Discover Hector Guimard's Paris Metro Entrances

In 1900 Hector Guimard designed the first of many decorative Metro station entrances. Since then they have come to symbolize not only the Paris Metro but Paris itself. In another article we describe Guimard's top Metro station designs, but now let's delve deeper into the world of Hector Guimard for the complete Insider's Guide to all of his remaining, and inspirational, Metro stations.

Hector Guimard & the Paris Metro

Hector Guimard Metro sign, photo by Mark Craft

Paris may not have been the first city to introduce an underground rail system (that title belongs to London), but by the time of the 1900 Paris Exposition, the city was ready to unveil its own sleek, modern solution for mass transit. In 1898, the Compagnie du Métropolitain held a competition to design the new Metro entrances. Hector Guimard (1867-1942) didn't officially enter the competition, but his bold, avant-garde vision using affordable cast iron won him the commission.

Each of Guimard's iconic cast-iron Metro entrances proudly displays the word Métropolitain alongside the station's name. Unbelievably, many of his station entrances were subsequently destroyed, right up until the 1960s. Fortunately for us, at least half have been saved and can still be admired at sixty-seven Metro stations.

The style he employed, called Art Nouveau (as seen in the photo below of the former Metro station at Étoile), emerged around the turn of the 20th century during the Belle Époque, a time that sought beauty in organic, flowing lines inspired by nature. Initially, Parisians were hesitant to embrace Guimard's vision, but once the Metro stations were installed, his designs became a defining feature of the era.

Metro Étoile, since destroyed

Guimard's talents extended far beyond Metro stations. His creativity touched every facet of design — homes, furniture, and countless decorative objects including umbrella stands, vases, picture frames, door handles, and even jewelry.

While art historians today shower praise on Guimard's Metro designs, his contributions were all but forgotten by the time of his death in New York in 1942. Sadly, when he and his Jewish wife, Adeleine, fled France in 1938 to escape the toxic tide of antisemitism, his work faded into obscurity.

Today, you can still spot Guimard's striking Metro entrances across Paris. Some have even been relocated, such as the beautiful entrance at Porte-Dauphine in the 16th Arrondissement. (There's even one at Square-Victoria station in Montreal, Quebec.) Ready for a challenge? Take a look at the full list of Hector's surviving Metro entrances in Paris. Can you pinpoint the arrondissement with the most examples? Or the one district that doesn't have a single Guimard creation?

Hector Guimard's Metro Stations in Paris

Metro Palais-Royal–Musée-du-Louvre, photo Wikimedia by Simon Law

In the 1st Arrondissement

Guimard's Metro entrances can be found at these stations —

• Chatelet
• Etienne-Marcel
• Palais-Royal–Musée-du-Louvre
• Louvre-Rivoli

Metro Name Fun Fact

Station Etienne Marcel, on line 4, opened in April 1908, named for the 14th-century revolutionary and provost (leader) of small merchants and guildsmen under French king Jean II. There's a statue of Etienne Marcel at the Hotel de Ville. By the way, the current Chatelet entrance is a modern replica of Guimard's original.

In the 2nd Arrondissement

Guimard's Metro entrances can be found at stations —

• Quatre-Septembre
• Reaumur-Sebastopol
• Sentier

Metro Name Fun Fact

Quatre-Septembre, on Metro line 3 is named for an important date in French history. In 1870, on September 4 (quatre-septembre), the end of the reign of Napoleon III was finalized and the Third Republic was proclaimed. This Metro station opened in October 1904, providing service between Avenue de Villiers and Pere Lachaise.

3rd Arrondissement

• One Guimard entrance — Metro Temple

Metro Name Fun Fact

Also on line 3, Temple is named for a long-demolished Templar fortification that once stood in the Square du Temple in the Marais. The Templar's building gave its name to the Rue du Temple, which gave its name to the Metro station.

4th Arrondissement

Metro Cité, photo Wikimedia by Clicsource

• Only one Metro station — Cité — in the center Île de la Cité between Notre Dame Cathedral and La Sainte Chapelle.

Metro Name Fun Fact

Deep underneath Île de la Cité (one of the two islands of Paris) is Metro Cité. The only Metro station on the island opened in December 1910; although tunnels once linked the station to the nearby Prefecture of Police of Paris and the Palais de Justice, they were closed for security reasons so that now the only exit is on Rue de Lutèce, in front of the Prefecture of Police.

5th & 6th Arrondissements

• Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame

Metro Name Fun Fact

Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame, on line 4, in the Latin Quarter, also connects to RER lines B and C (underground). While you're viewing Guimard's entrance (on the west side of Place Saint-Michel), be sure to check out the famous Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, just around the corner.

8th Arrondissement

• Europe
• Saint-Lazare

Metro Name Fun Fact

Europe opened in October 1904 and is named after the Place de l'Europe, the square from which streets named for European capitals radiate. This was also the site of the first Paris railway station, Embarcadère de l'Ouest, which opened in 1837.

9th Arrondissement

Metro Opera, photo Wikimedia by Mossot

• Cadet
• Opera (corner of Rue Auber and Rue Scribe, kitty-corner from the Nespresso store)

Metro Name Fun Fact

Cadet, on line 7 is named after a wealthy landowner, Monsieur Cadet de Chambine, who just happened to own the land where the street and Metro station is now located.

10th Arrondissement

Metro entrance at Gare du Nord, photo from Flickr

• Chateau-d'Eau
• Colonel-Fabien
• Gare du Nord
• Louis-Blanc
• République

Metro Name Fun Fact

République serves lines 3, 5, 8, 9, and 11 and is named after the Place de la République, which commemorates the First, Second, and Third French Republics. The Metro station is found directly underneath the place.

11th Arrondissement

• Breguet-Sabin
• Couronnes
• Menilmontant
• Parmentier
• Pere-Lachaise
• Richard-Lenoir
• Rue-Saint-Maur

Metro Name Fun Fact

Parmentier on line 3 opened in October 1904 and is named after Antoine-Augustin Parmentier. He's the man who convinced the world that potatoes weren't poisonous and could be used as a food source for humans. Frites, anyone? Station Pere-Lachaise serves, of course, Pere Lachaise cemetery, where Antoine-Augustin Parmentier is buried.

12th Arrondissement

• Bastille
• Daumesnil
• Gare-de-Lyon
• Nation
• Picpus

Metro Name Fun Fact

Daumesnil, serving lines 6 and 8, honors General Pierre Yrieix Daumesnil (1776-1832), one of Napoleon's star soldiers.

13th Arrondissement

Metro Campo-Formio, photo Wikimedia by Paulparis2010

• Campo-Formio
• Place-d'Italie
• Saint-Marcel

Metro Name Fun Fact

Saint-Marcel on line 5, serving the University Hospital, is named for a 5th-century bishop of Paris

14th Arrondissement

• Denfert-Rochereau
• Mouton-Duvernet
• Raspail

Metro Name Fun Fact

Raspail on lines 4 and 6 is named for the 19th-century scientist and politician François-Vincent Raspail (1794-1878). Born in Carpentras in Provence, he was one of the founders of the cell theory in biology. The longest boulevard in Paris, Boulevard Raspail, is also named in his honor.

15th Arrondissement

• Pasteur

Metro Name Fun Fact

Opened in April 1906, the Pasteur station honors Louis Pasteur (1822-1895). The renowned French microbiologist and chemist discovered the principles of vaccination and pasteurization and created the first vaccines for rabies and anthrax.

16th Arrondissement

Metro Porte-Dauphine, photo Wikimedia by Bellomonte

• Boissiere
• Chardon-Lagache
• Eglise-d'Auteuil
• Kleber
• Mirabeau
• Porte-d'Auteuil
• Porte-Dauphine
• Victor-Hugo

Metro Name Fun Fact

Named for the famous author, the Victor Hugo station (line 2) got a temporary name change in July 2018, when the French national soccer team won the World Cup. The station, located in the 16th Arrondissement was for a short time called Victor Hugo Lloris for the team's captain and goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris.

17th Arrondissement

• Monceau
• Rome
• Ternes
• Villiers
• Wagram

Metro Name Fun Fact

Monceau on Line 2 is near Parc Monceau on the border of the 8th and 17th Arrondissements. Both the station and the park get their name from the former village of Monceau, annexed by Paris in 1860 as part of the expansion of the city under Napoleon III.

18th Arrondissement

Metro Abbesses (Montmartre), photo by Mark Craft)

• Abbesses
• Anvers
• Barbes-Rochechouart
• Blanche
• Pigalle
• Place-de-Clichy

Metro Name Fun Fact

What happens when you marry French Republican revolutionary Armand Barbès (1809-1870) to the scholarly French nun Marguerite de Rochechouart, (1665-1727)? Metro station Barbes-Rochechouart is born. Situated on Paris Metro lines 2 and Line 4, it's where the 9th, 10th, and 18th Arrondissements converge.

19th Arrondissement

• Bolivar
• Botzaris
• Crimée
• Jaures
• Pre-Saint-Gervais

Metro Name Fun Fact

Simon Bolivar (1783-1830) was a hero of South American independence. We're sure he would be saddened to know the history of the Metro station bearing his name on line 7B. During World War I the station was converted into an air raid shelter. As people rushed to the shelter during a bombing on March 11, 1918 panic ensued when the doors jammed. Seventy-six people died in the resulting rush of bodies.

20th Arrondissement

Metro Philippe-Auguste

• Alexandre-Dumas
• Avron
• Gambetta
• Philippe-Auguste

Metro Name Fun Fact

You say you want a revolution? Philippe-Auguste on line 2 is the only Paris Metro station named for French royalty, Philip II of France, 1165-1223, known as Philippe Auguste. (Learn about the city wall he built.)