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Key figures

Origin and history

The Guimard building of the Porte d'Auteuil station is an access to the Paris metro designed in 1900 by the architect Hector Guimard for the Compagnie générale du Métropolitain. This monument, characteristic of the Art Nouveau style, was inscribed in historical monuments by order of 29 May 1978, and its protection was renewed on 12 February 2016. It is one of Guimard's few remaining achievements for the network, reflecting the innovative aesthetics of metro entrances at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Porte d'Auteuil station, inaugurated on 30 September 1913 as a terminus of line 8 (now line 10), evolved with the Parisian network. The Guimard edicle, located boulevard de Montmorency, is one of the three accesses of the station, the other two being equipped with Dervaux balustrades or with Val d'Osne masts. Its organic design, with its vegetal curves and cast iron structures, contrasts with subsequent standardized entrances, illustrating a pivotal period in the history of Parisian transport.

The church survived the modernisations of the metro, including the renovations of the 1980s and 2000s, which preserved its integrity despite the addition of contemporary elements (such as the 'Akiko' seats or the 'Gaudin' lighting). In 2024, adaptations were made for the Olympic Games, but the edicle itself remains a timeless symbol of the Golden Age of the Metro, attracting lovers of architecture and industrial history.

The classification of the school is part of a desire to preserve the Parisian Art Nouveau heritage, often threatened by urban transformations. Unlike other accesses of the station, modified over time, Guimard's one retains its authenticity, offering a tangible testimony to the aesthetic and functional ambitions of the Belle Époque. Its location, close to Parc des Princes and Roland-Garros, also makes it a cultural landmark in the 16th arrondissement.

In 2025, RATP even played with its name by renamed it humorously 'Virage Auteuil' to support Paris-Saint-Germain, showing how this monument, although historical, remains anchored in contemporary life. This anecdote underscores its status as a local icon, well beyond its initial function of access to the metro.

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