Square de la Croix Rouge

You are currently at the Square de la Croix Rouge in the heart of the Saint Germain des Pres neighborhood. While the name suggests a connection to the famous humanitarian organization, it actually predates that group by several centuries. The name refers to a historic crossroads that existed here long before the Red Cross was founded in the nineteenth century. Beneath your feet lies a hidden piece of Parisian transit history. This area was once served by the Croix Rouge metro station, which opened in nineteen twenty three as the western terminus of line ten. When the Second World War broke out in nineteen thirty nine, the station closed as part of a citywide effort to manage staffing shortages. It never reopened for passenger service, and today it remains a ghost station, sitting quietly beneath the street while modern trains on line ten pass through it without stopping. The space you see now serves as an intimate local park, reflecting a long tradition of creating small green oases within the dense urban fabric of Paris. City gardeners manage the site using ecological practices, opting for non-potable water for irrigation and avoiding chemical pesticides. It offers a quiet contrast to the bustling intersections and commercial streets that define this part of the sixth arrondissement.