Fountains at Jardins des Champs Elysees
After completing the fountains at the Place de la Concorde, Jacques Hittorff decided to put in place four different fountains within the Jardins des Champs Elysees, all with a different name and top part, but with the same style of base.
Often known as the Fountains of the Four Seasons, do not get these particular fountains confused with the fountain in the 7th Arrondissement of Paris that is named the Fontaine des Quatre-Saisons, which is located on the Rue de Grenelle.
But getting back to the fountains at the Jardins des Champs Elysees, you will find that each of the four fountains has a circular base and the pedestals are made of bronze in an octagonal shape, decorated with foliage, leaves and four dolphins.
The water that flows from each of the fountains comes from twelve small masks that are like lions heads, and the style of the fountains is typical of the Restoration period, but the actual statues for each of the fountain tops are entirely different and each one has been given a different name.
The Fontaine du Cirque
The Fontaine du Cirque or Circus Fountain is located within the Jardins des Champs Elysees on the northern part of the gardens and it was originally named after the circus in Paris that was located here called the Cirque d’Ete, yet this has since been destroyed, but you can now find this close the Theatre Marigny.
The Fontaine du Cirque was designed by the architect Jacques Hittorff in 1839 and sculpted by Jean-Auguste Barre, who was a pupil of Jean-Pierre Cortot at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts school, yet it was transformed by the architect Gabriel Davioud in 1863, who was put in charge of architecture for walks and parks in Paris.
The Fontaine de Diane
The Fontaine de Diane is also often known as The Dean and is located close to the Ledoyen restaurant in Paris, that is within the southern part of the Jardins des Champs Elysees.
Designed by Jacques Hittorff, but sculpted by Louis Desprez, the statue is of Diana Huntress with a bare torso standing on a bed of reeds and this was originally produced in 1840 and is also close to the Place de la Concorde.
The Fontaine des Ambassadeurs
The Fountain of the Ambassadors is also often known as the Fountain of Venus and is located in the northern part of the Jardins des Champs Elysees gardens and is part of the Carre des Ambassadeurs, which is where it gets its name from.
The Fontaine des Ambassadeurs can also be found close to the Place de la Concorde and was produced in 1840 by the sculptor Francisque Duret who designed the statue of Venus taking a bath.
The Fontaine de la Grille du Coq
Located in the northern part of the Jardins des Champs Elysees, it was positioned in front of the grill of the rooster, and hence why this fountain was named the Fontaine de la Grille du Coq.
This particular fountain was also designed by Jacques Hittorff and produced in 1840 and as with the other three fountains, the proportions and forms are typical of works carried out in the style of the Restoration and July Monarchy, yet does not seem as elaborate as the others.
Most people will decide to take a walk down the famous Avenue des Champs Elysees when on holiday in Paris, but why not take a short detour and visit these lovely Paris gardens, or perhaps even splash out on a gourmet fine dining experience at the Pavillon Laurent that has a beautiful terrace looking out on the Jardins des Champs Elysees.
