Mid-month theme - subways

The 15th of each month is the day for the mid-month theme “subways”. Which I share with bloggers from NYC, Stockholm and Budapest. You can find today’s and some related posts by using the following links:

New York City Daily Blog - Stockholm by pixels - Budapest by Andrea Gerak – Peter’s Paris

(You can also find some related posts on my previous blog via this link: PHO.)

I already made a post about Metro Abbesses, but only seen from ground level. This time I will show you the way to – or from – the underground.

Let me just first repeat that this station on metro line 12 is one of the three left with the original covered Hector Guimard (see previous posts) entrance. Another one is at Place Dauphine (see again previous post) and a third at Sainte Opportune (no post – yet). This one was transferred here in 1974 from close to “L’Hôtel de Ville”.

Place des Abbesses is one of the most typical Montmartre squares (see previous post). Some accordion accompanied dancing took place as you can see. In the background you can perceive the “I-love-you wall” (on which I also made a post). The station is one of the deepest in Paris, some 30 metres (100 ft) below ground. There are lifts, but I believe it’s more interesting to use the stairs – some 110 steps.

One circular staircase leads upwards, decorated by paintings. Another one leads downwards, decorated by photos. The present illustrations replace earlier ones. I don’t know how the stairs were originally decorated.

As a detail on one of the paintings is the portrait of a famous Paris eccentric character, Michou, always dressed in blue. His cabaret is just round the corner as well as another similar one, Madame Arthur.