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Origin and history

The metro entrance to the Louis-Blanc station, designed by Hector Guimard in 1900, is part of the project to improve access to the Paris network for the Universal Exhibition. This model, typical of Art Nouveau, blends iron, cast iron, glass and enamelled lava, with candelabras in the shape of "strands of muguet" and sinuous lettering signs. Guimard, although not a winner of the initial competition, was chosen for his innovative style and his ability to standardize architectural elements, despite subsequent tensions with the Compagnie du Métropolitain (CMP).

The Guimard entrances, initially criticized for their aesthetics considered too exuberant, were gradually abandoned after 1913 in favour of more sober designs. Of the 167 original achievements, the majority of the edicles and almost half of the entourage were destroyed in the inter-war period, victims of the decline of Art Nouveau and maintenance costs. However, Louis-Blanc, like others, enjoyed late protection: its remaining elements were listed at the Historic Monuments in 2016, as part of a global rehabilitation of Guimard's works.

The modular design of the entrances, allowing for serial reproduction, was a key argument for their adoption, although Guimard had to give his artistic rights to the CMP in 1903. Materials, such as the enamelled lava of Eugene Gillet or the fonts of the Fonderie du Val d'Osne, were chosen for their durability and aesthetics. The original colours, combining grey and orange greens, aimed to harmonize the structures with the urban landscape, while marking a break with traditional architecture.

The entrance to Louis Blanc, located at the corner of Rue Lafayette and Faubourg-Saint-Martin, illustrates Guimard's legacy in the 10th arrondissement. Its entourage, protected in 2016, demonstrates the desire to preserve these icons of the Paris de la Belle Époque. Recent restorations, such as glassware or enamelled signs, aim to restore the original appearance, while adapting modern techniques. Today, these previously controversial entrances have become inseparable symbols of the visual identity of the capital.

Beyond their practical function, Guimard's creations for the metro influenced art and culture, appearing in films, comics or paintings like those of Eugene Galien-Laloue. Their organic form, inspired by plant (bells, muguets) or abstract motifs, marked the collective imagination. Reproductions even exist abroad, as in Montreal or Las Vegas, proof of their international influence. The Louis-Blanc station, with its preserved surroundings, thus perpetuates this unique heritage, between historical memory and modernity.

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