Porte des Lilas de Paris

The Porte des Lilas is defined by a massive, deep concrete trench that cuts through the surrounding pavement, exposing the tracks of the Petite Ceinture railway. This is a former city gate in the Thiers wall, built in the eighteen forties to enclose Paris. The gate takes its name from the lilacs that once grew in the nearby gardens of Romainville. Beneath the surface, the station serves as a secret film set, where subway scenes for movies are shot without disrupting actual public transit.