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Origin and history

The Guimard building of the Pasteur station, located at the intersection of Rue de Vaugirard and Boulevard Pasteur in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, is a historic access to the Paris metro. Designed in 1900 by architect Hector Guimard for the Compagnie générale du Métropolitain de Paris, it was inaugurated in 1909. This edicle, typical of the Art Nouveau style, is one of the few still preserved today. He was listed as a historical monument by order of 12 February 2016, thus protecting the environment of the access located Pasteur Boulevard.

The Pasteur station, opened in 1906, is a crossing point between line 6 (formerly the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris) and line 12 (formerly the Société du chemin de fer électrique sommaire Nord-Sud). This historical duality explains the coexistence of two distinct architectural styles: Guimard access for line 6 and wrought iron access for the North-South line. The station pays tribute to Louis Pasteur, a French biologist and chemist, pioneer of microbiology and inventor of pasteurization.

The station's docks have undergone several renovations over the decades. In the 1970s, the wharves on line 6 were renovated in the "Mouton" style, while those on line 12 adopted the "Motte" style in 1976. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the metro in 2000, the wharfs were transformed again: line 6 adopted the "New Wave" style and line 12 partially retained its "Andreu-Motte" style, with bevelled white tile elements and Akiko-style seats. The design of this renovation was entrusted to Bernard Baisset.

The Guimard edicle, located on the ground of the boulevard Pasteur, is a major architectural testimony of the Belle Époque era and the development of the Parisian metropolitan network. It embodies the aesthetic and technical innovation of Art Nouveau, while illustrating the importance of the metro in the modernization of Paris at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, it remains a symbol of the industrial and artistic heritage of the capital, attracting the attention of passersby and history lovers.

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