Louis Blanc: origin of the name and station history
Served by: metro lines 7 and 7 bis.
Why this name?
The station, served by lines 7 and 7 bis in the 10th arrondissement, owes its name to rue Louis-Blanc, which honours the journalist and historian Louis Blanc (1811-1882). It is made of two central-platform half-stations: the « upper station », under rue La Fayette, and the deeper « lower station », under rue du Faubourg-Saint-Martin. Its only entrance, opposite no. 223 of that street, is decorated with a Guimard edicule listed as a historic monument.
Anecdote
From 1967 to 2004, line 7 bis trains carried out a reversing manoeuvre here in three changes of direction, with two drivers, to head back east; since 2004 a single reversal is enough and the lower station is no longer served by the 7 bis. The decoration is unique on the network: ceramic friezes with green diamonds on the walls of the access corridors and the distribution hall.
Around Louis Blanc
- Canal Saint-Martin, 110 m away — A 19th-century canal lined with shaded quays and cast-iron footbridges, popular for strolls and picnics.
- Hôpital Saint-Louis, 750 m away — A 17th-century hospital with remarkable architecture, one of the oldest in Paris still in operation.
- Jardin Villemin, 600 m away — A former military ground turned public park in the 1970s, a green haven in the 10th arrondissement.