Paris flaunts fountains with mythological flair, drama, and enough sculptural sass to make you stop mid-croissant. From Renaissance relics to whimsical wonders, here’s your guide to the fountains of Paris that aren’t just historic – they’re iconic.
1. Fontaine Saint-Michel
Located smack in the heart of the Latin Quarter, the Fontaine Saint-Michel is a beast of a fountain that doesn’t whisper – it roars. Featuring the archangel Michael in full action-hero mode, pinning the Devil beneath his feet and poised to slay the dragons spewing water into the fountain, it’s basically a 19th-century graphic novel depicting the battle between Good and Evil. Designed by Gabriel Davioud, it’s the go-to meeting spot for students, tourists, and probably a few dramatic pigeons.
2. Fontaine des Innocents
Located just a few blocks from the Seine in Joachin-du-Bellay, you’ll find the oldest monumental fountain in Paris: Fontaine des Innocents. Originally built in 1547 to impress a king, this show-stopping Renaissance-style fountain is covered in flowing robes, eternally youthful sea nymphs, and all the mythological vibes your heart could want. Hang out in the square and nibble a baguette from a nearby cafe on a sunny day, cooled by the mist cast from the cascading fountain sculpted by Jean Goujon.
3. Fountains of Place de la Concorde
Not one but two grand fountains hold court in this famous square, keeping watch over the Champs-Élysées and the ever-regal Luxor Obelisk in the same place where Marie-Antoinette was guillotined. The Fontaine des Mers and Fontaine des Fleuves are ornate, symmetrical cast-iron twins sporting merpeople in a neoclassical style. Cross multiple landmarks off your sightseeing list when you stop by the avenue: these maritime monuments by designer Jacques Hittorff and the world-renowned Arc de Triomphe.
4. Fontaine du Palmier (a.k.a. Fontaine de la Victoire)
Built in 1808 by Napoleon to celebrate his victories in Egypt (which is why it’s also known as Fontaine de la Victoire), this Roman triumphal column is topped with a bare-chested golden goddess of victory, namesake sculpted palm leaves, and ringed with stone sphinxes, offering a sophisticated blend of empire and oasis vibes. Admire the commemorative bronze bands up close while you hang out over the river in Place du Châtelet, or from afar on a boat on a Seine sightseeing cruise.
5. Fontaine Saint-Sulpice
Outside the majestic Église Saint-Sulpice (yes, the church featured in the Da Vinci Code), this fountain preaches without saying a word. Featuring four pensive statues of stoic French religious figures representing the four cardinal directions – Bishop Bossuet, Bishop Fénelon, Bishop Fléchier, and Bishop Massillon – it’s both imposing and poetic. Locals call it the “Fountain of Sacred Orators”, which only adds to the intrigue of the striking neoclassical design.
6. Fontaine Médicis
Tucked into the leafy backyard of the Luxembourg Gardens, this romantic stunner is a Renaissance throwback with a flair for the theatrical. Commissioned by Queen Marie de’ Medici, this long reflecting pool sports scenes from Greek mythology, tall shade trees, boughs of ivy, flowing water, blooming chrysanthemums, and sometimes, a duck or two. Swing by this ultra-romantic spot for a picnic with your sweetheart, or stop for a quiet moment while you tour the Gardens – it’s the French thing to do.
7. Fontaine Stravinsky
Head to the Centre Pompidou, where the Fontaine Stravinsky (or the Igor Stravinsky Fountain) bursts with color, whimsy, and kinetic chaos – think elephants, firebirds, and mermaids with the proportions of a Picasso and the palette of a Keith Haring. Sculpted by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle in 1983 in homage to the legendary composer, it spins, sprays, spouts, and grooves to an imaginary beat; each of the 16 wacky sculptures nods to a different musical work by Stravinsky.
8. Wallace Fountains
These cast-iron beauties are scattered across the city like little emerald sentinels (though a few have been repainted bright reds and pinks). Funded by English philanthropist Sir Richard Wallace post-war and most notably featuring four women holding up the domed fountainhead, they’re both functional and fabulous. Partake in the history – bring a bottle and quench your thirst from any of the Wallace Fountains as you move about the city like Parisians have been doing for the last 150 years.
9. Fountains at Place des Vosges
Place des Vosges is all about symmetry, and this quartet of graceful fountains completes the picture. Set in a garden square flanked by regal red-brick mansions and arcades, these low-key charmers are less flashy than some of the other fonts on this list, but no less iconic. Escape the bustle of the city and listen to the water trickle from the lion’s mouths as you lie about the lawn with other tourists and city locals before visiting the free Victor Hugo museum next door.
