Smart tip for your summer strolls estivales, the capital hides numerous drinking fountains to refresh you! But it’s not all still water—did you know you can also fill your bottle with fresh sparkling water, free and unlimited? Run by the public utility Eau de Paris, about ten fountains of a new kind are scattered across the city. We'll explain how it works and, above all, where to find them.
To trace the origins of this refreshing revolution, we have to go back to 2010. That’s when Paris’s very first public fountain of sparkling water was unveiled in the Jardin de Reuilly, in the 12th arrondissement. Responding to the city’s growing appetite for it, the concept quickly spread. Today there are 17 bubble-supply points scattered across parks, squares, and even along popular thoroughfares like the Berges de Seine.
The setup is a model of ingenuity: the fountain is directly linked to the city’s ordinary drinking-water network. Before it reaches your container, the water passes through a cooling system that chills it mechanically to about 7°C, then receives a fine injection of carbon dioxide gas. The result? Ultra-cold, lively bubbles—water as fresh as bottled brands, but without the plastic and the price.
A large portion of these fountains are located in public parks and gardens, so they follow the opening and closing hours of the city’s gates. Moreover, they’re put to the test and regularly victims of their own popularity: it’s not uncommon to encounter a fountain running out of CO2 or temporarily shut down for maintenance or winterization. Be sure to check out the interactive map on the official Eau de Paris site!
