The entrances to Metro Stations could be utilitarian - after all the Metro is public transport. However, the French have managed to turn them into an art form and many are now heritage listed.

Abbesses is one of the oldest stations and still has its orginal Art Nouveau décor. Note the style of lettering and the glass shade. This was quite adventurous for its time.

This is the entrance to Blanche, the station for the Moulin Rouge. This is very much in the Art Nouveau style of the late 19th century. Note the decoration to the sign.

The terminus at Pont de Sèvres has a modern representation of the Métro icon, in keeping with the 1960's office blocks and HLM's surrounding it.

It is very much a functional 1960's design. No fancy lettering or extra decoration here!

Chatelet is one of the busiest stations, since several lines intersect, it is in the city heart, and it is also an RER station. It has twelve levels and parts of the station are so far apart, they are reached by a 1 km travelator. Its entrance though, is deceiving, since you would not guess such a huge station was down below!