The technology of the Montmartre line differs from conventional funicular railways in that it is derived from that of standard up-down elevators, with each car being equipped with its own counterweight, rather than relying on the other car for counterbalance.
The see-through stations were designed by the architect François Deslaugiers, while the new cabins with their distinctive glass sections were by the industrial designer Roger Tallon, who also designed the carriages of the TGV Atlantique.