Long before they became fixtures of the urban landscape, Parisian fountains met a basic need: delivering water to residents. Over the centuries, their role evolved, and some grew into true monuments, commissioned to beautify a place, celebrate a notable figure, or commemorate an event.
This stroll lets you traverse several eras without leaving Paris! In the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Medici Fountain traces its origins to a grotto commissioned by Marie de Médicis in the 1630s. On Place de la Concorde, the Fountains of the Seas and of the Rivers, inaugurated in 1840, celebrate navigation. Farther on, Saint-Sulpice and Saint-Michel showcase the full scale of the fontaines monumentales du 19e siècle.
But the City of Light also knows how to coax water up with a wink. Since 1983, the 16 mechanical, color-splashed sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely have been whirling in the Stravinsky Fountain, opposite the Centre Pompidou. In short, you’ll only have one impulse: to bask in the sun by a fountain.
Follow the guide to discover the most beautiful fountains of Paris. Whether they're original, grandiose or simply soothing, you'll love spending time there.
The Medici Fountain is a true jewel of architecture. Grandiose, it sits in the Luxembourg Garden. It was commissioned around 1630 by Marie de Médicis from the Italian architect Thomas Francine, in memory of the Boboli Gardens in Florence. Initially a simple portico, it became a tree-lined fountain bordered by plane trees in 1861, thanks to architect Alphonse de Gisors. Auguste Ottin later sculpted there the beautifully rendered scene Polyphemus surprenant Galatea dans les bras d'Acis.
The Secret of the Luxembourg Garden, or Why You Should Take a Stroll Around the Medici Fountain
Behind the majestic Médicis Fountain, in the heart of the Luxembourg Gardens, there’s more than just a work of art, with its secret grotto. Delve into the mysteries and changes that have shaped one of Paris’s most romantic fountains. [Read more]
At the corner of Molière Street and Richelieu Street, in the 1st arrondissement, stands the imposing Molière Fountain, built to honor the famed French playwright. It was Louis Visconti who was commissioned to design the fountain. The bronze statue of Molière is the work of Bernard-Gabriel Seurre. Two marble female allegories named La Comédie Légère and La Comédie Sérieuse hold scrolls bearing Molière's works.
To mark Molière's 400th birthday, take a stroll around Paris in the footsteps of the great French playwright, and discover the many places that marked his life. [Read more]
No visit to Saint-Michel Square is complete without noticing the gigantic Saint-Michel Fountain. Built in 1860 by Gabriel Davioud, this 26-meter-tall fountain houses bronze statues of winged chimeras spouting water and the cardinal virtues. The central statue is none other than Saint Michael Slaying the Dragon by Francisque Duret.
The two splendid cast-iron fountains, inspired by the fountains of Rome’s Saint Peter’s Square, were installed on the Place de la Concorde by Jacques-Ignace Hittorf, at the urging of King Louis-Philippe I. On one side stands the Fountain of the Seas, on the other the Fountain of the Rivers. Together they celebrate France’s naval might of the era.
The Place de la Concorde is the capital's largest square. It was here, at the start of the Champs-Elysées, that Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were guillotined. Today, it is one of the most famous squares in Paris, and its famous golden-tipped obelisk still dominates the city. [Read more]
The Saint-Sulpice Fountain, located in front of the eponymous church, is the work of Louis Visconti, who also gave us the Molière fountain. Erected between 1843 and 1848, this imposing twelve-meter-tall fountain, crafted in a Renaissance style, is topped by an edicule. Each side features a larger-than-life statue of bishops under Louis XIV: Bossuet, Fénelon, Massillon and Fléchier. In the basins, four lions keep watch over the fountain.
The Eglise Saint-Sulpice is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in Paris, and the second largest church in the city after Notre-Dame-de-Paris. It's well worth an extended detour! [Read more]
The Fountain of the Four Parts of the World depicts Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe bearing a globe adorned with the signs of the zodiac. Built between 1867 and 1874 by Gabriel Davioud, the man behind the Saint-Michel Fountain, this bronze fountain sits in the Garden of the Great Explorers Marco Polo and Cavelier de la Salle, at the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens.
Just off the Jardin du Luxembourg, in the Jardin des Grands Explorateurs, is a grandiose fountain by Napoleon III's sculptor. It represents four women carrying the world, allegories of the continents, but one is missing... find out why! [Read more]
In front of the Jardin des Plantes stands the Cuvier Fountain. It is the work of Alphonse Vigoureux, an architect and the city of Paris’s water inspector. Erected in 1840, it Pays tribute to the anatomist and founder of paleontology Georges Cuvier. An allegorical statue of Natural History was sculpted by Feuchère. Surrounding the young woman, lions, crocodiles, and various aquatic creatures adorn this fountain listed as a historic monument in 1984.
What an astonishing fountain the Fellah is. Located on Rue de Sèvres in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, this fountain was erected in a Neo-Egyptian style in 1806, on the plans of François-Jean Bralle. The Egyptian statue, crafted by Jean-François Gechter, depicts Antinous, the favorite of Emperor Hadrian. It is a copy of a statue discovered in 1739 in the emperor’s villa and has been housed at the Vatican ever since.
An Egyptian statue in the heart of Paris' 7th arrondissement? That's what piques our curiosity. Find out more about the Fontaine du Fellah, an unusual sight in Paris. [Read more]
Originally, this fountain was known as the Fountain of the Nymphs and stood about forty meters from its current site. Commissioned by King Henry II, it was erected in 1548 by Pierre Lescot. The sculptor Jean Goujon, for his part, was responsible for the decoration and sculptures. Over the years, it underwent numerous architectural alterations. Located just a short walk from the Forum des Halles, it is listed as a historic monument.
The Fontaine des Innocents, the jewel in the crown of Paris's Les Halles district, is back in full view and freshly restored, just ahead of the Olympic Games. Do you know the history of this emblematic monument, witness to Parisian history since the 16th century, and why it bears its name? We tell you. [Read more]
Built in an striking neo-Gothic style, the Fountain of the Virgin sits not far from another Gothic landmark: the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris. You can even catch both in a single frame. Located in the Square Jean XXIII, this fountain with its crenellated and slender spire, designed by Alphonse Vigoureux, supports a statue of the Virgin with Child, sculpted by Louis Merlieux.
Behind the trees of the place du Châtelet, you sometimes have trouble spotting it. Yet there it is, the Palm Fountain! It was built in 1808 at the initiative of Napoleon I to mark his victories and provide Parisians with free water. François-Jean Bralle led the project. Surmounted by a golden bronze victory, sculpted by Louis-Simon Boizot, the fountain was moved and enlarged in 1855.
Nestled in the heart of the tranquil square Louvois, the Louvois Fountain is the work of sculptor Louis Visconti, based on designs by Gabriel Davioud. Louis-Philippe I ordered its creation at this site, and by 1844 the project was realized. The Louvois Fountain pays tribute, in allegorical fashion, to four great French rivers: the Seine, the Garonne, the Loire and the Saône.
The Stravinsky Fountain, also known as the Fountain of Automata, was created in 1983 by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, in homage to Igor Stravinsky. The 16 colorful resin sculptures each depict a work by the Russian composer, and the sounds produced by the fountain are meant to evoke Stravinsky’s compositions.
After eighteen months of restoration work, the Fontaine Stravinsky in Paris has been freshly restored! An opportunity to (re)discover this emblematic and poetic work of art in the Beaubourg district, and the sixteen sculptures that make it up, created by Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely. [Read more]
Some drinking-water fountains in Paris now dispense sparkling water. Where can you find them?
Are you on Team Sparkling Water? Believe it or not, the city’s drinking fountains offer more than just still water. All year round, take advantage of the effervescent fountains that dot Paris to fill your bottle with this cool water—bubbles included. [Read more]
The little history of Parisian furniture: the Wallace Fountain, a gift that saved the city from thirst
Silhouette of a green cast-iron fountain, an iconic fixture of Parisian squares, the Wallace fountain is much more than a free water source. It stands as a monument to philanthropy and a masterpiece of sculpture, reminding us that in Paris, even drinking water is a moment of beauty. Discover the story of these guardians of thirst, serving life at street corners for over 150 years. [Read more]
A fountain that makes people faithful? The history of this ancient popular belief in Montmartre
In Montmartre, the remains of an ancient fountain are the source of a rather unusual popular belief. It is said that this water made one's partner faithful. [Read more]
Did you know? The Fontaine de Mars, also known as the Fontaine du Gros-Caillou, bears witness to the 1910 flood.
Discover the Fontaine de Mars, a neoclassical jewel in Paris's 7th arrondissement. Erected between 1806 and 1809, this fountain, which bears witness to the 1910 flood, is a landmark in Parisian history. [Read more]
Discover the unusual Lion Fountain in the Jardin des Plantes : History and curiosities
Do you know the Lion Fountain in the Jardin des Plantes? Located near the entrance on rue Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, this work of art dating from 1863 awaits you at the foot of Buffon's labyrinth. We tell you all about it. [Read more]
The 1200 drinking water fountains of Paris can now be located on Google Maps
Good news for the beautiful days: the 1200 fountains of Paris are now locatable in the Google Maps application. An ecological and economical progress! [Read more]
Discover the most original Wallace fountains in Paris
Whether you're a tourist or a Parisian, you're bound to have come across a Wallace fountain! To celebrate their 150th anniversary, we invite you to take a stroll through some of the capital's most iconic and original fountains, with their fascinating histories! [Read more]
The Secret of the Luxembourg Garden, or Why You Should Take a Stroll Around the Medici Fountain
Discovery walk in Paris on the tracks of Molière
History of the Place de la Concorde
Saint-Sulpice Church, Paris's second-largest church, in the Odéon district
Did you know? This fountain near the Jardin du Luxembourg represents only 4 continents.
Fontaine du Fellah: Why this Egyptian statue in the heart of Paris' 7th arrondissement?
Did you know? Why is it called the Fountain of the Innocents?
Paris: the mythical Stravinsky fountain freshly restored, our photos
