Category Archives: Paris metro

When bombs fell on Paris

The church of Sainte Jeanne de Chantal at the Porte de Saint-Cloud in the 16th arrondissement is a striking example of mid 20th-century architecture. With its dome and tower, it almost looks like a mosque with a minaret. You enter … Continue reading

Posted in Paris history, Paris metro, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Words in the Métro

On our visit to Paris in December 2023, our closest Métro station was Bastille. It is one of my favourites, with a view from the Line 1 platform over the péniches and pleasure boats in the Bassin de l’Arsenal. We … Continue reading

Posted in Paris metro | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

A geranium in winter

Finally, after almost four years, we were back in Paris. We stayed in an apartment belonging to a friend of Norman’s, and were greeted with the sight of red geraniums in the window boxes. We were there for Christmas and … Continue reading

Posted in Paris metro, Paris shops | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Designer of the invisible

When you arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, one of the first things you will see is the work of a man who died on September 10 of this year: Adrian Frutiger, type designer. You won’t give it a … Continue reading

Posted in Paris history, Paris metro, Paris travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

The blessings of a Navigo card

I spend a fair bit of time on transit. Getting to work three days a week involves a 10-minute bus ride followed by a 20-minute subway trip. Downtown appointments mean a 30-minute streetcar ride. The Toronto Transit Commission buses are … Continue reading

Posted in Paris metro, Paris travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Remembering the Great Paris Flood of 1910

This blog is dedicated to my son Alex, his wife Dawn, and their two children who, on September 12, 2013, were evacuated from a home to which they can not return to escape the ravages of the Colorado flood. With … Continue reading

Posted in Paris history, Paris metro, Paris streets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The once and future Paris transport museum

The huge Maison de la RATP on the quai de la Rapée has a sweeping view of the Seine and an impressive central atrium in which are positioned a few examples of historic trams and omnibuses. What it does not … Continue reading

Posted in Paris metro, Paris museums | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

An Unbuilt Bridge and the Allure of Paris

The bridges crossing the Seine are a major part of Paris’s beauty. Could a bridge that was never built also be an asset? Consider the magazine headline below. What does it tell us about Paris and tourism when in July … Continue reading

Posted in Paris bridges, Paris metro | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Ticket to ride

Here’s a question for contestants in a game of “Connaissez-vous Paris?” How many railway stations are there in Paris? Most people would say six: St-Lazare, Nord, Est, Lyon, Austerlitz, and Montparnasse (the original version of this station is shown above). … Continue reading

Posted in Paris history, Paris metro, Paris travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Dateline Paris 1900: The Astounding Moving Electrical Sidewalk

In 1900, if you were lucky enough to have a ticket such as this one—and almost fifty million people did—you were in for an astounding treat. Paris and France went all out to make the Paris Universal Exposition the biggest … Continue reading

Posted in Paris expositions, Paris metro, Paris popular culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments