Underline, a new cultural hub with free exhibitions spanning 2,000 m² under the arches of the Petite Ceinture.

Underline opens its eleven railway vaults to the public on Friday, September 18, 2026, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. This 2,000-square-metre creative workshop puts materiality and crafts in the spotlight, with a free exhibition featuring 40 artists, a shop, workshops, and a cafe-bar.

We got a sneak preview of the project, a few days before it opens, and here’s what awaits you under these massive arches. Underline has set up at 372, rue de Vaugirard, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, beneath the tracks of the Petite Ceinture. Eleven vaults, nearly 2,000 m², a free exhibition, an art shop, workshops and a café-bar with a terrace: the program of this creative factory is expansive, and the space delivers. The through-line is immediately evident: here, material comes first, from the walls to the works themselves.

Eleven 15th-Century Railway Arches Finally Emerging from the Shadows

These vaults are part of SNCF’s railway heritage and support the platform of the former belt line. They date from the Second Empire, between 1852 and 1859, rising up to eight meters high. Stone, lime, raw concrete: natural light floods in there differently than elsewhere, and the sense of space grabs you from the very first steps.

The site had remained off the radar from the street for decades. In June 2026, SNCF Immobilier named Gabius the winner of its call for proposals, alongside a second site in the 20th arrondissement, as we reported in this article about the two Petite Ceinture sites. The district, between Convention and Porte de Versailles, gains a true community hub there, just steps from the former Vaugirard station, which is being reopened for residents.

“Première,” the free exhibition that brings together 40 artists

From the entrance, Kimiko Yoshida's installation invokes the Japanese lacquered-image tradition, with lacquer and gold powder laid over her self-portraits. Sajid Amiri, a Pakistani artist invited to participate, shapes portraits from recycled metal pieces. In the Earth space, photographer Antoine Poupel guides visitors through the Japanese seasons, mist and woods, in a deliberately austere scenography.

We’re ready to be captivated by the figures of Jean-Yves Gosti, a blacksmith and sculptor, who builds an imaginary family from tin, granite, and scraps of metal, their faces battered yet oddly gentle. Farther along, Alëxone Dizac reimagines the Jacquard loom with his colorful figures, while Blind, Brice Thevenot and David Cohen stage human fragility, tactile writing, and the memory of care settings.

The list of techniques gathered here offers a clear sense of the venue’s spirit: sculpture, painting, photography, video, kinetic art, ceramics, serigraphy, cyanotype, engraving, stained glass, featherwork, ironwork and embroidery. That’s the core bet of Underline, which blurs the line between art and craft and reveals the material, the technique, and the hand behind each work.

A shop, a cafe-bar, and workshops to linger over

The aim here isn't to launch a gallery that pretends to be a café. Instead, you step into a lively space where art flows, where you can sit, chat, and come back. The café-bar opens onto a terrace of almost 200 m², with organic wines, locally sourced products, and house-made drinks produced in France, including a lemonade and a plant-based cola. A place to linger after the visit, which is fairly rare in an exhibition space.

The Art Shop occupies one of the vaults and brings together accessible pieces signed by emerging designers and artisans: small-format works, silkscreens, lithographs, prints, one-off ceramics and editions, complemented by a bookstore space. The forthcoming artist studios, designed to host residencies, will be gradually unveiled over the course of the year.

On the programming side, the team is leaning into participation, offering workshops open to everyone, formats designed for schools, and monthly sessions. The emphasis is really on families: you can explore art with your kids, settle in for a drawing workshop, and leave with something in hand. Here’s what you’ll find on site:

An exhibition space stretched along the building’s eleven vaulted arches
An art-and-design shop with a library area
A cafe-bar with a terrace of nearly 200 square meters
Public-facing workshops and sessions for schools
Future artist-in-residence studios
Events, performances, launches and after-work evenings

Underline opens its doors to us this Friday, September 18, 2026, at 372, rue de Vaugirard (75015). The nearest metro is Porte de Versailles, with Convention only a short walk away. The venue welcomes visitors on Wednesdays from 11:00 to 22:00, from Thursdays to Saturdays 11:00 to 23:00, and on Sundays from 11:00 to 21:00. Timed perfectly for the occasion, the Journées du Patrimoine 2026 will be held on Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, offering a first chance to explore these vaults on the opening weekend.

Who is this for?

The place is genuinely impressive, and the industrial vibe stays warm thanks to the raw materials and the daylight flooding in through the glass walls. It’s worth a detour, both for the exhibition and for the building itself, which you wouldn’t guess from Rue de Vaugirard. The free admission also makes it easy to pop in without a second thought.

This new venue appeals to both the curious about contemporary art and fans of the arts and crafts, families looking for a weekend outing in the 15th, and anyone hoping for a spot to sip a drink without leaving the exhibition. A note of caution: the space has just opened, and the schedule for workshops and monthly events is being rolled out week by week, so it’s best to check the time slots and any reservations before you head over with a group.

If you're into that scene, you might also check out Poush à Pantin, a vast building where hundreds of artists work and which regularly opens its studios to the public, as well as Ground Control dans le 12e, another former railway site turned cultural and culinary hotspot. And to learn more, stay tuned or drop by this Friday to take a look!