La Fourche: origin of the name and station history
Served by: metro line 13.
Why this name?
A line 13 station at the heart of the Y-shaped junction between the Asnières-Gennevilliers branch and the Saint-Denis branch. It is made up of two stacked levels: the upper station, with two platforms, and below it the lower station, with a single platform. It opened with Nord-Sud line B, then the branch towards Porte de Clichy made it a double-direction station. Its name refers to the place called « La Fourche », the Y-shaped crossroads of avenue de Saint-Ouen and avenue de Clichy.
Anecdote
The lower station was never clad: its undecorated concrete ceiling rests on vertical side walls, which is unique for a Nord-Sud station. The upper station, clad from the late 1950s to 2010 with blue uprights, regained its original style in 2010: bevelled white faience, brown geometric motifs and the name in faience. The upper station's platform towards Châtillon-Montrouge is served only by trains coming from Asnières, the lower station's only by those coming from Saint-Denis; a sign shows waiting times so passengers can choose.
Around La Fourche
- Place de Clichy, 350 m away — A lively crossroads at the foot of Montmartre, the heart of Parisian nightlife since the Belle Époque.
- Cimetière de Montmartre, 500 m away — A large 19th-century cemetery, the final resting place of many famous artists and writers.
- Square des Batignolles, 600 m away — A 19th-century English-style garden, a peaceful green haven in the heart of the Batignolles district.