Trocadéro thus became “Trocanoë”, swapping his oars for paddles, Alexandre Dumas became “Alexandre Dumarathon”, taking advantage of the epic breath of the adventures of his musketeers, who would certainly have gone with pleasure to cross swords at the Crimean station, which had become “Fencing”, if they had had a Navigo pass.
Too much canoeing is good for your health! #April 1st#RATP@FF_CanoeKayak@TonyEstanguetpic.twitter.com/PH4ivQndOt
— Ligne 9 (@Ligne9_RATP) April 1, 2024
Handisport has not been forgotten, with the Avron station transformed into “Para Aviron” and the Daumesnil station converted to “Taekwondo Mesnil”, but also to “Para Taekwondo Mesnil”.
A nod to Olympic week
These puns were deployed during the night from Sunday to Monday, exclusively on the platforms, on every other panel, so as not to unduly disorient tourists and, more generally, travelers less familiar with the network, indicated the RATP .
The approach sparked a few smiles among passengers on Monday, AFP noted, at least when they noticed it, April Fool’s Day being relatively discreet. “It is the occasion of April 1, but it is also to give a nod to the Olympic week which is starting,” indicated the Régie.
An operation that will only last as long as April Fool’s Day
Following the designation of Paris as host city of the Games in 2024, an Olympic and Paralympic week is organized each year by the Ministry of National Education in partnership with the French sports movement. The 2024 vintage starts Tuesday, until April 6.
The operation will only last as an April Fool’s joke, said the RATP. The Paris Transport Authority is accustomed to this type of wink: for example, it renamed the Opéra station “Apéro” for another April 1, and renamed the Bercy station “Bercy les Bleus”, to celebrate the victory of the French football team in the World Cup in 2018.