Weird and wonderful facts about the Paris Metro

On your visit to Paris, you're probably going to use the Métro at least once, so you might as well find out some fun and quirky facts about it! Here are some of our favorite facts about the Paris Métro, from what it was like during WWII to the audition process of the musicians who play there.

By Go City Expert
Paris Metro

The Paris Metro is a key network that binds the city together, running for miles from East to West, North to South. Although it’s not the oldest in the world – that would be London’s underground – it certainly is one of the most established.

We wanted to unearth some weird and wonderful facts, so read on to learn more...

metro-station-paris
  • Thanks to careful planning each station can be found 550 yards away from another – making Paris also has the most comprehensive underground rail system in the world.
     
  • The Paris Métro runs more than 600,000 miles per day – that works out as 10 times around the world each day!
     
  • The first metro line was opened in 1900 just after the Paris World Exposition making it the fourth oldest metro in Europe after London, Glasgow, and Budapest
     
  • During WWII, the Paris Métro was too shallow to be used as bomb shelters, so they became a meeting place for the French Resistance - allowing them to conduct swift assaults on the Germans throughout Parissenal, Haxo, or Porte Molitor.
Paris metro in black and white
  • The Paris Métro is famous for its art and décor, each with its own theme. For example, the Arts et Métiers station is designed to look like a submarine, and the Bastille station walls depict the historic French Revolution.
     
  • Since 1997, the Espace Metro Accords (EMA) began holding auditions to decide which musicians could showcase their music in the metro – now 100 lucky candidates are selected each year and given permission to play music on the metro.
     
  • All around Paris, you’ll find ghost stations; stations which haven’t been used for years and are now closed to the public. Some of these include Arsenal, Haxo, or Porte Molitor.
Metro sign

With the Paris Pass you can enjoy free travel around the Paris underground as a Paris Visite Travelcard is included in the package. This will allow you to explore central Paris at your leisure. Learn more about how the Paris Pass and travelcard works.

Here are some useful Paris Metro Tips to help you navigate the city like a pro.

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What's on in Paris

Plan your trip to Paris with our guide to what's on in Paris! From festivals and seasonal events to annual celebrations and more, discover Paris with the Paris Pass!   SPRING Easter in Paris As the promise of spring fills the air, and the parks begin to bloom, take a stroll along the Seine or head to the many green public parks around the city to soak up the early sunshine. Indulge in the wonderful chocolate confections that decorate the shop windows, cheer on the runners in the Paris Marathon, and then head to Foire du Trone in Pelouse de Reuilly in Bois de Vincennes to enjoy old-school fairground rides and family-friendly fun. La Nuit Européene des Musées In May, museums across Europe throw open their doors for a night at the museum. In Paris, museums will stay open late into the evening – offering a unique and memorable way to enjoy their treasures. Participating attractions include: the Louvre, the Decorative Arts Museum and the Palais de la Découverte.   SUMMER The French Open From the end of May into June, a couple of weeks before Wimbledon, you can watch the best tennis players in the world at Stade Roland Garros in Paris. If you’re willing to swap the strawberries for macarons and the Pimms for champagne, you can enjoy great tennis in the Paris sunshine.  We Love Green This popular Parisian music festival is powered entirely by solar panels and recycled-oil generators. Attracting a great line-up every year, you can enjoy fabulous music, organic food and connect with people at the sustainability and environmental think tank for 2 days at the beginning of June in the Bois de Vincennes. Paris Plages Each summer, from the beginning of July until the end of August, the banks of the Seine and canal de Villette are transformed into public beaches. Pack a picnic, pull up a deckchair and relax in the Parisian sunshine. Or head to Bassin de la Villette where you can even bathe in the waters before enjoying an ice-cream at one of the neighbourhood vendors. Bastille Day If you’re lucky enough to be in Paris on 14th July, head to the Champs Elysées in the afternoon to see the military procession. Later, Champs de Mars is the place to be. Here, you can enjoy the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower… unless you’re lucky enough to be staying in a hotel with views to the tower, of course, when you can sit back and enjoy the show from the comfort of your own balcony.   AUTUMN La Nuit Blanche At the start of October, Paris hosts an art festival with a difference: avant-garde and emerging artists show their works by night. At various venues across the city, a mix of art, theatre, dance and music events ensure that “for one night only, let art take over the city, and let the city be in its thrall”. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disneyland Paris The Disney parks are fabulous fun at Halloween, so if you’re in Paris through October with children don’t miss a trip a to Euro Disney. Dress up in costume and join in the Halloween-themed fun, including trick or treating, costumed characters and the spooky procession and fireworks.   WINTER Christmas in Paris Christmas in Paris is truly magical: with the city lit and dressed for Christmas, ice-skating rinks at Hotel de Ville and Trocadéro and Christmas markets along the Champs Elysées, Place Saint Sulpice and Place Saint Germain des Prés. Browse the pretty stores selling handicrafts and treats, mingle with the crowds and sip vin chaud at the markets. Then head to Trocadéro to skate across the ice with the lights of the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the background. If you’re in Paris on Christmas Eve, don’t skip a visit to Notre Dame for midnight mass. New Year in Paris In recent years, Paris hasn’t put on an official new year fireworks show, so the best place to head on New Year’s Eve is the Champs Elysées. Here, you can wish fellow revellers a “Bonne Année” from about 9pm – giving you time to eat at your favourite restaurant before you head out. Or mingle with the crowds here before heading on somewhere else. Just make sure you wrap up warm! Shop the Winter Sales in Paris If you love bagging yourself a bargain, the winter sales at the grand department stores, and the city’s malls and boutiques – or at one of the outlet malls outside the centre – are the place to head during January and early February. Don't miss a visit to the famous Galeries Lafayette - shopping heaven! We hope you have enjoyed this guide to what’s on in Paris, brought to you by the team at the Paris Pass. Bon voyage!
Go City Expert
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Paris River Cruise: What You Need to Know

There are so many different ways to have your very own Parisian experience. As the French say, "chacun à son goût", translated as,"everyone has their own taste". If you are looking for a relaxing and unique way to see the city, a river boat cruise might be right up your alley! In this article, we'll take a peak at a few Paris river cruise companies. All aboard! Bateaux-Mouches Founded in 1949, we can't help but wonder how many times the Bateaux-Mouches has toured the Seine? According to their website, they host over 2.5 million tourists per year! Bateaux-Mouches offers various options for their Paris river cruises, they have lunch, brunch, dinner and special event cruises. Also, they have a package deal that includes dinner and a show at the famed Crazy Horse, amongst many others! In addition, the company also has a 'club-house', where you can dine while overlooking the Seine, this ticket also receives a complimentary river cruise. Their basic cruise starts at 14 € per person. If setting sail on the 'high seas' of the Seine River isn't your cup of tea, why not check out our article about Paris' Big Bus Tours instead? Please click the link here.
Erin Hagen
Musee D'Orsay, Paris
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Paris art galleries

More top Paris Museums One of the most picturesque art galleries in Paris is the Orangerie Museum, situated in the stunning Tuileries Gardens. The Orangerie Museum houses some of the best works of art from Monet, Renoir and Picasso – among other impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces. Just outside Paris you’ll find the Musée Nissim de Camondo situated in the former private home of the rich Parisian Moïse de Camondo – so you’ll be admiring more than just the impressive collection of objets d’art and French furniture on show. Château d’Écouen, in rural Paris, is also home to the National Museum of the Renaissance - a must-visit to learn about one of the most important movements both socially and artistically to have come out of Europe in all of history.  See world-class exhibitions and visit top Paris art galleries for free! Paris boasts some of the most famous and important art galleries and museums in the world and is the home of priceless iconic art works dating back thousands of years, to modern and contemporary artists. The Louvre Museum The Louvre Museum is considered one of the finest art galleries in the world for its wide collections of pre-historic artefacts to 18th century masterpieces and is one on everyone’s bucket list. From world-famous works of art like the enigmatic Mona Lisa, to the stunning Venus de Milo, the Louvre contains over 35,000 pieces to be admired over eight themed historic departments and does not fail to disappoint.  The Musee d'Orsay Another one of the best Paris art galleries is the Musee d’Orsay set on the bank of the River Seine. One of the most popular art galleries in Paris, it showcases art and sculpture from 1848 to 1915, featuring works by the big names such as Delacroix, Manet, Gauguin, Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, Sisley and van Gogh. Set in a converted train station, visitors can admire the stunning Beaux Arts architecture and huge original turn of the 20th century hanging clock – one of the most photographed items in the whole museum! The Centre Pompidou If you prefer more modern and contemporary art, the Centre Pompidou is considered the most important museum of modern art in Europe, second in the world only to the MOMA in New York. So with that reputation you’re bound to be captivated. Outside-in you’ll be impressed by this unconventional building, one-of-a-kind in its design with multi-coloured facilities on the outside of the building. Within, there are all manner of media for you to admire from video, to sculpture, Fauvists to Cubists.  Art galleries you can visit with The Paris Pass® Abbaye Royale De Chaalis Surrounded by lush woodland the Abbaye Royale de Chaalis is a magnificent château to the north of Paris. Normally €8.00 Centre Pompidou The Centre Pompidou is Europe’s most important museum of modern art and one of the worlds most significant art galleries. Normally €14.00 Châteaux de Champs-Sur-Marne Marvel at the impressive 18th century Châteaux de Champs-Sur-Marne, a beautiful French mansion in outer Paris. Famed for its structure and size, its featured in films from Dangerous Liaisons and Marie Antoinette. Normally €8.00 Dali Paris The enduring popularity and influence of the surrealist artist Salvadore Dali is captured in the fascinating Dali Paris. Normally €13.00 Gustave Moreau Museum The Musée Gustave Moreau was designed by the painter himself and includes his private apartment and the large gallery he built to display his work. Normally €7.00 Louvre Museum The Louvre Museum is unquestionably one of the finest art galleries in the world. Home to thousands of classic and modern masterpieces, the Louvre is the jewel in the crown of French culture, a towering testament to European civilisation and history. Normally €17.00 La Grande Arche de la Defense Take to La Grande Arche’s expansive 1000m² promenade to experience open-air panoramic views of Paris unlike any other. Normally €15.00 Museum of Decorative Arts The Musée des Arts Décoratifs houses over 150,000 objects of French craftsmanship and decorative art. Normally €11.00 Museum of 3D Relief Maps The Musée des Plans-Reliefs is a brilliantly eccentric museum devoted to an intricate and largely forgotten craft. Normally €12.00 National Museum Of Eugéne Delacroix Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) was a fascinating man, a great painter, and a typically intellectual French hero. Normally €7.00 Museum of the Asian Arts The Musée National des Arts Asiatiques is an unrivalled collection and major centre for the appreciation and knowledge of Asian civilizations. Normally €11.50 Nissim De Camondo Museum The extraordinarily sumptuous Musée Nissim de Camondo is located in a private home that was commissioned and lived in by the fantastically rich Parisian, Moïse de Camondo. Normally €9.00 National Museum of the Renaissance A delight of Renaissance architecture and interior design, the Ecouen Castle today houses the Musée National de la Renaissance - the National Museum of the Renaissance - making it a fantastic combination of interior and exterior arts. Normally €5.00 Orangerie Museum Situated on the bank of the Seine, in the picturesque Tuileries Gardens, the Orangerie Museum is filled with an inspiring collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces. Normally €9.00 Picasso Museum The Picasso Museum in the stunning Hotel Salé is the most impressive and comprehensive collection of Picasso’s artworks in the world. Normally €14.00 Rodin Museum Auguste Rodin was one of the world’s greatest sculptors. His neoclassical style revitalised the sculptural and wider artistic scene. Normally €12.00 The Orsay Museum The Orsay Museum was originally designed as a train station in 1900. By the 1950’s it became apparent that the platforms were too short for modern trains and the building became home to a theatre. Normally €14.00
Alice Padfield
Alice Padfield
Eiffel Tower 2nd Floor Guided Climb
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