The station Liège, does that ring a bell for you? If you know it, it’s probably by name, but we can bet that most of you have never set foot there. It's worth noting that it's probably one of the least frequented stations in the network and it’s located on one of the worst lines in the world. Still, just for its history, which is full of fun facts and surprising anecdotes, it’s worth a detour.
A unique station…
It was on February 26, 1911 that the Liège station opened its doors for the first time. It was managed by the Nord-Sud company and was part of the B line, now a segment of the line 13. Back then, the station was named "Berlin". It closed on August 2, 1914 due to the First World War, but it would eventually re-open...
on the 1st of December of the same year and will take the name of the Belgian city, to pay tribute to its heroic resistance against the German invasion.Les stations Liège sur la ligne 13 et Commerce sur la ligne 8 se caractérisent par leurs quais entièrement décalés, séparés dans deux demi-stations qui se suivent (une par sens de circulation) en raison de l'étroitesse des rues sous lesquelles elles se situent.#Liège #Commerce pic.twitter.com/C0YFjvxC7t
— Métro de Paris Insolite 🚇 (@Metro_Insolite) June 7, 2020
Besides this little naming peculiarity, the station stands out because it's one of only two in the capital, along with the Commerce station, that does not have two platforms facing each other. The reason is that the street d'Amsterdam, where the stop is located, is too narrow, so the platforms had to be built staggered. So, no waving to your friends waiting for the other direction!
Another visible peculiarity of the station is its decoration. It is one of the last stations to still showcase the typical tiling of the old Nord-Sud line without any transfers: blue and white tiles surrounded by a brown rectangle featuring the designation NS. Plus, it has a stunning set of 18 mosaics that adorn the walls.
o;image of the province of Liège, and is therefore part of the most beautiful stations in Paris.
… with unusual hours
Beyond its uncommon appearance, the station stands out due to its hours and a history that's quite extraordinary. Indeed, while the station closed at the beginning of World War I, it reopened a few months later. However, the story is a bit different during 39-45, as the station closed in August 1939 and, due to a lack of passengers, didn't reopen until… 29 years later! Only the Cluny station remained closed even longer, until 1988.
Paris : Mosaïques de la Station Liège sur la ligne 13 du métro parisien, célébration de l'amitié franco-belge - VIIIème et IXèmehttps://t.co/lRboFcru2s pic.twitter.com/UtBCUlRGTX
— Paris la douce (@parisladouce) February 13, 2021
When it resumed service on the day after the protests of May 68, it was clear that it wouldn't follow the crowd. Once again, due to lack of profitability, it wouldn't be open on evenings and weekends. And while the Rennes station, facing the same limitations, returned to regular hours in 2004, we had to wait until December 2006, after numerous protests and petitions from local residents, for the last station in Paris with reduced hours to finally operate like the others. The next time you pass by, keep that in mind, and especially don’t hesitate to show off a little to your friends by sharing all these little stories. You’re welcome!