Saint-Sébastien-Froissart: station history
Served by: metro line 8.
Why this name?
The station was first called « Saint-Sébastien », after rue and passage Saint-Sébastien, themselves named after a shop sign honouring the Roman martyr Saint Sebastian. It was renamed « Saint-Sébastien - Froissart » to recall the proximity of rue Froissart, named in tribute to Jean Froissart (c. 1337-1400), poet, writer and historian, one of the great chroniclers of the Middle Ages. It lies under boulevard Beaumarchais, on the border of the 3rd and 11th arrondissements, between Filles du Calvaire and Chemin Vert, and one entrance leads to the Picasso museum.
Anecdote
Renovated in 2006, the station had its CMP-style ceramics entirely rebuilt: it is one of the few where they are no longer original, and the plant-motif advertising frames were recreated in brown faience, whereas they were originally honey-coloured. Its ticket hall and decor are almost identical to Chemin Vert's. Its platforms are 105 m long, and its two entrances have 1930s Dervaux lamp-posts.
Around Saint-Sébastien-Froissart
- Musée Picasso, 280 m away — A museum in a Marais mansion, home to the world's largest collection of Picasso's works.
- Marché des Enfants Rouges, 400 m away — The oldest covered market in Paris, opened in 1615, known for its gourmet stalls from around the world.
- Place des Vosges, 550 m away — The oldest royal square in Paris, completed in 1612, surrounded by elegant arcades.