Omnibuses and cabs : their origin and history

When Paris first rolled out its carrosses à cinq sous in 1662, the venture was as much a social spectacle as a transportation experiment. Conceived by Blaise Pascal and backed by dukes, marquises, and a royal decree from Louis XIV, the inaugural run was marked by a formal procession of officials, cavalry, and cheering crowds. Six elegant coaches, each holding eight passengers, set off at the appointed hour, and the streets instantly filled with a chaotic yet joyous scramble for seats.

The novelty proved irresistible: even the king and the aristocracy mounted the new vehicles, prompting a frenzy that drew hopeful riders from the city’s outskirts. Yet the craze was fragile—once the elite abandoned the service, the cost of a ride outweighed its convenience, and the coaches began to run half‑empty. Within months the early omnibus faded, leaving behind a brief, colorful chapter in the history of public transport that would not be revisited in Paris for another century and a half.