Top 8 of the Most Beautiful and Original Metro Stations in Paris 

The Parisian metro, it’s a must-see institution when you’re visiting the City of Lights! Some of them are breathtakingly beautiful, each with their own unique style and decoration.

 

8) Station Cluny – La Sorbonne

Station Cluny La Sorbonne
Cluny – La Sorbonne station. Photo credits: The West End via Creative Commons 2.0

Designed by architect Hector Guimard in the recognizable Art Nouveau style, the Cluny – La Sorbonne station is unmistakable with its unique roof.

Indeed, it’s composed of mosaics from the artist Jean Bazaine, with colored flowers and features the signatures of the most famous students who studied at the Sorbonne.

 

7) Station Gare de Lyon

Station Gare de Lyon
Gare de Lyon station: green and exotic corner. Photo credits: Claude Shoshany via Creative Commons 3.0

Located on line 14, the Gare de Lyon station is unusual with all of its vegetation.

A real corner of greenery, this covered exotic garden is sure to seduce you with its diverse plants and flowers. It’s a real underground green paradise.

 

6) Station Pont-Neuf – La Monnaie

Station Pont-Neuf La Monnaie
Pont Neuf – La Monnaie station: Where history meets modernism. Photo credits: Chabe01 via Creative Commons 3.0

With its atypical decor, thanks to the huge coins lining the ceiling, the Pont-Neuf – La Monnaie station is original in every way.

There are even display cases containing coins, some even offer a unique Harry Potter style.

 

5) Station Bastille

Station Bastille
Bastille station: the Revolution depicted on the station’s walls. Photo credits: Nina Belyavskaya via Creative Commons 3.0

In this station, you’ll find the history of the French Revolution painted over 180 meters long!

This gigantic ceramic fresco will amaze you for sure, with the storming of the Bastille as a principal theme, it’s really a unique sight to behold.

 

4) Station Concorde

Station La Concorde
Concorde Station. Photo credits: Andrew via Creative Commons 2.0

Located on line 12, the Concorde station is tiled with millions of tiles, each representing a letter.

What makes it so special? The 1789 Universal Declaration of Human Rights was inscribed with these tiles in 1991, thanks to the artist Françoise Schein.

The result can be a bit confusing when you’re viewing it, but it’s really photogenic!

 

3) Station Franklin D. Roosevelt

Station Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt station. Photo credits: Lewin Bormann via Creative Commons 2.0

This station, built in 1900, is one of the oldest stations in Paris.

With its soft lighting and its cozy atmosphere, this station offers a unique experience with its orange and yellow colors.

 

2) Station Arts et Métiers

arts et metiers station
Arts et Métiers station: A unique blend of science, history and Parisian ingenuity.

With its steampunk atmosphere straight out of Jules Verne’s books, the Arts et Métiers station gets its inspiration from his works and the nearby Arts et Métiers museum.

With its portholes, copper plates riveted to the walls and the gildings, it’s like being in the Nautilus, an invitation to adventure and exploration in the depths of the sea!

 

1) Station Louvre – Rivoli

metro louvre rivoli
Louvre Rivoli Station: is this the museum already?

The platforms at the Louvre – Rivoli station, on line 1, give a foretaste of the Louvre museum above.

Completed in 2015 when the station was renovated, this new decoration was made in collaboration with the museum to offer a unique experience when exiting the station.

The soft lighting, porcelain stoneware-covered walls and statues lining the platforms plunge visitors into an ideal atmosphere to start a visit to the museum.