abbesses-station-profonde-bonbon-paris-histoire

Here’s the story of the deepest metro station in Paris

undefined undefined 20 avril 2025 undefined 07h30

The Editor

© POC / Shutterstock

At Au Bonbon, we’re bursting with juicy little anecdotes about the City of Light, and we love sharing them with you. Today, we've decided to tell you the story of this unique station, simply because it's the deepest one in the capital. Let's head to line 12.

If you've been hanging out in the corridors of the Paris metro for a while (and oh, how we respect you for that), you've surely passed through Abbesses station, located on the 12th line of the network. It's a stop like no other, especially with its impressive staircase that really catches your eye. And for good reason, the station is nestled in the basements of Montmartre hill, one of the highest points in the city. Today, we invite you to discover the past (and also the future) of this unique stop.


A pretty classic story for an atypical station

In 1912, the story of Abbesses station began, as the old line A of the Nord-Sud company was extended from Pigalle to Jules-Joffrin. The stop then took its name from the square of...Abbesses, under which it is located, pays tribute to the leaders of the Abbey of Dames de Montmartre, true icons of the neighborhood at the time. It wasn't until 1931 that line A was renamed line 12, but even back then, the station captures the classic aesthetic of Parisian metro stops.

A pretty simple story, really. But what truly makes this station unique is its geographical location. In fact, it is located 36 meters underground, due to the steep slope that exists in this part of Paris. This position means you’ll need to tackle 176 friendly steps to reach the blue sky, automatically making this station the most sporty in the capital. Luckily, for one, the stairway from hell is decorated with pretty murals to help pass the time, and for another, the station does have two elevators. We won’t even mention the hassle when they break down...


A historical position that has become obsolete

Well, we have to be honest with you though, since January 18, 2025, while it remains the deepest station...

Within Paris’s inner city, Abbesses has lost its title as the deepest station in the network. It was dethroned with the opening of the Villejuif-Gustave Roussy, an absolutely spectacular station served by line 14 (and soon line 15, which is expected to start operating around 2025). This downgrade happened by a hair's breadth, as the platform of line 14 is only 0.7 meters deeper.

Unfortunately, that's not where it’s going to stop for the descent into the depths of Abbesses, since the platform of line 15, at the same station, will be located more than 48 meters underground, marking once and for all the defeat of the historic station. Even worse, the opening of Saint-Maur-Créteil in 2026 will record a drop to the third step of the podium, with the future stop of line 15 placed at… a staggering 56 meters underground. The end of an era…