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The ugliest metro station in Paris will soon be transformed!

undefined undefined 27 mars 2025 undefined 17h00

The Editor

© Marco Taliani de Marchio / Shutterstock

It's one of the busiest stations on line 13. However, since 1964, La Fourche has had a rather uninviting exterior, with its huge concrete guardrails. Fortunately, it should soon regain a more “Parisian” look, thanks to renovations that will start on March 31st.

As we know, certain elements make Paris a city that’s recognizable at first glance. We could talk about its most famous buildings, of course, but also about its cobblestone streets, its Wallace fountains, and especially its Art Nouveau metro entrances, which give it fame around the world. However, over time, some stations have lost their former splendor, like La Fourche, a famous stop on line 13, which is finally going to be transformed after more than 60 years of neglect.


An unfortunate accident

When it opened in 1911, the La Fourche station, which marks the split between the two branches of line 13, had nothing to make it stand out. However, everything changed for it on June 6, 1964, when a bus driver...line 74 (which goes back to the time of the Town Hall in Clichy) takes a wrong turn and loses control of its vehicle. Just like that, here it comes barreling into the station, and the bus must only avoid tumbling down the stairs thanks to the presence of a famous green gate, which, unfortunately, will not survive the accident.

And while the station and the bus came out more or less unscathed, that's not the case for a poor passerby, who will have loose stones from around the subway entrance fall on her head thanks to the bus. Fortunately, she got away with a mild cranial injury. Anyway, following this incident, the original barrier must be removed, and it will be replaced by some sort of concrete eyesore, which has since attracted all the local youths, who see it as an ideal spot to hang out.


Major renovations

So it has been 61 years since La Fourche changed its look. But after protests from various neighborhood associations, the station should very soon return to its original appearance, which is notably showcased in the film Antoine et Antoinette.

e Jacques Becker, filmed in 1947. To achieve this, the City of Paris called upon artisans to recreate the barriers and totem of yesteryear, specifically by using certain period materials currently in stock. They might even recover an original Gobert map holder !

The construction will start on this Monday, March 31, and it will take place in several phases. Most of the work will be done at night to minimize any disruption to metro usage. This staircase is the only entrance to the station that sees over 15,000 people each day and will remain open until next September, which is the estimated date for the station's revival!