Rue du Bac
station, it runs north underneath the Boulevard Saint-Germain until the river Seine, under which it (and the tunnel of RER Line C) passes via a 4 per cent descent and 3.5 per cent climb, to reappear on the Right Bank. After Concorde
, the tunnel burrows below that of Line 1, then follows a twisting route through Rue Saint Florentin, then Rue du Chevalier-de-Saint-George and finally Rue Duphot before reaching Madeleine
, named after the Église de la Madeleine
, where the bend necessitates curved platforms.
The route also goes underneath the tunnel of the new Line 14, and twists north underneath Rue Tronchet. After intersecting with Line 13, it reaches Saint-Lazare
by a curve with a radius of just 60 m (196.9 ft), turning east under Rue Saint-Lazare.
Between the Trinité
station and the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
station the tunnel has three lines, including a central one which connects the two at the exit of Trinité. This extra track was used for a long time to move the trains of Line 13 from the Vaugirard workshop back to their line (before the merger with the old line 14 the extension towards Châtillon – Montrouge
and the creation of a new workshop).
In preparation for the ascent of the Montmartre
hill, the line veers sharply north in two curves of 150 m (492.1 ft) radius, putting the tunnel under Rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. There it climbs on a 4 per cent slope until the next station, Saint-Georges, which is divided by a pedestrian access way. Line 12 climbs on towards Pigalle station, where the Moulin Rouge
situated, and it intersects with and runs under Line 2
and passes under a sewer.
Between Abbesses
and Lamarck-Caulaincourt
stations, the tunnel crosses Montmartre at a maximum depth of 63 m (206.7 ft), close to the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur
, making Line 12 the network's deepest. At Lamarck-Caulaincourt station, the line reaches its highest point, after which it makes a 4 per cent descent towards Jules-Joffrin station, situated under Rue Ordener, then to Marcadet-Poissoniers station, where the line again crosses Line 4
. The tunnel runs underneath the railways departing from Gare du Nord
, then slants northwards in a 50 m (164 ft) radius curve into Marx Dormoy
station, in the Goutte d'Or
neighbourhood. The line continues down a slope of 2.6 per cent, with new bends, before terminating at Porte de la Chapelle station, on the northern edge of Paris. This station has three lines with platforms, leading into a four-tunnel depot.
station in which architect Lucien Bechmann
designed a rotonda for the tickets and transfer room. The station entrances of the Nord-Sud company, in ceramic and iron, are of a more sober styling than the Art nouveau
designs of Hector Guimard
for the CMP's entrances. The word "Nord-Sud" appeared in white on red for the maximum visibility at a distance. In the 1970s, the Hector Guimard entrance from Hotel de Ville station was moved to Abbesses station.
In the stations, the supporting walls are vertical and not vaulted, and the ceramic tiles carry the customary "NS" logo of the company. The tile trims are brown in stations without a transfer, and green in those with. Madeleine station has blue tile trim because of its connection with the CMP. In addition, on the headwalls of the tunnels a signage indicate the direction of the trains accompanied by an arrow indicating the platform on the right. All stations on the line inside Paris had this signage, though some have disappeared in renovations over the years. At each station between Solférino and Notre-Dame des Champs (except Rue du Bac) are inscribed "DIRON MONTPARNASSE" or "DIRON MONTMARTRE". In the north, at Marcadet – Poissonniers, Lamarck – Caulaincourt and Abbesses, the signs on the headwalls are "DIRON PTE de VERSAILLES"/"DIRON PTE de LA CHAPELLE". In the south, at Falguière, the signs are "DIRON PTE de VERSAILLES"/"DIRON MONTMARTRE".
Two stations, due to their depth underground, have lifts: Abbesses and Lamarck – Caulaincourt. Five stations have unique décor, each based around a single theme: Abbesses, Concorde, Assemblée nationale, Montparnasse – Bienvenüe and Pasteur.
Abbesses station can be accessed via two shafts, one for the lifts, the other the stairs which are decorated with, on the descent, famous sights in Montmartre such as the Moulin Rouge, Sacré Coeur or place des Abbesses, and depictions of nature and daily life while ascending. This installation was painted in 2007 to replace a mosaic patchwork previously done by artists from the area, which had been vandalised over the years.
Concorde station was renovated in the early 1990s, it is decorated with small ceramic tiles, each depicting a different letter. Together forming extracts from the Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen de 1789, the design was conceived by Françoise Schein.
Since 1990, Assemblée nationale station no longer carries election material, but the posters show heads in silhouette, representing the deputies of l'Assemblée nationale. It was designed by Jean-Charles Blais and is regularly refreshed according to the parliamentary calendar.
Montparnasse – Bienvenüe station is named after its location and the "father" of the Metropolitan system in Paris, Fulgence Bienvenüe
. Thus it was a natural choice for an exhibition on the technology and literature of the metro, in celebration of its centenary in 2000. Extracts from works about the Metro adorn the walls of its corridors.
Pasteur station has an exhibition dedicated to medicine, installed during the centenary of the Metro and the renovation of the station on Line 6. The panels depict the evolution of biology and medicine since Louis Pasteur
, in the context of the time, and with various anecdotes.
On most days, the last northbound train leaves Mairie d’Issy station at 12.39 am. The last southbound trains leave Porte de la Chapelle station at 12.39 am and 12.42 am, the second terminating at Porte de Versailles station. On Fridays and Saturdays, the final departures are at 1.39 am. The train frequency is every two to four minutes during the day, and five to seven minutes in the late evening. The frequency on Sundays is four to six minutes. After 12.30 am on Friday & Saturday evenings and bank holidays, the interval between trains is 10 minutes. The RATP employs two categories of staff: ticketing agents and drivers. The former manage the stations, sell tickets and look after passengers. Drivers are responsible for the operation of the trains.
trains, equipped with 600 volt pantographs
and scrubbers, the overhead system which supplies the trains with electricity. After the integration of the line into the CMP network, the overhead lines
and pantographs were removed. The trains remained unique, using a grey and blue colour scheme for the 2nd class cars and red and yellow for 1st class until 1972.
When Line 7 was modernised with new MF 67
stock between 1971 and 1973, its old Sprague-Thomson trains were transferred to Line 12 to replenish the worn out equipment from the Nord-Sud company. The last train was replaced in May 1972. Line 12 continued to use the Sprague-Thomson equipment for another six years, until 1978, when it was provided with new MF 67 stock.
, a minor disused railway, by tracks which cross Rue Desnouettes.
As with all rolling stock on the system, heavy maintenance, such as the replacement of worn parts (batteries, paint, springs, etc.), happens at the Choisy workshops. Opened in 1931, the Choisy workshops are underground in the 13th arrondissement, close to the Boulevard Périphérique, and accessible via a fork in line 7. There are two parts, one for maintenance of carriages of Line 7
, the other for repairs on trains from all lines on the network. The workshops cover an area of approximately 3.435 hectares (34,350 m²). In 2007, it was staffed by 330 workmen.
within central Paris.
The cost of operating the line is met by the RATP, though ticket prices are set politically and do not reflect the true cost of operating the system. The difference is covered by the Syndicat des transports d'Île-de-France, the regional public transport coordinating authority. It sets the general conditions, frequency and duration of services. Their operating cost is financed by an annual block grant raised through a transport tax on businesses and payments from local authorities.
and approximately two thirds of lines 6
and 13. From 1992 to 2004, traffic grew by 0.5%, the 11th (of 13) strongest in terms of traffic growth (excluding Line 14
, completed in 1998).
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. On 1 January 2003, Issy-les-Moulineaux became part of the Communauté d'agglomération Arc de Seine along with the other communes of Chaville, Meudon, Vanves and Ville-d'Avray...
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
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 ...
. It has several important stops, such as Madeleine
Madeleine (Paris Metro)
Madeleine is a station on lines 8, 12 and 14 of the Paris Métro in central Paris and the 8th arrondissement.The station was 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. On 27 March 1931 line A...
, the 6th arrondissement of Paris, 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...
and two national railway stations, 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...
and Gare Saint-Lazare
Gare Saint-Lazare
Paris 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:...
. The service runs every day of the week, starting at 5.30 am; the last departure is at 12.39 am, or on Fridays and Saturdays, one hour later. The line uses MF 67
MF 67
The MF 67 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. It is the most common Paris Metro rolling stock variant, being used on Lines 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 9, 10 and 12...
series trains, the network's standard since the early 1970s; they make a complete journey in 36 minutes.
Line 12 was founded as "Line A" by 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...
, who also built 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...
. It was built between 1905 and 1910, to connect the districts of 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...
, in the south, and Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
, in the north. The first trip, from Porte de Versailles to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, was on 5 November 1910. The line was the second to be built on the north-south axis of the city, in competition with 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...
of 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 :...
("Paris Metropolitan Railway Company", "CMP"). It was extended bit by bit until 1934 when it reached Mairie d'Issy
Mairie d'Issy (Paris Metro)
Mairie d'Issy is a station on line 12 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Issy-les-Moulineaux. It is near Issy-les-Moulineaux town hall and the shops located in Avenue Victor Cresson and Avenue de la République....
in the south. Tunnelling to the northern terminus at the Porte de la Chapelle
Porte de la Chapelle (Paris Metro)
Porte de la Chapelle is a station on line line 12 of the Paris Métro in the districts of La Chapelle and Goutte d'Or and the 18th arrondissement....
on the perimeter
Thiers wall
The Thiers wall was the last of the defensive walls of Paris. It was an enclosure constructed between 1841 and 1844 under a law enacted by the government of the French prime minister, Adolphe Thiers. It covered , along the 'boulevards des Maréchaux' of today...
of Paris had been completed in 1916. In 1930, the CMP bought the Nord-Sud company and Line A was integrated into the new, unified network as Line 12. In 1949, the CMP was itself merged into the RATP, Paris's public transport company. They operate the line today and have plans to extend it south as far as the town of Issy, and north to La Plaine Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis....
.
The line was built using cut-and-cover excavation techniques. Since this method cannot be used under buildings, the route follows the streets above. It remains unchanged today and many original design features, such as the CMP's mosaic, remain in the stations. Some stations are decorated thematically: Assemblée Nationale
Assemblée Nationale (Paris Metro)
Assemblée Nationale is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 7th arrondissement, named after the nearby French National Assembly.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. On...
has murals depicting politicians' silhouettes, and the tiling in Concorde
Concorde (Paris Metro)
Concorde is a station on lines 1, 8 and 12 of the Paris Métro in the Place de la Concorde in central Paris and the 1st arrondissement.The station was opened on 13 August 1900, almost a month after trains began running on the original section of line 1 between Porte de Vincennes and Porte Maillot on...
represents an extract from the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen in 1789.
History
Planning (1901–1905)
Engineer Jean-Baptiste BerlierJean-Baptiste Berlier
Jean-Baptiste Berlier was a French engineer and inventor who was responsible for the Pneumatic tube postal system of Paris, which operated until as late as 1984....
proposed to the City of Paris to finance and build a new line linking the areas of Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
and Gare Saint-Lazare
Gare Saint-Lazare
Paris 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:...
in the north with 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...
and Vaugirard in the south. The line would establish a second north-south transport axis of the city, west of the existing line four
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...
. Berlier's design of two deep, parallel, iron-lined tunnels was modelled on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
system. This method allowed the straightest line possible to be built, without passing underneath buildings and free from interference with underground sewers. The City Council liked the plan and on 28 December 1901 granted the tender for a Montparnasse-Montmartre line to Messrs Janicot and Berlier. In June 1902, a new company, new competitor of the "Parisian Metropolitan Rail Company" (CMP), was established : 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...
(in French ). The grant to build what would become Line A was transferred to the Nord-Sud Company; which was approved on 26 March 1907. While the infrastructure of the CMP was financed by the city corporation, Nord-Sud project was the sole responsibility of the Nord-Sud Company.
The link between two important but distant urban centres guaranteed heavy traffic for the line and it would also directly compete with the CMP and tramway companies, threatening their monopoly across the city. The City was wary of inciting new demands to license other lines, and of eventually provoking industrial disorder
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
, something already experienced on the tramway network. French law required a Déclaration d'utilité publique
Déclaration d'utilité publique
A Déclaration d'utilité publique, or declaration of public utility, is a formal recognition that a proposed project has public benefits. Many large construction projects in France, especially relating to infrastructure, must achieve DUP before work can begin....
("Declaration of Public Utility"), a statement of the project's public benefit before municipal construction, the concerns meant that it was not promulgated for the 6.216 km line until 3 April 1905. The law announced the creation of "of [] public utility, of local interest, this establishment, in Paris, of a railroad, electrically powered, dedicated to the transport of passengers and their hand-luggage, from Montmartre to Montparnasse". The law became active on the 19 July 1905, the southern terminus was at Porte de Versailles, 3.154 km long, with a northern branch from Gare St. Lazare to Porte de Saint-Quen. On the 10 April 1908, the northern extension from Place des Abbesses to Place Jules Joffrin, 1.32 km long, was in turn authorised, followed by the final section to Porte de la Chapelle (2.067 km) on the 24 January 1912.
Construction and opening (1907–1910)
The boggy undersoil of Paris made it impossible for the engineers to follow their initial concept of deeply-excavated, metal-lined tunnels: digging deeper to more stable ground would raise costs. The line was finally established immediately underneath the streets using the cut and cover method of the CMP's lines, then the standard in use on the Metropolitan system. As a consequence, the layout contains several difficult curves especially in the northern part where narrow streets have a winding route. The line had 23 stations, all with vaulted roof construction. An interchange with lines A and B was established at Saint-Lazare, but there was no connection with the CMP's lines.Work on the sub-fluvial tunnel underneath 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 the Chambre des Députés station (now known as Assemblée nationale
Assemblée Nationale (Paris Metro)
Assemblée Nationale is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 7th arrondissement, named after the nearby French National Assembly.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. On...
) and Concorde
Concorde (Paris Metro)
Concorde is a station on lines 1, 8 and 12 of the Paris Métro in the Place de la Concorde in central Paris and the 1st arrondissement.The station was opened on 13 August 1900, almost a month after trains began running on the original section of line 1 between Porte de Vincennes and Porte Maillot on...
, took place between July 1907 and July 1909. This 657 m (2,155.5 ft) long section runs through a bed of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
after a break in the sand on the Rive Gauche
Rive Gauche
La Rive Gauche is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris. Here the river flows roughly westward, cutting the city in two: looking downstream, the southern bank is to the left, and the northern bank is to the right....
. The under-river passage was bored by two early tunnel boring machine
Tunnel boring machine
A tunnel boring machine also known as a "mole", is a machine used to excavate tunnels with a circular cross section through a variety of soil and rock strata. They can bore through anything from hard rock to sand. Tunnel diameters can range from a metre to almost 16 metres to date...
s, each with an external diameter of 5.24 m (17.2 ft). The head of the machine cut into the rock, while in two intermediate chambers 24 hydraulic jacks exerted a pressure of 2.4 tonnes (2.6 ST) on the rock walls so the machine could advance. At the back, a mobile arm turned on the axis of the tunnelling shield
Tunnelling shield
A tunnelling shield is a protective structure used in the excavation of tunnels through soil that is too soft or fluid to remain stable during the time it takes to line the tunnel with a support structure of concrete, cast iron or steel...
to install panels on walls of the tunnel.
The two tubes, with an internal diameter of 5 m (16.4 ft), were made from 60 cm (23.6 in) thick rings of cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
. Each ring was constructed from ten 1.54 m (5.1 ft) panels, with one 0.77 m (2.5 ft) counter-key panel and a 0.29 metre (0.951443569553806 ft) key panel to lock the segments in place. The casing extended 548 m (1,797.9 ft) downstream and 533 metres (1,748.7 ft) upstream. The two tubes are not parallel: the distance between them varies from 5.8 to 18.6 m (19 to 61 ft). Work was delayed by the 1910 Great Flood of Paris
1910 Great Flood of Paris
The 1910 Great Flood of Paris was a catastrophe in which the Seine River, carrying winter rains from its tributaries, flooded Paris, France, and several nearby communities....
. During the works, the future Chambre des Députés station housed an air and water compressor. The compressed air prevented the collapse of the digging shield from the weight of the waters above. The tubes, initially unlined apart from the cast iron rings, were covered with an internal protective layer of masonry in 1920.
The section from Porte de Versailles to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette was inaugurated on 4 November 1910 and opened to the public on the next day. Porte de Versailles was set up as a terminus station with a connection to a workshop. The latter was joined by to the Petite Ceinture
Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture
The Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture was a Parisian railway that, from 1852, was a circular connection between Paris' main railroad stations within the fortified walls of the city...
rail line, which allowed for the transfer of trains between lines. At the other end, the provisional terminus at 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...
was set up with three tracks including a central depot.
On the opening day, public representatives rode from Notre-Dame-de-Lorette to Porte de Versailles, and returned to Gare Saint-Lazare for a buffet held in the rotunda. The press reports were laudatory, commenting on the smoothness of journey, and their brightness of the stations. From the beginning, the traffic on the line was significant and the quantity of rolling stock had quickly to be increased. From 5 November 1910 until 30 June 1911, the line carried 29,263,610 passengers.
Developments to the present
On 8 April 1911, the line was extended north to Pigalle. A subsequent three station extension to Jules Joffrin proved particularly difficult. The route passed underneath the hill of Montmartre, which had long been quarried and mined for gypsumGypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
to make plaster of paris. During the construction of the tunnel, numerous unknown quarries were discovered forcing a change in the line's route to avoid them. The two intermediate stations, Abbesses
Abbesses (Paris Metro)
Abbesses is a station on Paris Métro Line 12, in the Montmartre district and the 18th arrondissement. Abbesses is one of the few deep stations of Paris métro, at 36 metres below ground, as it is located on western side of the butte of Montmartre...
and Lamarck – Caulaincourt
Lamarck - Caulaincourt (Paris Metro)
Lamarck — Caulaincourt is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the Montmartre district and the 18th arrondissement of Paris.-Location:...
, are particularly deep: here the tunnels are situated 36 m (118.1 ft) and 25 m (82 ft) below ground level, respectively. The engineers constructed arches underground to support the weight of the gypsum above. The extension was put into service on 30 October 1912.
Work on the final extension northwards began in September 1912, but the tunnel was not finished at the beginning of the First World War. Though lacking personnel, the construction work continued at a slower pace. On 23 August 1916, in the middle of the war, the line reached Porte de la Chapelle
Porte de la Chapelle (Paris Metro)
Porte de la Chapelle is a station on line line 12 of the Paris Métro in the districts of La Chapelle and Goutte d'Or and the 18th arrondissement....
. This extension comprised three new stations, of which the final included three tracks and two central platforms, the central track being used by trains leaving or arriving. Line A intersected with Line 4 at Marcadet – Poissonniers
Marcadet - Poissonniers (Paris Metro)
Marcadet - Poissonniers is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 4 and Line 12.Previously, there were two stations. Marcadet on Line 4 opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet to Porte de Clignancourt...
, but no transfer had yet been set up.
On 1 January 1930, the CMP absorbed the Nord-Sud company, and line A became line 12 of the Métropolitain network on 27 March 1931. The line that bore the number 12 in the 1922 plan for a complementary network, from Porte d'Orleans to Porte d'Italie
Porte d'Italie (Paris Métro)
Porte d'Italie is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 7 and Tramway Line 3.The station opened on 7 March 1930 as part of Line 10 when it was extended from Place d'Italie to Porte de Choisy. The station was integrated into line 7 on 26 April 1931. In 2006, Paris Tramway Line 3 opened, with a...
, was abandoned. Thinking that the number of trains on the line was insufficient, the CMP transferred four trains from their holding to augment the service.
The Nord-Sud company lines were powered through overhead cables, whereas the third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
system was in use on the CMP's network. With the ownership transition, the CMP standard was adopted on the lines 12 and 13. As a result, the overhead cables of the Nord-Sud were decommissioned in 1932, one year after those of line 13. Pantograph
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
s continued to be used in the Vaugirard workshop. To improve the connection of the lines and facilitate the transfer of the carriages, a new link was built in 1935, between the Montparnasse
Montparnasse - 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:...
station and the Vavin
Vavin (Paris Metro)
Vavin is a station of the Paris Métro on line 4 on the border of the 6th arrondissement and 14th arrondissement.The station was opened on 9 January 1910 as part of the connecting section of the line under the Seine between Châtelet and Raspail...
station of line 4.
On 12 July 1928, the Seine general council
General councils (France)
The General councils are assemblies of the French departments. They are elected by universal suffrage.-List of the Presidents of the General councils:-External links:*...
decided to extend the Métropolitain by 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi), taking it beyond the limit of Paris so that line A would serve the town of Issy-les-Moulineaux with two new stations. Work began in 1931 and led to the relocation of 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...
station further from the city, the new station being set up with two platforms staggered by 40 m (131.2 ft). The platforms of the old station were removed and sidings were installed to house trains not in use. The extension comprised only two stations with 75 metres (246.1 ft) long platforms, terminating at standard two track station, followed by a reversing area. On 24 March 1934, the southern extension to Mairie d'Issy
Mairie d'Issy (Paris Metro)
Mairie d'Issy is a station on line 12 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Issy-les-Moulineaux. It is near Issy-les-Moulineaux town hall and the shops located in Avenue Victor Cresson and Avenue de la République....
was inaugurated, the same day as that of line 1 to Château de Vincennes
Château de Vincennes (Paris Metro)
Château de Vincennes is a station of the Paris Métro. It is the eastern terminus of line 1 and serves the Château de Vincennes. It lies on the border between the commune of Vincennes and the Bois de Vincennes, which is part of the 12th arrondissement of Paris....
.
On the night of 20 April 1944, during the 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...
, the freight station of Porte de la Chapelle and the RATP central workshop on rue Championnet were bombarded. The former, which is also the line's terminus, was severely damaged though hasty repairs returned it to service a few days later.
The line was equipped with a centralised control room in 1971. In 1977 the use of MF 67
MF 67
The MF 67 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. It is the most common Paris Metro rolling stock variant, being used on Lines 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 9, 10 and 12...
rolling stock allowed the inauguration of Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control is a train protection system for railways, ensuring the safe and smooth operation of trains on ATC-enabled lines. Its main advantages include making possible the use of cab signalling instead of track-side signals and the use of smooth deceleration patterns in lieu of the...
on Line 12. A project to extend the line northwards began in 2007, it is scheduled to be completed in 2012.
Time-line
- 5 November 1910: Line A of the Nord-Sud company was opened from Porte de Versailles to Notre-Dame de Lorette.
- 8 April 1911: The line was extended northbound from Notre-Dame de Lorette to Pigalle.
- 31 October 1912: The line was extended from Pigalle to Jules Joffrin.
- 23 August 1916: The line was extended from Jules Joffrin to Porte de la Chapelle.
- 1930: The Nord-Sud company was bought by the CMP company. Line A became line 12.
- 24 March 1934: The line was extended from Porte de Versailles to Mairie d'Issy.
Route
Beginning at Issy-les-Moulineaux, south-west of Paris, with a three way tunnel underneath l'avenue Victor-Cresson, the terminus is at Mairie d'Issy
Mairie d'Issy (Paris Metro)
Mairie d'Issy is a station on line 12 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Issy-les-Moulineaux. It is near Issy-les-Moulineaux town hall and the shops located in Avenue Victor Cresson and Avenue de la République....
, and has only two tracks. It runs north-east, entering Paris at 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...
, a major station with three tracks, one of which gives access to the workshop at Vaugirard. The line then runs underneath rue de Vaugirard, following all the bends of this narrow street.
After Falguière
Falguière (Paris Metro)
Falguière is a station on line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 15th 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. On 27 March 1931 line A became line 12 of the Métro. It is...
, the line veers back south-east in a 150 m (492.1 ft) radius bend underneath the boulevard du Montparnasse. It connects with 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...
at Montparnasse – Bienvenüe
Montparnasse - 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:...
, and exit leads toward 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...
. Before the station, a two-way tunnel branches right (i.e., south), the beginning of a planned branch line to la Porte de Vanves (which later became line C of the Nord-Sud Company). This branch was in turn integrated into the original line 14 of the Métropolitian system, and became a part of line 13 when 13 and 14 were joined at the Seine. The Vanves branch now serves as a depot and workshop.
After the junction with Line 4 at Montparnasse – Bienvenüe, Line 12 goes north-west underneath the Boulevard du Raspail; at 1274 m (4,179.8 ft) long. After the Rue du Bac
Rue du Bac (Paris Metro)
Rue du Bac is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 7th 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. On 27 March 1931 line A became line 12 of the Métro...
station, it runs north underneath the Boulevard Saint-Germain until the river Seine, under which it (and the tunnel of RER Line C) passes via a 4 per cent descent and 3.5 per cent climb, to reappear on the Right Bank. After Concorde
Concorde (Paris Metro)
Concorde is a station on lines 1, 8 and 12 of the Paris Métro in the Place de la Concorde in central Paris and the 1st arrondissement.The station was opened on 13 August 1900, almost a month after trains began running on the original section of line 1 between Porte de Vincennes and Porte Maillot on...
, the tunnel burrows below that of Line 1, then follows a twisting route through Rue Saint Florentin, then Rue du Chevalier-de-Saint-George and finally Rue Duphot before reaching Madeleine
Madeleine (Paris Metro)
Madeleine is a station on lines 8, 12 and 14 of the Paris Métro in central Paris and the 8th arrondissement.The station was 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. On 27 March 1931 line A...
, named after the Église de la Madeleine
Église de la Madeleine
L'église de la Madeleine is a Roman Catholic church occupying a commanding position in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It was designed in its present form as a temple to the glory of Napoleon's army...
, where the bend necessitates curved platforms.
The route also goes underneath the tunnel of the new Line 14, and twists north underneath Rue Tronchet. After intersecting with Line 13, it reaches Saint-Lazare
Saint-Lazare (Paris Metro)
Saint-Lazare is a station on lines 3, 12, 13 and 14 of the Paris Métro on the border of the 8th and 9th arrondissements. It is the second busiest station of the metro system and is the western terminus of line 14....
by a curve with a radius of just 60 m (196.9 ft), turning east under Rue Saint-Lazare.
Between the Trinité
Trinité - d'Estienne d'Orves (Paris Metro)
Trinité - d'Estienne d'Orves is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the commercial centre of Paris and 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. On 27...
station and the 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...
station the tunnel has three lines, including a central one which connects the two at the exit of Trinité. This extra track was used for a long time to move the trains of Line 13 from the Vaugirard workshop back to their line (before the merger with the old line 14 the extension towards Châtillon – Montrouge
Châtillon - Montrouge (Paris Métro)
Châtillon - Montrouge is a surface station on line line 13 of the Paris Métro in the communes of Châtillon and Montrouge. The station opened on 9 November 1976 as part of the extension of line 13 from Porte de Vanves....
and the creation of a new workshop).
In preparation for the ascent of the Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
hill, the line veers sharply north in two curves of 150 m (492.1 ft) radius, putting the tunnel under Rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. There it climbs on a 4 per cent slope until the next station, Saint-Georges, which is divided by a pedestrian access way. Line 12 climbs on towards Pigalle station, where the Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge is a cabaret built in 1889 by Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Olympia. Close to Montmartre in the Paris district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy in the 18th arrondissement, it is marked by the red windmill on its roof. The closest métro station is Blanche.The Moulin Rouge is...
situated, and it intersects with and runs under Line 2
Paris 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....
and passes under a sewer.
Between Abbesses
Abbesses (Paris Metro)
Abbesses is a station on Paris Métro Line 12, in the Montmartre district and the 18th arrondissement. Abbesses is one of the few deep stations of Paris métro, at 36 metres below ground, as it is located on western side of the butte of Montmartre...
and Lamarck-Caulaincourt
Lamarck - Caulaincourt (Paris Metro)
Lamarck — Caulaincourt is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the Montmartre district and the 18th arrondissement of Paris.-Location:...
stations, the tunnel crosses Montmartre at a maximum depth of 63 m (206.7 ft), close to the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur
Basilica of the Sacré Cœur
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica , is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Paris, France. A popular landmark, the basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city...
, making Line 12 the network's deepest. At Lamarck-Caulaincourt station, the line reaches its highest point, after which it makes a 4 per cent descent towards Jules-Joffrin station, situated under Rue Ordener, then to Marcadet-Poissoniers station, where the line again crosses 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...
. The tunnel runs underneath the railways departing from Gare du Nord
Gare du Nord
Paris 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...
, then slants northwards in a 50 m (164 ft) radius curve into Marx Dormoy
Marx Dormoy (Paris Metro)
Marx Dormoy is a station on line line 12 of the Paris Métro in the districts of La Chapelle and Goutte d'Or and the 18th arrondissement.The station opened on 23 August 1916 as part of the extension of the Nord-Sud company's line A of from Jules Joffrin to Porte de la Chapelle...
station, in the Goutte d'Or
Goutte d'Or
The Goutte d'Or is a neighbourhood in Paris, located in the 18th arrondissement. It is also known as "Little Africa".The neighborhood has large numbers of African and Arab residents. It is known for its open-air market, le marché Dejean. Additionally, some neighborhood associations organise...
neighbourhood. The line continues down a slope of 2.6 per cent, with new bends, before terminating at Porte de la Chapelle station, on the northern edge of Paris. This station has three lines with platforms, leading into a four-tunnel depot.
List
Design features
Because of the competition with the CMP, the Nord-Sud company paid a special attention to design elements. One of the notable elements is the Saint-LazareSaint-Lazare (Paris Metro)
Saint-Lazare is a station on lines 3, 12, 13 and 14 of the Paris Métro on the border of the 8th and 9th arrondissements. It is the second busiest station of the metro system and is the western terminus of line 14....
station in which architect Lucien Bechmann
Lucien Bechmann
Lucien Adolphe Bechmann is a French architect known for the Fondation Emile et Louise Deutsch de la Meurthe in the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris, the building Washington Plaza, Rue Washington in Paris and the Synagogue Chasseloup-Laubat in Paris.- Notes and References :...
designed a rotonda for the tickets and transfer room. The station entrances of the Nord-Sud company, in ceramic and iron, are of a more sober styling than the Art nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
designs of Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard was an architect, who is now the best-known representative of the French Art Nouveau style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries....
for the CMP's entrances. The word "Nord-Sud" appeared in white on red for the maximum visibility at a distance. In the 1970s, the Hector Guimard entrance from Hotel de Ville station was moved to Abbesses station.
In the stations, the supporting walls are vertical and not vaulted, and the ceramic tiles carry the customary "NS" logo of the company. The tile trims are brown in stations without a transfer, and green in those with. Madeleine station has blue tile trim because of its connection with the CMP. In addition, on the headwalls of the tunnels a signage indicate the direction of the trains accompanied by an arrow indicating the platform on the right. All stations on the line inside Paris had this signage, though some have disappeared in renovations over the years. At each station between Solférino and Notre-Dame des Champs (except Rue du Bac) are inscribed "DIRON MONTPARNASSE" or "DIRON MONTMARTRE". In the north, at Marcadet – Poissonniers, Lamarck – Caulaincourt and Abbesses, the signs on the headwalls are "DIRON PTE de VERSAILLES"/"DIRON PTE de LA CHAPELLE". In the south, at Falguière, the signs are "DIRON PTE de VERSAILLES"/"DIRON MONTMARTRE".
Abbesses station can be accessed via two shafts, one for the lifts, the other the stairs which are decorated with, on the descent, famous sights in Montmartre such as the Moulin Rouge, Sacré Coeur or place des Abbesses, and depictions of nature and daily life while ascending. This installation was painted in 2007 to replace a mosaic patchwork previously done by artists from the area, which had been vandalised over the years.
Concorde station was renovated in the early 1990s, it is decorated with small ceramic tiles, each depicting a different letter. Together forming extracts from the Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen de 1789, the design was conceived by Françoise Schein.
Since 1990, Assemblée nationale station no longer carries election material, but the posters show heads in silhouette, representing the deputies of l'Assemblée nationale. It was designed by Jean-Charles Blais and is regularly refreshed according to the parliamentary calendar.
Montparnasse – Bienvenüe station is named after its location and the "father" of the Metropolitan system in Paris, Fulgence Bienvenüe
Fulgence Bienvenüe
Fulgence Bienvenüe was a French civil engineer, best known for his role in the construction of the Paris Métro....
. Thus it was a natural choice for an exhibition on the technology and literature of the metro, in celebration of its centenary in 2000. Extracts from works about the Metro adorn the walls of its corridors.
Pasteur station has an exhibition dedicated to medicine, installed during the centenary of the Metro and the renovation of the station on Line 6. The panels depict the evolution of biology and medicine since Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist born in Dole. He is remembered for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and preventions of diseases. His discoveries reduced mortality from puerperal fever, and he created the first vaccine for rabies and anthrax. His experiments...
, in the context of the time, and with various anecdotes.
Redesignations
The names of six stations have been changed since the line's foundation:- 1923: Sèvres – Croix Rouge renamed Sèvres – Babylone.
- 25 August 1931: Marcadet renamed Marcadet – Poissoniers.
- 6 October 1942: Montparnasse renamed Montparnasse – Bienvenüe.
- 15 October 1945: Petits Ménages renamed Corentin Celton in honour of a member of the French ResistanceFrench ResistanceThe French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
who was working at the Hospice of the Petits Ménages and who was killed by the Nazis during the occupation. - 11 May 1946: Torcy renamed Marx-Dormoy.
- 1989: Chambre des Députés renamed Assemblée Nationale.
Service
In 2011, the end to end journey time was 35 minutes southwards and 36 minutes northwards. As with all Metro lines, the first trains leave at 5.30 am, from both terminus as well as from Porte de Versailles station.On most days, the last northbound train leaves Mairie d’Issy station at 12.39 am. The last southbound trains leave Porte de la Chapelle station at 12.39 am and 12.42 am, the second terminating at Porte de Versailles station. On Fridays and Saturdays, the final departures are at 1.39 am. The train frequency is every two to four minutes during the day, and five to seven minutes in the late evening. The frequency on Sundays is four to six minutes. After 12.30 am on Friday & Saturday evenings and bank holidays, the interval between trains is 10 minutes. The RATP employs two categories of staff: ticketing agents and drivers. The former manage the stations, sell tickets and look after passengers. Drivers are responsible for the operation of the trains.
Rolling stock
At its inception Line 12 operated four-motor Sprague-ThomsonSprague-Thomson
Sprague-Thomson is the name of the first rolling stock on the Paris Métro made completely of metal.-Research before 1908:In light of the Paris Métro train fire of 1903, the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris searched for a rolling stock that was both durable and safe. The Thomson...
trains, equipped with 600 volt pantographs
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
and scrubbers, the overhead system which supplies the trains with electricity. After the integration of the line into the CMP network, the overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
and pantographs were removed. The trains remained unique, using a grey and blue colour scheme for the 2nd class cars and red and yellow for 1st class until 1972.
When Line 7 was modernised with new MF 67
MF 67
The MF 67 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. It is the most common Paris Metro rolling stock variant, being used on Lines 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 9, 10 and 12...
stock between 1971 and 1973, its old Sprague-Thomson trains were transferred to Line 12 to replenish the worn out equipment from the Nord-Sud company. The last train was replaced in May 1972. Line 12 continued to use the Sprague-Thomson equipment for another six years, until 1978, when it was provided with new MF 67 stock.
Workshops
The rolling stock of Line 12 is maintained at the Vaugirard workshop, situated underground in the 15th arrondissement of Paris between the rues Croix-Nivert, Desnouettes and Lecourbe, and Lycée Louis-Armand. They connect with the main line on the tunnels toward the Mairie d'Issy station, north until the Porte de Versailles station. It is also connected to the Petite CeintureChemin de fer de Petite Ceinture
The Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture was a Parisian railway that, from 1852, was a circular connection between Paris' main railroad stations within the fortified walls of the city...
, a minor disused railway, by tracks which cross Rue Desnouettes.
As with all rolling stock on the system, heavy maintenance, such as the replacement of worn parts (batteries, paint, springs, etc.), happens at the Choisy workshops. Opened in 1931, the Choisy workshops are underground in the 13th arrondissement, close to the Boulevard Périphérique, and accessible via a fork in line 7. There are two parts, one for maintenance of carriages of Line 7
Paris Metro Line 7
Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
, the other for repairs on trains from all lines on the network. The workshops cover an area of approximately 3.435 hectares (34,350 m²). In 2007, it was staffed by 330 workmen.
Ticketing and finance
The Metro ticketing system uses the "t+" ticket, which permits a journey of any distance and allows unlimited transfers between Metro lines and to the RERRER
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...
within central Paris.
The cost of operating the line is met by the RATP, though ticket prices are set politically and do not reflect the true cost of operating the system. The difference is covered by the Syndicat des transports d'Île-de-France, the regional public transport coordinating authority. It sets the general conditions, frequency and duration of services. Their operating cost is financed by an annual block grant raised through a transport tax on businesses and payments from local authorities.
Traffic
Line 12's traffic load is about average for the Métro; the total number of travellers is less than half that of Line 1Paris 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...
and approximately two thirds of lines 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...
and 13. From 1992 to 2004, traffic grew by 0.5%, the 11th (of 13) strongest in terms of traffic growth (excluding 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...
, completed in 1998).
The busiest stations are Saint-Lazare (34.53 million) and Montparnasse – Bienvenüe (29.46 million), both of which serve multiple lines. In 1998, average weekday traffic reached, commuters, on Saturday and on Sunday.
Safety record
There have been two accidents on the line: On 23 April 1930, a collision was caused by human error close to the Porte de Versailles station. A train moving north was stopped before a red signal between Porte de Versailles and ConventionConvention (Paris Metro)
Convention is a station on line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 15th 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 is named after the Rue de la Convention....
stations. A second hit it hard from behind, the driver having passed two stop signals at full speed. Two people were killed, and there were numerous injuries. A derailment on 30 August 2000. The train's automatic control function was broken, and the driver was unused to driving manually and arrived too fast into the steep decline before 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...
station. The derailment turned the car upside-down, and 24 people were injured. The investigation concluded that a specific emergency signal be installed on the approach to the station, and that drivers preserve their skills by not habitually driving with the auto-pilot function.
Northern extension
An extension north to the provisionally named Proudhon-Gardinoux station on the boundary between Saint-Denis and Aubervilliers is planned to open in 2012. The station will serve La Plaine Saint-Denis, a diverse district that includes many television studios. Initially called "Proudhon – Gardinoux" in the planning stages of the project (after the intersection of rue Proudhon and rue des Gardinoux), the name of the new station will be Front Populaire after the adjacent well-known square.Construction began in the second half of 2007, and the tunnel boring machine started to operate in 2009. The tunnel will be dug as far as Aubervilliers, but the entrances to the Pont de Stains and Mairie d'Aubervilliers stations will not be built until later. Works on the first stage cost 198.5 million euros (48% from regional funding, 27.5% from the state, 8.5% from the Department's General Council
General councils (France)
The General councils are assemblies of the French departments. They are elected by universal suffrage.-List of the Presidents of the General councils:-External links:*...
, 16% from the RATP – on a loan approved by the region).
In a second phase, two further stations are envisaged at Pont de Stains and Mairie d'Aubervilliers, both within the town of Aubervilliers. The final plan sees the extension running all the way to RER 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 ....
at La Courneuve
La Courneuve
La Courneuve is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:The history of La Courneuve begins as the rest of the region with the invasion of European tribes and the eventual conquering of the area by the Romans. During the Middle Ages,...
, where the SDRIF plans an ultimate terminus at the tramway station of Tramway Line 1
Paris Tramway Line 1
Tramway line T1 is a tramway just outside the city limits of Paris, connecting Saint-Denis with Noisy-le-Sec, parallel to the Paris northern city limit. It opened in 1992, and the extension to Noisy-le-Sec was completed in December 2003. An extension west to Asnières and Gennevilliers is expected...
.
Southern extension
A southern extension into the municipality of Issy-les-MoulineauxIssy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. On 1 January 2003, Issy-les-Moulineaux became part of the Communauté d'agglomération Arc de Seine along with the other communes of Chaville, Meudon, Vanves and Ville-d'Avray...
is envisaged. Discussed at length since the last extension of the line to Mairie d'Issy in 1934, it would run at least up to Gare d'Issy, or possibly all the way to Les Moulineaux thus permitting transfers with Tramway T2
Paris Tramway Line 2
Tramway line T2 is a tramway in France. It connects Porte de Versailles, Paris, with La Défense, just outside the limit of Paris...
and creating the Issy-Ville station. The project was included in phases 2 or 3 of the Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
regional master plan (SDRIF) adopted on 25 September 2008, with an expected start in 2014 or 2020.