Paris renames metro stations after World Cup stars
Paris's transport authority has temporarily renamed six metro stations in honour of the team that won France the 2018 World Cup.
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As France awaited the arrival of the conquering heroes Monday, the RATP regional transport network put up temporary signs at six metro stations in their honour:
Victor Hugo station was renamed Victor Hugo Lloris, after the captain and goalkeeper whose second-half mistake gave rivals Croatia breif hope of a comeback;
Bercy has become Bercy les Bleus, a play on words on "merci", the French for "thank you";
Avron has been renamed Nous Avron Gagné, a pun on the French for "We've won";
Charles de Gaulle-Etoile became On a 2 Etoiles (We have two stars), referring to France's two World Cup wins in 1998 and this year;
Notre-Dame des Champs has become Notre Didier Deschamps, after the team's coach, who was also a midfielder in the 1998 side;
Champs-Elysees- Clemenceau has been changed to Deschamps Elysees-Clemenceau, giving the coach a second tribute.
The RATP is to provide the open-top double-decker electric bus that the team will use to greet fans between the Place de l'Etoile, site of the Arc de Triomphe, and the Elysée Palace, where they will be received by President Emmanuel Macron.
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