Bastille Artists Transform Streets Into Gallery With Permanent Metro Murals

Le M.U.R. Bastille on Rue de la Roquette in the 12th arrondissement provides a legal, curated space for street art that opened in February 2021. A new artist receives an invitation each trimester to produce one mural at this location.

The Rotating Wall on Rue de la Roquette

Bastille Optic and Cyrille Gouyette curate the site. Each mural stays in place for a three-month period before replacement. The project forms part of the longer-running M.U.R. initiative that began in 2003 on Rue Oberkampf in the 11th arrondissement. The Oberkampf wall changes every three weeks while the Bastille version follows the trimester schedule.

Permanent Murals at Bastille Metro Station

The Bastille Metro station on Lines 1 and 5 contains permanent murals installed in 1989 by Liliane Belembert and Odile Jacquot. These works depict events from the French Revolution. Archaeological foundations of the original fortress remain visible alongside the murals inside the station.

Street Art Shows at Bastille Design Center

The Bastille Design Center at 74 Boulevard Richard-Lenoir hosts exhibitions that feature street art. One example is the collective show titled 100% Paper IV that took place in January 2026. The venue sits near the Le M.U.R. Bastille wall and offers an indoor setting for works that connect to the outdoor murals in the area.

These locations together show how Bastille maintains both temporary and fixed examples of street art. Residents and visitors can reach the metro station murals directly via Lines 1 and 5. The Rue de la Roquette wall and the design center on Boulevard Richard-Lenoir lie within walking distance of each other in the same arrondissement. The pattern of regular artist invitations at the Bastille wall and periodic exhibitions at the design center keeps the local presentation of street art active throughout the year.