Cluny–La Sorbonne is one of those Paris Metro stations where there is more to notice than the name on the sign.
Opened in 1930 as simply Cluny, the station closed in September 1939 at the beginning of the Second World War. It remained a station fantôme — a ghost station — for 49 years, finally reopening in December 1988 as Cluny–La Sorbonne.
Its return brought a remarkable new interior. Artist Jean Bazaine created Ailes et Flammes, a vast mosaic covering the vaulted ceiling with two enormous birds and 54 signatures of famous figures associated with the Latin Quarter, including Marie Curie, Victor Hugo, Rimbaud and Louis XIV. Around 60,000 pieces of enamelled lava were used to create it.
There is another curiosity: Cluny–La Sorbonne has three tracks, with the third forming part of a connection towards Odéon that is not used for normal passenger service.
Above ground, the station puts you right in the heart of the Latin Quarter, with the Musée de Cluny, the Sorbonne and the streets around Boulevard Saint-Germain all within easy reach.
Happy Monday everyone!
“Every journey begins somewhere — in Paris, it often begins underground.”
Part of the “Metro Mondays” Series
Each Monday, we travel beneath Paris — tracing its stories, moods, and motion through the tunnels that carry the week into being.
© About Paris — Métro Mondays · Back to Home
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