La Motte-Picquet–Grenelle () is a station of the Paris Metro, at the interconnection of lines 6, 8, and 10 in the 15th arrondissement. The station combines underground and elevated platforms. It is a major metro interchange on the Rive Gauche, and the largest west of Montparnasse.
History
thumb|300px|left|Diagram showing the rerouting of lines in 1937
The elevated station first opened on 24 April 1906 under the name La Motte-Piquet, as part of the extension of Line 2 South from Passy to Place d'Italie. It was named after the nearby avenue de La Motte-Picquet, after Admiral Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de La Motte (1720–1791), and boulevard de Grenelle, a former commune until it was annexed by Paris in 1860.
On 14 October 1907, Line 2 South was incorporated into Line 5, which now plied between Étoile (now Charles de Gaulle–Étoile) and Lancry (now Jacques Bonsergent).
On 13 July 1913, Line 8's platforms opened as part of the initial section of the line from Beaugrenelle (now Charles Michels) and Opéra. On the same day, the station was renamed La Motte-Picquet–Grenelle, which it still remains today. These are the current platforms served by lines 8 towards Créteil and 10 towards Gare d'Austerlitz. It was originally intended for Line 8 to run from Opéra with two branches, one to Porte d'Auteuil and the other to Balard, with the line branching from La Motte-Picquet–Grenelle. Hence, the island platform was designed to accommodate trains coming from both branches then onwards to Opéra. The platform used for Line 8 services to Balard was also renovated in 2014, removing the "Mouton-Duvernet" style decoration on the side wall of the platform (the side walls of the tracks still retains it), bringing back the use of the white tiles. From 1 July to 31 August 2020, the station was closed to replace their asphalt flooring with anthracite gray tiling along the access corridors to Line 6 as well as the platforms of lines 8 and 10. In 2022, some of the staircases in the station were installed with street art by artist Chris Puddy.
In 2019, the station was used by 7,958,383 passengers, making it the 30th busiest of the Metro network out of 302 stations.
In 2020, the station was used by <abbr>3,428,458</abbr> passengers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, making it the 44th busiest of the Metro network out of 305 stations.
In 2021, the station was used by 5,117,708 passengers, making it the 34th busiest of the Metro network out of 305 stations.
Passenger services
Access
The station has five accesses:
- Access 1: rue de Commerce
- Access 2: avenue de La Motte-Picquet (with an escalator)
- Access 3: boulevard de Grenelle
- Access 4: rue de Pondichéry (access to lines 8 and 10 only)
- Access 5: avenue de Suffren (access to lines 8 and 10 only)
Station layout
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" border="0"
| rowspan="4" style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width="50" valign="top" |2F
| colspan="2" style="border-top:solid 1px gray;border-right:solid 2px black;border-left:solid 2px black;border-bottom:solid 2px black;text-align:center;" |
|-
| style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width="150" |Westbound
| style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width="390" |← toward Charles de Gaulle–Étoile
|-
|Eastbound
| toward Nation →
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-top:solid 2px black;border-right:solid 2px black;border-left:solid 2px black;border-bottom:solid 1px gray;text-align:center;" |
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width="50" valign="top" |1F
| colspan="2" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width="100" valign="top" |Mezzanine
|-
| colspan="3" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;border-top:solid 1px gray;" width="50" valign="top" |Street Level
|-
| data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width="50" valign="top" |B1
| colspan="2" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;" width="100" valign="top" |Mezzanine
|-
| rowspan="6" |B2
| colspan="2" style="border-top:solid 1px gray;border-right:solid 2px black;border-left:solid 2px black;border-bottom:solid 2px black;text-align:center;" |
|-
|Westbound
|← toward Boulogne–Pont de Saint-Cloud
|- bgcolor="grey"
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom:solid 1px gray;border-top:solid 1px gray;" |Wall
|-
|Eastbound
| toward Gare d'Austerlitz <small>(Ségur)</small>
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-top:solid 2px black;border-right:solid 2px black;border-left:solid 2px black;border-bottom:solid 2px black;text-align:center;" |
|-
|Eastbound
| toward Pointe du Lac →
|-
| rowspan="2" style="border-top:solid 1px gray;border-bottom:solid 1px gray"|B3
|style="border-top:solid 1px gray"|Westbound
|style="border-top:solid 1px gray"|← toward Balard
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-top:solid 2px black;border-right:solid 2px black;border-left:solid 2px black;border-bottom:solid 1px gray;text-align:center;" |
|}
Platforms
thumb|left|200x200px|The platform of Line 6.
Line 6's station is elevated and has a standard configuration with 2 tracks surrounded by 2 side platforms. On the other hand, the underground platforms for lines 8 and 10 have a unique configuration.
left|thumb|200x200px|The platform extension of Line 8 (eastbound towards Créteil) with a flat ceiling.
On the upper level are the tracks of lines 8 and 10 both heading east on either side of an island platform, measuring 105 m (Line 8) and 75 m (Line 10) respectively, as well as the track of Line 10 in the direction of Boulogne located in a half-station separated by a wall on the east of the island platform, comprising a single track with a side platform measuring 105 m in length, a feature unique on the line. The island platform is contained in an elliptical vault, except for the northeast end of the platform for Line 8 when it was extended in 1937. It has a horizontal ceiling painted white.
On the lower level is a half station for Line 8 services to Balard, also with a single platform and track and is 105 m long. It has almost entirely vertical side walls and a low, flat ceiling, inclined towards the platform, barring the northeastern end which has a slightly higher elliptical vault. The side walls are also clad with flat white tiles arranged vertically instead of in staggered rows like most other stations on the metro, a feature only found at Père Lachaise on Line 2 and at Gare du Nord on Line 4 (until 2017).
Other connections
The station is also served by lines 80 and 82 of the RATP bus network.
Gallery
<gallery widths="200" heights="165">
File:280024136 caba3d4a4d b Metro de Paris station La Motte Piquet.jpg|Exterior of Line 6 platforms
File:Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle Lignes 8 & 10 - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-06-18 - 4.jpg|Platform for Line 8 services to Créteil and for Line 10 services to Gare d'Austerlitz
File:Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle Ligne 10 - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-06-18 - 5.jpg|Platform for Line 10 services to Boulogne
File:Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle Ligne 8 - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-06-18 - 2.jpg|Platform for Line 8 services to Balard
File:Accès Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle Boulevard Grenelle - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-01-22 - 1.jpg|Access 1
File:Accès Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle Avenue Motte Picquet - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-01-22 - 9.jpg|Access 2
File:Accès Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle Boulevard Grenelle - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-01-22 - 5.jpg|Access 3
File:Accès Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle Avenue Motte Picquet - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-01-22 - 12.jpg|Access 4
File:Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-01-22 - 8.jpg|Under the platforms of Line 6
File:Station Métro Motte Picquet Grenelle - Paris XV (FR75) - 2022-01-22 - 6.jpg|Access to lines 8 and 10
File:MF19 Essai.jpg|MF 19 on tests on Line 10, headed for Boulogne.
</gallery>
References
- Roland, Gérard (2003). Stations de métro. D’Abbesses à Wagram. Éditions Bonneton.