Chaussée d'Antin - Lafayette metro station, bicentenary of the French Revolution
Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette metro station is a Parisian metro station where lines 7 and 9 intersect, located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The station has 6 entrances. Entrance 1, "Galeries Lafayette," opens at the corner of Boulevard Haussmann and Rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin, opposite Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.
Development of Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette metro station
The station opened on November 5, 1910, when the first section of line 7 between Opéra and Porte de la Villette was commissioned.
On June 3, 1923, the station became the northeastern terminus of line 9 (coming from Exelmans), replacing the former Saint-Augustin terminus, and remained so until June 30, 1928, when the line was extended by one additional station to Richelieu - Drouot.
The platforms of both lines, which are 75 meters long, are of standard configuration.
Renovation of Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette metro station
The first renovation in the "partial Andreu-Motte" style took place in the 1980s.
In 1989, the Chaussée d'Antin station was renamed Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette, due to its location at the start of rue La Fayette, which pays tribute to Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette. At the same time, the two stops on lines 7 and 9 were enhanced with specific cultural features to complement the modernization of their platforms.
Commemorating the Revolution at the Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette metro station
It commemorates the bicentenary of the French Revolution and was funded by the Galeries Lafayette, which serve the station. Each elliptical vault is adorned with a painted tin fresco, created by French painter Jean-Paul Chambas in 1989. Jean-Paul Chambas is a contemporary French painter born on March 11, 1947, in Vic-Fezensac (Gers). In 1971, he began working as a theatre set designer, an activity that led him all the way to the Paris Opera.
A car in the metro?
On April 24, 2012, a car crashed into one of the metro entrances at the Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette station, with no injuries. The driver had mistaken it for the entrance to an underground car park leading to the basement of the Galeries Lafayette. A similar accident occurred on September 24, 2018, on another staircase leading to the same station, also without any casualties.
Enjoying the area around the station
This station is an ideal gateway for exploring a neighborhood where elegance and liveliness blend together. You’ll have direct access to the department stores, perfect for a shopping break or admiring their window displays, especially during the holiday season. But beyond the shops, the boulevard and surrounding streets are packed with cafés and brasseries where you can rest between visits.
Before heading back up to the surface, look up: each vault of the station is adorned with a painted tin fresco by artist Jean-Paul Chambas, created in 1989 for the bicentenary of the French Revolution. Outside, Rue La Fayette, which gives the station its name, pays tribute to the Marquis de Lafayette.
For a more structured stroll, head toward the nearby Opéra. Line 7, which serves the station, also stops at Opéra if you’d rather save time. This very central area is easy to explore on foot and lends itself to spontaneous stops for a coffee or an ice cream on a terrace.