View source for Paris Métro Line 3

{{Short description|Subway route in the French capital}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Paris Metro line
| box_width     = 350px
| logo          = [[File:Metro-M.svg|30px]] [[File:Paris m 3 jms.svg|30px]]
| image         = Station Métro Opéra ligne 3 Paris 7.jpg
| image_caption = A view of [[Opéra (Paris Métro)|Opéra]], just south of the [[Palais Garnier]]
| line_color    = #{{rcr|Paris Métro|3}}
| text_color    = white
| line_name     = Line 3
| network       = [[Paris Métro]]
| locale        = [[Levallois-Perret]], [[Paris]], [[Bagnolet]]
| year_opened   = {{Start date and age|19 October 1904}}
| terminus      = [[Pont de Levallois–Bécon (Paris Métro)|Pont de Levallois–Bécon]]<br/>[[Gallieni (Paris Métro)|Gallieni]]
| operator_org  = [[RATP Group|RATP]]
| conducting_system = Conductor (OCTYS)
| rolling_stock = [[MF 67]] <small>(47 trains as of 31 July 2023)</small>
| number_stations = 25
| length        = 11.665
| gauge         = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
| electrification = 750 [[Volt|V]] [[Direct current|DC]] [[third rail]]
| dist_between_stations = 486
| passengers_per_year = 101.4 million including [[Paris Métro Line 3bis|Line 3bis]]
| traffic_rank        = 10th/16 <small>(2017)</small>
| connecting_lines = {{br separated entries|{{rint|paris|m}} {{rint|paris|m|2}} {{rint|paris|m|3bis}} {{rint|paris|m|4}} {{rint|paris|m|5}} {{rint|paris|m|7}} {{rint|paris|m|8}} {{rint|paris|m|9}} {{rint|paris|m|11}} {{rint|paris|m|12}} {{rint|paris|m|13}} {{rint|paris|m|14}}|{{rint|paris|r}} {{rint|paris|r|A}} {{rint|paris|r|C}} {{rint|paris|r|E}}|{{R-I|paris|i|}} {{R-I|paris|i|J}} {{R-I|paris|i|L}}|{{rint|paris|t}} {{rint|paris|t|3b}}}}
| map = {{Paris Métro Line 3}}
}}

'''Paris Métro Line 3''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Ligne 3 du métro de Paris'') is one of the sixteen lines of the [[Paris Métro]]. It connects [[Pont de Levallois–Bécon (Paris Métro)|Pont de Levallois–Bécon]] station in the near northwestern suburbs to [[Gallieni (Paris Métro)|Gallieni]] in the east. After opening as the network's third line in 1904, it was the subject of a number of extensions, with a major restructuring occurring in the eastern section in 1971, with an extension to Gallieni and the conversion of the original terminal branch to [[Paris Métro Line 3bis|Line 3bis]].

With a length of {{convert|11.7|km|mi|abbr=on|0}}, Line 3 crosses Paris from west to east completely on the [[Rive Droite]], serving the residential areas of the [[17th arrondissement of Paris|17th arrondissement]], the [[Gare Saint-Lazare]], important stores and shopping centres, the area around the [[Place de l'Opéra]], as well as the east of the city, around [[République (Paris Métro)|République]] station. In 2017, it carried 101.4 million riders, making it the tenth busiest line of the Métro network.

==History==
===Chronology===
*'''10 October 1904:''' The first portion of Line 3 was opened between Père Lachaise cemetery and Villiers. Work took longer than expected because of existing infrastructure.
*'''25 January 1905:''' The line was extended in the east from Père Lachaise to Gambetta.
*'''23 May 1910:''' The line was extended westbound from Villiers to Pereire.
*'''15 February 1911:''' The line was extended from Pereire to Porte de Champerret.
*'''27 November 1921:''' The line was extended eastbound from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas.
*'''24 September 1937:''' The line was extended from Porte de Champerret to Pont de Levallois.
*'''1967:''' Line 3 was the first Métro line to receive new [[MF 67]] rolling stock. It still uses this stock which was refurbished in the 2000s.
*'''23 August 1969:''' Gambetta station is remodelled, absorbing nearby Martin Nadaud station.
*'''23 March 1971:''' The branch between Gambetta and Porte des Lilas was separated from the line to become the independent [[Paris Métro Line 3bis|Line 3bis]].
*'''2 April 1971:''' The line was extended from Gambetta to Gallieni.

===A second east–west axis===
[[File:Metro de Paris - Ligne 3 - Motrice Thomson serie 300 - Republique.jpg|thumb|left|250px|A 300-series Thomson at [[République (Paris Métro)|République]] in 1904]]
The infrastructure works for Line 3 were auctioned off in six sections on 24 May 1902. The concession was granted to the [[Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris|CMP]] by the municipal government of Paris on 13 March 1903, but the declaration of public utility was only granted on 26 February 1907.

[[File:Metro de Paris - Ouvrage superposition Opera 01.jpg|thumb|left|250px|A display of Line 3's cut-and-cover construction technique at [[Opéra (Paris Métro)|Opéra]]. The vault heading underneath Rue Auber is visible]]
The works were rendered difficult due to the necessary displacement of existing underground infrastructure such as water, gas, and electricity lines, but also because the Line 3 was to cross a number of Métro lines, particularly at Opéra, where a special pit was built to house the intersection of Lines 3, 7, and 8. This masonry pit was {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}} and constructed fully so as to avoid any problems when building subsequent lines. Since the work was situated at the water table, it required concrete pillars made by sinking caissons with compressed air. The work lasted eleven months, from March 1903 to February 1904.

Another difficult point of construction was the crossing of the [[Canal Saint-Martin]]. To build underneath it, the canal was dried and its vault suspended. In the area of the Place Gambetta, because of the instability of the subsoil, which consisted of waterlogged sand balls, made it necessary to drain the soil, a very delicate operation considering the number of buildings that could be destabilised.  Then the side walls were built from masonry shafts that are dark from the outside.

===Future plans===
Although no funded plans for an extension of Line 3 currently exist, [[Paris Métro Line 3bis|Line 3bis]] may be merged with [[Paris Métro Line 7bis|Line 7bis]] to form a new line, possibly named [[Merger of Paris Métro lines 3bis and 7bis|Line 20]], which Line 3 would then connect to. A western extension of Line 3 to {{stn|Bécon-les-Bruyères}} has also been proposed.
{{clear|left}}

==Map and stations==
[[File:Plan Linéaire Métro Paris Ligne 3 2024.svg|800px|left]]
{{clear|left}}

===Renamed stations===
*'''15 October 1907:''' Rue St-Denis renamed Réaumur-Sébastopol.
*'''1926:''' Caumartin renamed Havre-Caumartin
*'''1 May 1946:''' Vallier renamed Louise Michel in honour of the leader of the "''[[Paris Commune|La Commune]]''".
*'''September 1998:''' Saint-Maur is renamed Rue Saint-Maur in order to avoid confusion with the suburb of Saint-Maur-les-Fossées.

==Facts==
*Due to connections with other adjacent stations, it is possible to walk between three stations on the line without heading to the surface. This is done by starting at Saint-Lazare (Métro 3, 12, 13 and 14), then transferring to Hausmann Saint-Lazare station (RER E), from there going to Havre – Caumartin (Métro 3 and 9) then connecting to Auber (RER A) and finally walking from there to Opéra (Métro 3, 7 and 8). The journey can also be made the other way round (Opéra to Saint-Lazare)
*The line was the first to receive the MF 67 trains back in 1967 and will be the last one to retire them (to be fully replaced around 2033). In fact, Line 3 hasn’t changed its rolling stock for more than 50 years, more than any other line in the system and by time of its retirement, the MF 67 trains will be serving the line continuously for 65 years, rivaling the longevity of the Sprague-Thomson trains which ran from 1908 to the late 70s particularly on lines 2 and 5.

==Tourism==
Line 3 passes near several places of interest :
*[[Gare Saint-Lazare|St-Lazare railway station]].
*The [[Palais Garnier|Opera Garnier]].
*The Bourse (Paris Stock Exchange).
*The area of the Sentier.
*Place de la République.
*[[Père Lachaise Cemetery]].

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
Image:Metro Paris - Ligne 3 - station Arts et Metiers.jpg|[[Arts et Métiers (Paris Métro)|Arts et Métiers]]
Image:Le MF 67 C2 N° 043 à Gambetta sur la ligne 3 du métro de la RATP.jpg|[[Gambetta (Paris Métro)|Gambetta]]
Image:Paris Metro - Ligne 3 - Pont de Levallois - Becon 01.jpg|[[Pont de Levallois - Bécon (Paris Métro)|Pont de Levallois]]
Image:Metro - Paris - Ligne 3 - station Reaumur - Sebastopol.jpg|[[Réaumur-Sébastopol (Paris Métro)|Réaumur–Sébastopol]]
Image:Metro - Paris - Ligne 3 - station Saint-Lazare 01.jpg|[[Saint-Lazare (Paris Métro)|Saint-Lazare]]
Image:Metro Paris - Ligne 3 - station Villiers 02.jpg|[[Villiers (Paris Métro)|Villiers]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
* [[List of metro systems]]
* [[List of Paris Métro stations]]
* [[Rail transport in France]]
* [[Transport in Paris]]
}}
{{Clear}}
{{Portal bar|France|Trains|Transport|Engineering}}

==External links==
{{commons|Paris Metro}}
{{Wikivoyage|Paris}}
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20081225184032/http://www.ratp.fr/ RATP official website]
* {{in lang|en}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20101216073740/http://www.ratp.info/informer/anglais/index.php RATP english speaking website]
* {{in lang|en}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20091218101446/http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carterer.php Interactive Map of the RER (from RATP's website)]
* {{in lang|en}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20090704015810/http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carteparis.php Interactive Map of the Paris métro (from RATP's website)]
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://membres.lycos.fr/mobidf/ Mobidf website, dedicated to the RER (unofficial)]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20051208073801/http://www.metro-pole.net/ Metro-Pole website, dedicated to Paris public transports (unofficial)]

{{Paris Transport Network}}{{Paris Metro/line 3}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paris Metro Line 3}}
[[Category:Paris Métro line 3| ]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1904]]
[[Category:1904 establishments in France]]