Paris Metro Line 9 Must-Sees

Metro Line 9 takes you across Paris, from the southwest, right through the city center, then on to the east, with plenty of great sights to see along the way.

Line 9 History & Overview

A relative late comer, the first stretch of Metro Line 9 was inaugurated in 1922, between Excelmans in the outer 16th Arrondissement and Trocadéro, with the final extension completed in 1937.

Due to the line’s length, it crosses most Paris metro lines along its path, with the exception of the two shortest lines (the 3bis and 7bis).

Pont de Sèvres to Trocadéro: Little-Known Museums & Iconic Eiffel Views

While many lines have their most interesting stops in the center of Paris, this one starts in the western suburb of Sèvres, with with the terminus Pont de Sèvres just across the Seine from the wonderful but often overlooked Musée de la Céramique de Sèvres.

My next favorites stops are Michel-Ange Molitor and Ranelagh for the stunning Art Deco swimming pool at Molitor, the Brasserie Auteuil housed in a former train station along the Petite Ceinture, and the neighborhoods of Passy and Trocadéro, which are packed full with things to see and do.

From the Musée Marmottan full of Impressionist paintings and the Maison Balzac, the former home of the writer Honoré de Balzac, to, of course, the Trocadéro itself, home to several museums and offering amazing views of the Eiffel Tower.

Iéna to Chaussée d’Antin–La Fayette: The Seine, Champs-Élysées, & Grand Magasins

Further along Line 9, Iéna puts you close to several of the 16th arrondissement’s museums, while the next stop, Alma-Marceau, sits right by the Pont de l’Alma — the bridge and tunnel where Princess Diana died in a car crash in 1997, still marked today by the gilded Flame of Liberty statue on the bridge, which mourners have long treated as an unofficial memorial.

A few stops later, Franklin D. Roosevelt connects you to Metro Line 1 and is a perfect stop for visiting the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. Onward to Havre-Caumartin and Chaussée d’Antin–La Fayette for the dazzling department stores of Printemps and Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, as well as the opulent Palais Garnier.

Richelieu-Drouot to Oberkampf: Grand Boulevards, Historic Gates & Nightlife

After sightseeing and shopping, set off for a nice walk along Boulevard Haussmann which then becomes Boulevard Montmartre before changing names again to the Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle. Further on, it’s called the Boulevard Saint-Denis and Boulevard Saint-Martin. 

These are in fact all the same street, followed underground by Paris’s Metro Line 9 as it meanders towards the lively Place de la République.

Along the way, you can take in some of the best covered passages in Paris as well as two arches marking the former gates of the ancient Paris city walls at Porte Saint-Denis and Porte Saint-Martin. The area is full of countless great restaurants, bars, and cafés.

Once you arrive at République, you’re likely to find protestors, skaters, and frequent concerts or other types of events. It’s also one of Paris’s main transportation hubs with Metro Lines 3, 5, 8, 9, and 11 all meeting here.

The next stop leads you to the bustling and hip quartier Oberkampf, where you’ll find some of Paris’s best bars and nightlife.

Saint-Ambroise to Montreuil: Revolutionary History & the Eastern Suburbs

Continuing east from the Place de la République, the line passes the lovely church at Saint-Ambroise before finally reaching Nation, where the 11th and 20th Arrondissements meet.

The huge expanse of Place de la Nation was once the site of one of the city’s busiest guillotines. Today, it’s worth seeing thanks to the central park dotted with sculptures by Jean Dalou and the two imposing Colonnes de la Barrière du Trône which act as a sort of welcoming committee to people arriving from the east into Paris.

Metro Line 9 ends at Mairie de Montreuil, the town hall of the fourth most populous Paris suburb.

Montreuil’s history dates back to the 8th century, when it was but a small village built around a monastery. Now, the area’s known for its vibrancy, abundance of street art, good open-air markets, and many small restaurants reflecting the city’s multi-cultural population.

Line 9 Metro Map & Station List

Here’s a list of all 37 stops on Paris’s Metro Line 9. Major hubs are in bold.