Rue du Bac: origin of the name and station history
Served by: metro line 12.
Why this name?
A line 12 station in the 7th arrondissement, under the start of boulevard Raspail, at the crossing of boulevard Saint-Germain and rue du Bac, between Solférino and Sèvres - Babylone. It takes its name from rue du Bac, which dates back to around 1550: a ferry (« bac ») was then used to build the Tuileries palace, on the right bank of the Seine. It is one of eight stations whose name specifies the type of street, like Rue Saint-Maur or Avenue Émile-Zola. It opened with the first section of Nord-Sud line A.
Anecdote
It is one of the rare stations to keep the Andreu-Motte style almost intact, in orange-brown, with light ramps and orange Motte seats, installed between 1974 and 1984; the brown ceramic ornaments typical of the Nord-Sud disappeared during that work. A panel in homage to the poet René Char is installed on the platform towards Mairie d'Issy, at the RATP's initiative. Its main entrance, on the central reservation of boulevard Raspail, has a Nord-Sud-style surround in ceramic and wrought iron.
Around Rue du Bac
- La Petite Chaise, 180 m away — The oldest restaurant in Paris, opened in 1680 as a wine tavern, once frequented by George Sand and Toulouse-Lautrec.
- Fontaine des Quatre Saisons, 30 m away — A long 1745 wall fountain by Edme Bouchardon, an allegory of Paris surrounded by the four seasons, a masterpiece of French classicism.
- Musée Maillol, 40 m away — A museum devoted to sculptor Aristide Maillol, also hosting temporary modern art exhibitions.
- Le Bon Marché, 400 m away — The world's first department store, opened in 1852, still one of the most elegant in Paris.
- Église Saint-Thomas d'Aquin, 240 m away — A 17th-century classical church in the heart of the Bac district, known for its calm and architectural sobriety.