Designed to connect the main sites serving the 1900 World Expo, metro line 1 was an integral part of the 65-km network consisting of six lines. The network was declared a service of public interest by a law that was enacted on 30 March 1898. The line follows the path of the underground electric tube tram project that was proposed by engineer Jean-Baptiste Berlier in 1887, which aimed to link Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes.
Metro line 1 was inaugurated at 1:00 p.m. on 19 July 1900, operating only eight stations, with the other stations being commissioned in phases between 6 August and 1 September of the same year.
After its initial commissioning on Paris’ iconic east-west route, metro line 1 gained ground in the suburbs.
- 24 March 1934: the first extension up to Château de Vincennes station was opened, thus removing the need for the reversing loop at Porte de Vincennes station, which was originally used as the line terminus.
- 29 April 1937: the line stretched all the way to Pont de Neuilly, thereby requiring the reorganisation of former terminus Porte Maillot station, and phasing out its loop configuration. This extension also involved lowering the level of the tunnel to allow it to go under the tracks of the now-defunct La Petite Ceinture railway line.
- 1 April 1992: in another westward extension, metro line 1 pursued its course up to the foot of the Grande Arche monument, with La Défense station as its new terminus. One of the main goals of this extension was to relieve RER line A ridership between Charles de Gaulle – Étoile and La Défense stations.
The various extensions have considerably increased the reach of Paris’ metro line 1, which now connects Château de Vincennes station to La Défense station over a distance of 16.6 km.
Behind the scenes of metro line 1 in 1965 !
An innovative automation process
Did you know? Metro line 1 is the first line worldwide to have been automated without causing any disruption to operations.
In order to successfully execute such a plan, a work schedule strategy was deployed to minimise traffic disruptions. Works were therefore conducted during the night, with service ending at 10:30 p.m., to avoid affecting passenger comfort as much as possible. The line was automated in stages, beginning with the first automated shuttle trial on 8 July 2011, followed by the commissioning of the first eight automated shuttles alongside driver-operated trains. The transition to the full and permanent automation of metro line 1 was completed on 16 February 2013, with the deployment of new automated MP05 rolling stock.
Iconic stations
Metro line 1’s route is punctuated by stations that serve iconic places across Paris, each of which boasts a distinctive cultural decor.
Here are a few examples:
- Champs-Élysées–Clémenceau: this station’s environment is dedicated to the Palais de la Découverte museum.
- Tuileries: this station was given a makeover in a nod to the famous Tuileries garden that overlooks it, take a peek here!
- Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre: what sets this station apart is its entrance through the
- Kiosque des Noctambules art installation.
- Louvre–Rivoli: this station is paved with Burgundy limestone, similar to an antechamber in the Louvre Museum.
- Bastille: a mural adorns this station, harking back to major events in the French Revolution. Take a look!
