221— La Gare Saint-Lazare est une star ! (1/4) — mercredi 17 juillet 2024

Gare Saint-Lazare is a star! What is it? A station that doesn’t even have a TGV? A star? But why?  Well, there are several reasons. First of all, in terms of passenger traffic, it’s the second busiest station in France (after the Gare du Nord). The station serves the western suburbs of Paris, as well as Normandy. It’s also the oldest station in Paris. It opened in 1837. It has been painted by some very famous artists. Would you like some names? Gustave Caillebotte, Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Camille Pissaro, among others.  These are all 19th-century artists. The Saint-Lazare station was fascinating because it embodied modernity and technical progress. These were themes dear to the artists who settled in the new Europe district.  Micaela swiped her Navigo, I swiped my ticket, and you could hear the automatic gate open. We’re at Gare Saint-Lazare, in the Europe district, whose streets bear the names of capitals. I’d like to invite you on a four-part summer stroll through history, culture and food!  So if you’d like to improve your French, discover this part of Paris and benefit from all the positive effects of the exact text, as well as the cultural notes, you could subscribe to the Cultivate Your French transcript at www.cultivateyoufrench.com. The subscription costs 4 euros a month and each new subscriber receives the 10 latest episodes.