Olympiades (Paris Métro)
Encyclopedia
Olympiades is a station
of the Paris Métro
. It is the southern terminus
of Line 14
.
The station was formally inaugurated on June 25, 2007 in the presence of the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë
, and opened to the general public at just before 5.30am on June 26, 2007.
It takes its name from the area of high-rise residential tower blocks known as Les Olympiades
in the heart of Paris' 13th arrondissement, to the east of the station Tolbiac
, a quarter of Paris that was previously poorly served by the Metro. This area also contains the Tolbiac centre of the University of Paris
. Since the opening of the new station, residents of this area, as well as staff and students at the university, can now access Saint Lazare
railway station in 13 minutes and the centre of Paris in around 10 minutes.
The station entrance is at the intersection of the rue de Tolbiac and the rue Nationale.
project, the opening of this station as part of the link between Saint Lazare
and Maison Blanche
station, was delayed due to a financial shortfall. The plans for Line 14 were revised and a first stage was embarked upon, in which the line ran from Madeleine
to Bibliothèque François Mitterrand
. This section was opened in 1998, from which date the present station Olympiades was used as a temporary maintenance facility.
A new extension of the line of 676 metres was later decided upon and allocated funds; the maintenance facility was moved further down the tunnel. Like the rest of Line 14, the extension is essentially composed of a monotubular tunnel containing two tracks, one for each direction.
The extension was delayed by almost a year after its construction caused the collapse of the playground of Auguste-Perret school, located above one of the underground facilities. Further problems were encountered with the extension's automatisation.
The chosen name provoked tensions between the RATP (the Parisian transport authority), the city of Paris and the Comité National Olympique et Sportif Français (French National Olympic and Sport Committee), which owned the name. An agreement reached at the start of July 2006 found a compromise by allowing the use of this name within the restricted context of public transport.
. It is marked by concrete vaults as well as a high ceiling and platforms that are wider than average in the Paris Metro system.
to facilitate a connection with Line 7
. It may also take over one of Line 7
's branches, to either Villejuif or Ivry. The transport project of the Grand Paris
plans a terminus near the Institut Gustave Roussy
, in Villejuif.
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
of the Paris Métro
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
. It is the southern terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
of Line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
.
The station was formally inaugurated on June 25, 2007 in the presence of the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë
Bertrand Delanoë
Bertrand Delanoë is a French politician, and has been the mayor of Paris since 2001. He is member of the Socialist Party . Delanoë was born in Tunis, Tunisia to a French-Tunisian father and a French mother...
, and opened to the general public at just before 5.30am on June 26, 2007.
It takes its name from the area of high-rise residential tower blocks known as Les Olympiades
Les Olympiades
Les Olympiades is a district of residential towers located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, France. Built from 1969 to 1974, the district consists of a dozen towers built along a huge esplanade, elevated eight meters from the ground, that is dedicated to pedestrians. A shopping mall, known as...
in the heart of Paris' 13th arrondissement, to the east of the station Tolbiac
Tolbiac (Paris Metro)
Tolbiac is a station of the Paris Métro. It is at the crossroads of two main roads, the Avenue d'Italie and the Rue de Tolbiac. It is near the Asian Quarter and the Parc de Choisy....
, a quarter of Paris that was previously poorly served by the Metro. This area also contains the Tolbiac centre of the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. Since the opening of the new station, residents of this area, as well as staff and students at the university, can now access Saint Lazare
Gare Saint-Lazare
Paris Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
railway station in 13 minutes and the centre of Paris in around 10 minutes.
The station entrance is at the intersection of the rue de Tolbiac and the rue Nationale.
History
Originally called "Tolbiac-Nationale" in the initial Line 14Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
project, the opening of this station as part of the link between Saint Lazare
Gare Saint-Lazare
Paris Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
and Maison Blanche
Maison Blanche (Paris Metro)
Maison Blanche is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 7. South of this station, the line forks into two branches, one leading to Villejuif – Louis Aragon and the other to Mairie d'Ivry...
station, was delayed due to a financial shortfall. The plans for Line 14 were revised and a first stage was embarked upon, in which the line ran from Madeleine
Madeleine (Paris Metro)
Madeleine is a station on lines 8, 12 and 14 of the Paris Métro in central Paris and the 8th arrondissement.The station was opened on 5 November 1910 as part of the original section of the Nord-Sud Company's line A between Porte de Versailles and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. On 27 March 1931 line A...
to Bibliothèque François Mitterrand
Bibliothèque François Mitterrand (Paris Metro and RER)
Bibliothèque François Mitterrand is a station of the Paris Métro and RER, named after former French president François Mitterrand and serving the area surrounding the new building of the Bibliothèque nationale de France , whose site near the station is also named after Mitterrand, and the Paris...
. This section was opened in 1998, from which date the present station Olympiades was used as a temporary maintenance facility.
A new extension of the line of 676 metres was later decided upon and allocated funds; the maintenance facility was moved further down the tunnel. Like the rest of Line 14, the extension is essentially composed of a monotubular tunnel containing two tracks, one for each direction.
The extension was delayed by almost a year after its construction caused the collapse of the playground of Auguste-Perret school, located above one of the underground facilities. Further problems were encountered with the extension's automatisation.
The chosen name provoked tensions between the RATP (the Parisian transport authority), the city of Paris and the Comité National Olympique et Sportif Français (French National Olympic and Sport Committee), which owned the name. An agreement reached at the start of July 2006 found a compromise by allowing the use of this name within the restricted context of public transport.
Architecture
The station's architecture is in keeping with the other stations of Line 14Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
. It is marked by concrete vaults as well as a high ceiling and platforms that are wider than average in the Paris Metro system.
Future
Olympiades will remain the terminus of Line 14 for several years. In the future (around 2020-2030) the line is expected to be extended to Maison BlancheMaison Blanche (Paris Metro)
Maison Blanche is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 7. South of this station, the line forks into two branches, one leading to Villejuif – Louis Aragon and the other to Mairie d'Ivry...
to facilitate a connection with Line 7
Paris Metro Line 7
Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
. It may also take over one of Line 7
Paris Metro Line 7
Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
's branches, to either Villejuif or Ivry. The transport project of the Grand Paris
Grand Paris
Grand Paris is the name of an initiative launched by French President Nicolas Sarkozy for "a new global plan for the Paris metropolitan region" It has led to a new transportation master plan for the Paris region and to plans to develop several areas around Paris.-Development:The plan was first...
plans a terminus near the Institut Gustave Roussy
Institut Gustave Roussy
The Institut Gustave-Roussy is one of the world’s leading cancer-research institutes and the biggest health center dedicated to oncology in Europe. It is located in Villejuif, South Paris, France...
, in Villejuif.