Porte de Vanves: origin of the name and station history
Served by: metro line 13.
Why this name?
A line 13 metro station in the 14th arrondissement, opened with the first section of the former line 14, of which it was the southern terminus, from Bienvenüe. After line 14 was merged with line 13, it became a through station with the extension to Châtillon - Montrouge. It takes its name from the porte de Vanves, but this gate gives access to Malakoff and not to Vanves, which is reached by the porte Brancion, 250 metres to the west. Of standard layout, with an elliptical vault, it has four entrances, each fitted with a fixed staircase topped by a Dervaux lamp post.
Anecdote
With a tube light strip and CMP decoration, the station is one of only three on the Paris metro to combine these two elements, the other two being Porte d'Ivry (line 7) and Porte des Lilas (line 3 bis). The lower part of the walls is vertical, not elliptical. White bevelled ceramic tiles cover the walls, vault and tympana, the advertising frames are honey-coloured ceramic and the "Motte" style seats are red. In the 2000s, the platform lighting was renovated as part of the "Renouveau du métro" programme.
Around Porte de Vanves
- Parc des expositions, 950 m away — An exhibition space hosting various trade and public shows.
- Parc Georges-Brassens, 650 m away — A park laid out on the site of the former Vaugirard slaughterhouses, with a vineyard and climbing rocks.