Six stations on the Paris metro were renamed on Thursday to celebrate the passing of the Olympic torch. On the American West Coast, the next host city will do the same with five stations transformed in homage to France.
Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Hollywood Boulevard… Paris metro users had to rub their eyes several times to make sure they weren’t dreaming as they watched the stations go by on Thursday, September 12 in the morning. No, they weren’t teleported to the American West Coast overnight – as the 7 degrees Celsius temperature reminded them when they woke up: to celebrate the end of the Paris 2024 Games and the passing of the torch to Los Angeles 2028, the RATP renamed some stations overnight, in a nod to the host city of the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Saint-Michel station thus became Santa Monica, Belleville was transformed into Beverly Hills, Grands Boulevards into Hollywood Boulevard (without the stars on the ground), Malesherbes planted its parasol in Malibu and L’Haÿ-les-Roses was renamed Melrose. At Olympiades station, renamed Olympiades Los Angeles, “A photo booth with a typical LA decor and equipped with accessories will be made available to travelers”between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. this Thursday, indicates the RATP. “Each traveler will leave with their digital photo sent free of charge by email.”
Rémi Everard / RATP
The RATP is accustomed to this kind of operation, during events or major news, temporarily renaming its stations with puns. But this time, Parisians will not be the only ones waking up to these winks: LA Metro, which manages transport in the City of Angels, will also rename certain stations this Thursday to make the «commuters». Chatsworth thus becomes Champs-Élysées, Watts Tower is transformed into Eiffel Tower, Monrovia into Montmartre and Downtown Santa Monica into Saint-Germain-des-Prés. As for the Mariachi Plaza station, it does not take the name of a Parisian place but of a French culinary specialty: Macaron Plaza.
