The Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée ("Railway Company of Paris to Lyon and the Mediterranean"), also known as the Chemins de fer Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée or simply PLM, established in 1857, was one of France’s main
railway companies until the
nationalization of all French railways and establishment of the
Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF) on 1 January 1938.[1][2][3]
History
Established on 3 July 1857, the PLM grew between 1858 and 1862 from the amalgamation of the earlier Paris–Lyon and
Lyon–Méditerranée companies, as well as subsequently incorporating a number of smaller railways. The PLM operated chiefly in the Southeast of France, with a main line which connected
Paris to the
French Riviera by way of
Dijon,
Lyon and
Marseille. The company was also the operator of railways in
Algeria.
The PLM commissioned poster artist
Roger Broders, sponsoring his travel to the
French Riviera and the
French Alps so he could visit the subjects of his work. Lithographs of travel posters Broders rendered for PLM are still available commercially. Several of their
draughtsmen went on to notable careers, including
Alfred Grévin and
David Dellepiane.[4]
1895 PLM poster by Hugo d'Alesi for the promotion of the
Dauphiné region
1895 PLM poster by Henry Ganier for the promotion of the
Savoie region
1895 PLM poster by Hugo d'Alesi for the promotion of the
Geneva region
1900 PLM poster by Hugo d'Alesi for the promotion of the
French Riviera region
1905 PLM poster by Henry Ganier for the promotion of the
Jura region
Headquarters in Paris
The PLM head office was the most opulent headquarters building of any of the French railway companies.[5] It was built in the late 1860s on the former grounds of the
Tivoli Garden, with main entrance at 88,
rue Saint-Lazare.
As soon as the
SNCF was created on 1 January 1938, the former PLM's head office became the new state company's headquarters.[6] The SNCF head office remained there until 1999 when it moved to a new building next to the
Gare Montparnasse.[7] The former PLM building was subsequently purchased by the insurance arm of
Crédit Agricole, renovated under plans by architect Anthony Béchu, and branded Le Tivoli with reference to the site's pre-railway history.[8] From 2003 it became an office of
AXA then, from 2014, the head office of insurer
Covéa.[9]
Courtyard of the renovated PLM headquarters
Detail of the entrance portal, after replacement of the PLM name by "Le Tivoli" in the 2010s
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée ("Railway Company of Paris to Lyon and the Mediterranean"), also known as the Chemins de fer Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée or simply PLM, established in 1857, was one of France’s main
railway companies until the
nationalization of all French railways and establishment of the
Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF) on 1 January 1938.[1][2][3]
History
Established on 3 July 1857, the PLM grew between 1858 and 1862 from the amalgamation of the earlier Paris–Lyon and
Lyon–Méditerranée companies, as well as subsequently incorporating a number of smaller railways. The PLM operated chiefly in the Southeast of France, with a main line which connected
Paris to the
French Riviera by way of
Dijon,
Lyon and
Marseille. The company was also the operator of railways in
Algeria.
The PLM commissioned poster artist
Roger Broders, sponsoring his travel to the
French Riviera and the
French Alps so he could visit the subjects of his work. Lithographs of travel posters Broders rendered for PLM are still available commercially. Several of their
draughtsmen went on to notable careers, including
Alfred Grévin and
David Dellepiane.[4]
1895 PLM poster by Hugo d'Alesi for the promotion of the
Dauphiné region
1895 PLM poster by Henry Ganier for the promotion of the
Savoie region
1895 PLM poster by Hugo d'Alesi for the promotion of the
Geneva region
1900 PLM poster by Hugo d'Alesi for the promotion of the
French Riviera region
1905 PLM poster by Henry Ganier for the promotion of the
Jura region
Headquarters in Paris
The PLM head office was the most opulent headquarters building of any of the French railway companies.[5] It was built in the late 1860s on the former grounds of the
Tivoli Garden, with main entrance at 88,
rue Saint-Lazare.
As soon as the
SNCF was created on 1 January 1938, the former PLM's head office became the new state company's headquarters.[6] The SNCF head office remained there until 1999 when it moved to a new building next to the
Gare Montparnasse.[7] The former PLM building was subsequently purchased by the insurance arm of
Crédit Agricole, renovated under plans by architect Anthony Béchu, and branded Le Tivoli with reference to the site's pre-railway history.[8] From 2003 it became an office of
AXA then, from 2014, the head office of insurer
Covéa.[9]
Courtyard of the renovated PLM headquarters
Detail of the entrance portal, after replacement of the PLM name by "Le Tivoli" in the 2010s