THIS ARTICLE WAS UPDATED WITH NEW LINKS ON FEBRUARY 6, 2026
Have you walked around Paris and passed right by a water fountain from 1872 without taking a drink? Did you spend two Euros on a bottle of water instead? The non-profit Society of the Wallace Fountains is working hard to preserve the iconic Wallace fountains. The Paris water department (Eau de Paris) is responsible for their continued functioning. The water source differs throughout Paris. Where I live in the Bastille, ours comes from an aquifer.
The fascinating story and a guidebook with maps and 21 self-guided walks is a great way for to hunt for the fountains. As Barbara Lambesis, the author and President of the foundation says, “Find the Wallace Fountains, Find Paris!”. On the website you can download a chart to find the 103 fountains or download each of the 21 walks for a self-guided tour. You can support the foundation when you use the available maps by making a donation of any amount. Purchase the book either on line or at the bookstores listed on the Wallace Fountains website. The guidebook is small and handy to carry along.
Although the fountains are all over Paris, five fountains await you in one small area if you are starting your Pilgrimage to Saintiago de Compostella at tour de Saint-Jacques. Cross the pont au Change, Ile de la Cité and the pont Saint-Michel. Of course, use the Wallace Fountain guidebook and you will find them all. If the fountain waters are not flowing, push the button on the fountain to turn it on and set your water bottle in the middle of the fountain. All public water fountains are found on the Eau de Paris web page Wallace Fountains: the icon is 150 years old. Eau de Paris map of all water fountains in Paris.
Sir Richard Wallace funded the dark green fountains to blend with the Parisian cityscape. He drew rough sketches, but turned the design over to a Nantes sculpture, Charles-Auguste Lebourg for the final design. The funding and installation was timely and crucial. The Prussian siege of Paris and the ensuing Commune meant lack of clean drinking water to the besieged areas of Paris. The wine flowed; but the water did not. Pick up the book, you will love it for its history, insights and finding Paris you might otherwise not visit! Enjoy!