Timeline
The Paris métro, from 1900 to today
From line 1 opening for the 1900 World's Fair to automatic trains and the Grand Paris Express: the history of the Paris métro as a French timeline.
- A2
- 8 moments
- Put-in-order game
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
The Paris métro opened in July 1900 for the World's Fair, with line 1 from Porte de Vincennes to Porte Maillot. Hector Guimard designed its famous Art Nouveau entrances. Line 14 became the first fully automatic line in 1998, and the Grand Paris Express is extending the network.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
- 19 juillet 1900Ouverture de la ligne 1 pour l'Exposition universelle.Line 1 opens for the World's Fair.
- 1900–1912Hector Guimard dessine les entrées Art nouveau.Hector Guimard designs the Art Nouveau entrances.
- 1903Incendie à Couronnes : 84 morts, la sécurité est renforcée.Fire at Couronnes: 84 dead, safety is improved.
- 1935Le métro dépasse les limites de Paris.The métro extends beyond Paris city limits.
- 1977Le RER relie les banlieues au centre.The RER links the suburbs to the centre.
- 1998La ligne 14, entièrement automatique, ouvre.Line 14, fully automatic, opens.
- 2011La ligne 1 devient automatique.Line 1 becomes automatic.
- 2024Prolongement de la ligne 14 jusqu'à l'aéroport d'Orly.Line 14 extended to Orly airport.
Key words
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la ligne | line |
| la station | station |
| la correspondance | connection, change |
| la rame | train (set of carriages) |
| automatique | driverless |
| le prolongement | extension |
Parisians name métro lines by number and direction: Prends la 4 direction Porte de Clignancourt. Station names honour people, battles and places (Bastille, Stalingrad, Concorde). The métro carries about four million passengers a day.
- Touriste
Pour aller à Montmartre, c'est quelle ligne ?
To get to Montmartre, which line is it?
- Toi
La 12, direction Mairie d'Issy… non, direction Aubervilliers. Descendez à Abbesses.
Line 12… the Aubervilliers direction. Get off at Abbesses.
- Touriste
Il y a une correspondance ?
Is there a change?
- Toi
Oui, à Concorde, si vous venez de la ligne 1.
Yes, at Concorde, if you're coming from line 1.
- Je prends le métro numéro 4.Je prends la ligne 4 / la 4.
Lines are la ligne + number.
- Je change de train à Concorde.J'ai une correspondance à Concorde.
A change in the métro is une correspondance.