May 12, 2007

Wallace fountains - bis

There were rather few comments on the « Wallace fountain » (May 10), so I’m coming back to it. I feel that this gift by Sir Richard Wallace to the Parisians some 135 years ago is really something worth noticing. My previous photo was of a fountain that someone had painted in pink. Here is a clean one; there are more than hundred around. Look at the details! … and they are all operational – free, fresh water!
There is also a junior model. I guess there must be thousands of those.

14 comments:

isa said...

Maybe if the fountains were dispensing champagne or chocolate, you might get a warmer response ;-)

I have to admit that during my sejour in Paris I never considered their water potable! I wish I knew...

lyliane six said...

Qu'elle bonne idée ! des fontaines qui distribuent du champagne, tu aurais été un client assidu..il y aurait eu beaucoup de clientes pour le chocolat, car les dames adorent ce dernier, mais moi je t'aurai suivi vers le champagne, je pense.Hélas ces fontaines miraculeuses auraient déjà été détruits ou volées, donc il vaut mieux que se soit de l'eau qu'elles débitent(à l'époque c'était un bien précieux, car elle n'était pas courante dans les robinets). Mais quels étaient les ferronniers qui ont sculptés ces statues? ce sont de vrais artistes

TORUŃ DAILY PHOTO said...

They are really pretty fountains. Wonderful!

Peter said...

Isabella:
I would personally be more in favour of the champagne version, but as Lyliane points out, it's possible that these nice fountains would not have survived.

The champagne is always available in my fridge!

... and sometimes, just some fresh water is the best drink!

hpy said...

Water can be very good. And thanks for repeating yourself also on my blog!

Nathalie H.D. said...

Pour moi les fontaines Wallace, c'est lié à la chanson de Georges Brassens :

Le bistrot
by Georges Brassens

(....)
Que je boive à fond
L'eau de toutes les fon-
taines Wallace
Si dès aujourd'hui
Tu n'es pas séduit
Par la grâce

De cett' jolie fée
Qui d'un bouge a fait
Un palace.
Avec ses appas
Du haut jusqu'en bas
Bien en place.

(...)

Une fabuleuse chanson - mais ne le sont-elles pas toutes ?

Nathalie H.D. said...

Je suis (le plus souvent) une buveuse d'eau, alors la version champagne ne me conviendrait pas du tout.

Je bois de l'eau pour la soif et du vin pour le plaisir.

krystyna said...

Hi Peter!
Beauty and beneficiaries of these fountains are the same importance as the Eiffel Tower.

Are fountains still the only sources of free water for the homeless?

Peter said...

Nathalie:

Merci pour Georges Brassens. Je l'adore aussi.

Krystyna:
No, I think that they are actually not as much used as they should be. The homeless have also a tendency to look for other liquids than water...

Cuckoo said...

I have seen the smaller types when I was in Europe but the bigger ones are amazing too.

Kunterbunt said...

A wonderful old fountain (art déco?)

Peter said...

april:

No, they preceded "art nouveau" et "art déco". But they are quite beautiful and are definitely part of the Paris landscape.

Anonymous said...

Great a finally see what is a Wallace fountain... Cf Amelie Poulain with Madeleine Wallace, the caretaker from Amelie building
On dit "pleurer comme une madeleine" et 'Wallace"..... Il y a les fontaines Wallace...C'est vous de dire si elle était prédestinée aux larmes...

Peter said...

bergere - Good remark; I should have added something about this. I realised the Madeleine Wallace thing only recently, when I again saw the film.