A local’s guide to the most unusual and beautiful metro stations in Paris, from decorative faiences at Bastille to the mini-museum at Louvre-Rivoli!
If Paris is mostly known for its shopping areas and famous landmarks above ground, a more secret Paris exists only meters below the pavement.
Recently, I’ve been finding myself more and more interested in historical sites in Paris, and unusual places that aren’t that broadly talked about – metro stations are part of said places.
From cultural stations commissioned in the 1960s by Minister of Culture André Malraux to Hector Guimard metro entrances, you’ll find here some of the most beautiful stations to tread while in Paris.
Paris’s Most Unusual Metro Stations To Visit On Your Trip
In this guide, you’ll find the likes of the Concorde and Louvre-Rivoli stations on Line 1, alongside Abbesses and its frescoes on Line 12.
There are a few of Paris’s most beautiful metro stations I’m yet to visit:
- Cité on Line 4
- Cluny- La Sorbonne on Line 10
- Arts et Métiers on Line 11
- Parmentier on Line 3
- Liège, Vaneau, Parmentier, Franklin D. Roosevelt
- and a few others I can’t remember just now
I will update this guide as I keep walking around Paris’s neighborhoods, with pictures I hope you will find as beautiful as the ones I’ve chosen.
Unusual Metro Stations in Paris: Concorde, Lines 1, 8, 12
Concorde serves three lines (1, 8, and 12) and its most iconic feature is the massive word search-style mosaic covering the walls of the Line 12 platform.
Over 44,000 ceramic tiles were installed in 1991, created by Belgian artist Françoise Schein, for the Bicentenary of the Revolution era to spell out the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
Read: Lavirotte Building, Paris: Art Nouveau near the Eiffel Tower
Beautiful Metro Stations in Paris: Louvre-Rivoli
Louvre-Rivoli is often called the Antichamber of the Louvre, and is another one of the beautiful metro stations revamped by André Malraux to feel like a showcase for the museum.
As you wait for the metro to come, you can admire replicas of the Venus de Milo, or Milon of Croton – the dim lighting at Louvre-Rivoli station makes the sculptures even more striking.
Read: Cloître des Billettes, A Secret Photo Spot in Paris’s Marais
Unusual Metro Stations in Paris: Pont Neuf (La Monnaie)
Named after the oldest standing bridge in Paris, Pont Neuf (La Monnaie) serves as the gateway to the Monnaie de Paris, and its numismatics theme reflects this in a rather unusual way.
Indeed, giant replicas of historic French coins decorate the station from one platform to the other, with the Louis d’Or, the Semeuse (the Sower) and ancient coins that appear to float above passengers.
Read: Free Things to Do in Paris: 15 Places to Visit on a Budget
Beautiful Metro Stations in Paris: Abbesses
Abbesses on Line 12 is the only station that leads directly to the beautiful Montmartre neighborhood, and makes for the deepest metro station in the Parisian network.
As you walk up the spiral staircase to reach Place des Abbesses with its Hector Guimard metro entrance, you will be able to admire colorful murals depicting scenes of life in Montmartre.
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Beautiful Metro Stations in Paris: Tuileries
Tuileries Station on Line 1 is located right beneath the historic Rue de Rivoli and the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries, and the interior is designed to feel like an extension of the garden.
Called L’Échappée, the fresco created in 2023 by artist Cyprien Chabert depicts oversized botanical drawings of leaves, flowers and trees – even the station nameplates match with their custom green color.
Read: The Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Paris to Walk Around
Unusual Metro Stations in Paris: Bastille
Bastille station on Line 1 is one of the most artsy places in Paris, with its giant storyboard of the French revolution painted on glazed sandstone tiles.
Created by artists Liliane Belembert and Odile Jacquot, the Bastille station mural depicts the storming of the fortress on July 14, 1789, the Fête de la Fédération, and other scenes and figures of the Republic.
Read: Secret Villages in Paris: 10 Pretty Neighborhoods to Visit
Beautiful Metro Stations in Paris: Barbès-Rochechouart
Barbès-Rochechouart station serves Lines 2 and 4, one of the aerial stations with the most beautiful views of Paris on the Sacré-Coeur and Boulevard de la Chapelle (with the historic Louxor Palais du Cinéma).
While it’s less talked about, as Barbès isn’t a touristy area (and can be dangerous), the station is a masterpiece of industrial architecture, made of iron and glass at the turn of the 20th century.
Read: Le Marais, Paris: Amazing Things to Do and Places to See
Other Beautiful Metro Stations in Paris
Paris has other architecturally stunning, cultural, and themed metro stations you can check out:
- Art et Métiers on Line 11
- Cité on Line 4
- Cluny-La Sorbonne on Line 10
- Bir Hakeim on Line 6
- Hôtel de Ville on Line 1
Paris’s Most Unusual Metro Stations To Visit On Your Trip
Some Parisian metro stations have turned commuting into moments of beauty.
Whether you’re standing amidst the coins of Pont Neuf, admiring classical art at Louvre-Rivoli or climbing along the murals at Abbesses, these stations are definite sources of inspiration.
If you’re into secret spots and sights, these are other guides you may love to check out:
- 9 Beautiful Covered Passages in Paris With Old World Charm
- Writing Your Own Chapter: The 15 Best Bookstores in Paris
- Cité Florale, A Secret Village in Paris 13th Arrondissement
- Assouline, The Mindblowing Parisian Bookstore Split In Two
- Brentano’s, The American Bookstore in Paris Filled With Wonders
- 1st Arrondissement of Paris: The Best Places to Visit
Website: RATP