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Key figures

Origin and history

The Guimard building of Porte Dauphine station is one of the few original accesses of the Paris metro designed by architect Hector Guimard, a major figure in Art Nouveau. Joined historic monuments since February 12, 2016, it was completely restored in 1999 for the centenary of the network. This edicle, located on Avenue Foch (access 3), is distinguished by its wrought iron marquise and stylized plant forms, characteristic of the Guimard style. It is an exceptional testimony of the artistic entrances commissioned by the Compagnie du Métropolitain in the early twentieth century.

Porte Dauphine station, opened on 13 December 1900, marked the western terminus of the first section of Line 2 Nord (now line 2 in 1907), then joining Étoile (now Charles de Gaulle - Étoile). His name comes from the Dauphine Gate, which is linked to the story of the Belle Faisanderie by Marie-Antoinette, wife of the dolphin Louis XVI. The station maintains a unique "shoe" configuration, with a tight turning loop (30 metres radius) and two divergent half stations, unchanged since 1900. Its original tiled cream flat tiles, experimental for the time, makes it one of the only two stations in the network to have preserved this primitive decoration.

Beyond its architecture, the station bears as subtitle Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, in tribute to the French officer (1889–1952), hero of the Second World War and companion of the Liberation. This subtitle, although not displayed on the plans, reflects the desire to commemorate military figures on the Parisian network. The resort, renovated in 2011 as part of the "Un métro + beau" programme, welcomes approximately 3 million annual travellers (2019 figures), while offering a connection with the RER C (Foch Avenue Station) and, since April 2024, with the T3b tram, of which it is the western terminus.

The Guimard edicle, classified, coexists with three other accesses to various styles: a candelabre Dervaux (access 1 and 2), a simplified Guimard entourage (access 4, also classified), and modern stairs. This diversity illustrates the evolution of Parisian metro aesthetic standards, from Art Nouveau to contemporary functional standards. The station also serves major sites such as the Paris-Dauphine University (opened in 1968) or the gardens of Avenue Foch, strengthening its anchor in the landscape of the 16th arrondissement.

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