École Militaire: origin of the name and station history
Served by: metro line 8.
Why this name?
The station takes its name from its position alongside place de l'École-Militaire, at the northern corner of the École militaire, which now houses the higher military education bodies. It is in the 7th arrondissement, under avenue de La Motte-Picquet, between La Motte-Picquet - Grenelle and La Tour-Maubourg, and precedes the ghost station Champ de Mars. It opened with the first section of line 8, between Opéra and Beaugrenelle (now Charles Michels). Rue Cler and the Champ-de-Mars are nearby.
Anecdote
Built at ground level, it has a silver-painted metal deck, brick vaults painted white and semi-direct lighting. The metal cladding fitted in the 1960s disappeared when the platforms were renovated in 2007-2008. For Asterix's 60th anniversary, half the plates were replaced and the station renamed « École Légionnaire », after the album Asterix the Legionary (1967).
Around École Militaire
- Champ-de-Mars, 650 m away — A vast green esplanade stretching between the École Militaire and the Eiffel Tower, a former 18th-century military drill ground.
- UNESCO, 450 m away — Headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, based in Paris since 1958.
- Village Suisse, 650 m away — An antiques district built on the site of the former Swiss pavilion from the 1900 World's Fair.