Metropolitain: A Social and Economic History of the Paris Metro

For over 100 years since the first line opened in 1900, the Paris Métro has been part of the social fabric of the French capital and the Parisian way of life. This is the story of the Metro system and examines the social, political and economic aspects of the project. It begins with a look at the city’s bus and tram network in the days before the Métro. The development of the network, its rolling stock fleet, station design, projected future extensions and new lines follows. It also describes how the Métro has featured in films, literature, music and other forms of popular culture. Histories and route descriptions of each line in turn and the depots and workshops are also included. The book features an extensive collection of present day and archive photographs illustrating the variety of trains and station architecture found on the network. Published to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the opening on the Metro, this is the first detailed English language account of the development of the system.