Bel-Air (Paris Métro)

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Bel-Air
 
Date opened 1909
Accesses
Municipality/
Arrondissement		 Paris 12e
Fare zone 1
Next stations
Paris Métro Line 6
Direction
Charles de Gaulle-Étoile		 Direction
Nation
Daumesnil Picpus
List of stations of the Paris Métro
Paris map with arrondissements.jpg
Location of Metro station

Bel-Air is a station of the Paris Métro, named after the Rue Dugommier. The station is located in the Boulevard de Picpus, between the districts of Picpus and Bel-Air.

[edit] History

The station is in the open air at ground level, but the lines are underground to the north and to the south: the trains ascend to the surface before the station to descend when leaving it. This layout was required to clear the railway that connected the former station of Paris Bastille (near Bastille station) to the valley of the Marne, via the former station of Reuilly, and took Parisian workmen to the guinguettes on their days off. This line was diverted to become part of RER line A in 1969. The station was closed during World War 2 and remained closed for a prolonged period, not reopening until January 1963.

[edit] Places of interest

A view of the Promenade Plantée, looking west
A view of the Promenade Plantée, looking west

The old railway has been converted since the years 1990 into the Promenade Plantée — a 4.5km long elevated garden connecting to the Bastille to the Porte de Saint-Mandé, and is much appreciated by Sunday strollers. Cycling and rollerskating is allowed on this section.

The Rothschild Hospital is in the immediate vicinity and the Trousseau Hospital for children is further off.

The single entrance to the station leads to the tail of trains from Nation, and to the head of trains from Charles de Gaulle - Étoile.


Paris Métro Line 6

Charles de Gaulle — Étoile ⇒ 1 2 A • Kléber • Boissière • Trocadéro ⇒ 9 • Passy • Bir-Hakeim • Dupleix • La Motte-Picquet — Grenelle ⇒ 8 10 • Cambronne • Sèvres — Lecourbe • Pasteur ⇒ 12 • Montparnasse — Bienvenüe ⇒ 4 12 13 • Edgar Quinet • Raspail ⇒ 4 • Denfert-Rochereau ⇒ 4 B • Saint-Jacques • Glacière • Corvisart • Place d'Italie ⇒ 5 7 • Nationale • Chevaleret • Quai de la Gare • Bercy ⇒ 14 • Dugommier • Daumesnil ⇒ 8 • Bel-Air • Picpus • Nation ⇒ 1 2 9 A