Spotted by Theo Ditsek, here’s a lovely circular representation of the planned “Grand Paris Express” Line 15, which will eventually circumnavigate greater Paris. I believe the first phase (shown above as the bolder arc of the circle) is meant to be operational by 2022, although it’s reportedly already two years behind schedule.

The map itself was part of an exhibition about the project that was held in Vitry-sur-Seine, seen at the bottom right of the map. It featured renderings and models of the stations planned for the first phase (mostly designed by different architects for each station, artwork inspired by the project and more. Here’s an article in Liberation about the exhibition, complete with a nice big picture of the French President, Francois Hollande, standing next to this very map. It’s in French, but Google Translate does a decent enough job.

The map itself is definitely more conceptual than accurate, but it’s also wonderfully stylish. Connections to other rail lines – Metro, RER, Transilien and tram – are shown at each station, and connecting routes that run from Line 15 to and through the centre of Paris are shown as sweeping arcs, reinforcing how the new circle line will interface with the rest of the (already extensive) transportation network. About the only minor letdown is the treatment of the rivers. The idea is good – a stylised ribbon running through the map – but the execution looks a little stiff compared to the fluidity of the arcs used in the rest of the map.

Our rating: It’s all about connections! It’s a simple concept, but very deftly realised. 4 stars.