What used to be the train station of Montrouge-Ceinture (in the 14th district) is about to reopen into a completely transformed cultural space: Poinçon!
HISTORY
Built and developed by the founders of Cultplace – A factory of cultural living spaces (creators of La Bellevilloise, the Grand Marché Stalingrad, the Petite Halle de la Villette, the Dock B, …), Poinçon is moving into what used to be the Montrouge-Ceinture train station in the 14th district of Paris. Open to passengers on February 25, 1867 (the year of the Universal Exhibition of Paris) it was part of the first railway that connected the city’s different districts to one another.
Its 19th century octagonal station building was constructed right above the line tunnel, straddling the tracks. This original layout allowed passengers to access each platform without having to exit the station or use a walkway. It is a typical example of The Compagnie de l’Ouest’s classic style and architecture – a company who also built the Maison Blanche and Parc de Montsouris stations of La Petite Ceinture Rive Gauche line.
Due to the growing popularity of the metropolitan, the line was abandoned by Parisian travellers and later closed in 1934. Forgotten for nearly 74 years, it was given a second wind in 2008 when the Commission of Old Paris and the city council decided to engage in a protection procedure driven by the Petite Ceinture Safeguard Association.
POINÇON
In prehistoric times, a poinçon (puncheon) was a pointed tool used to leave marks. Then, the emblematic ticket punch was used on public transportation up until the 1960s! (cf. Serge Gainsbourg’s song “Le Poinçonneur des Lilas”!)
The old station has been renovated and transformed into 400 square meters of public, cultural space, reopening its doors to the public from the end of autumn 2017, under this melodious name.
Salle des Pas Perdus
Street side, the majestic and bright Salle des Pas Perdus is the perfect place for laid-back and creative gatherings, to come have a drink, organize work sessions, exhibitions, participate, listen to live music, cross paths, mingle, and of course, eat.
Poinçon is more than a restaurant – it is a meeting point, a fantastic must-see that blends dynamic ideals with a culinary-artistic-social program.