Parisian metro entrance

You’re not dreaming—what you see here is indeed a Parisian Métro entrance, brought straight from the French capital. This iconic wrought-iron structure, a true emblem of Paris, was designed in the early 20th century by Hector Guimard, the brilliant mind behind the French Art Nouveau style. Born in Lyon, he was commissioned to design the very first entrances to the new Paris subway system when it opened in 1900. So how did one of his creations make its way across the Atlantic? It was a gift from the RATP, which is Paris’s public transport authority, to commemorate the French engineers who helped build Montreal’s metro in 1967. This particular entrance once stood at the “Étoile” stop, which takes you to the Arc de Triomphe, before being dismantled during modernization works. Now a charming landmark on Square Victoria, it’s a little slice of Paris nestled in the heart of Montreal—a symbol of the enduring ties between France and Quebec.