Pavillon de l’Eau water museum in Paris
The Water Pavilion is a museum and a centre for documentation and advice on the water of Paris and holds a permanent exhibition, along with temporary exhibits, conferences and more for tourists, businesses and residents of the city.
About the Eau de Paris Water of Paris
Water is one of those items that the majority of people never truly think about and take for granted, yet it is one of the fundamentals that we cannot live without, and within the city of Paris you can discover numerous water points, many of which date back centuries.
There are reservoirs such as the Montsouris and aqueducts like the Aqueduc Medici in the city that serve the needs of residents and the millions of tourists that come on holiday to Paris every year, and the whole system, often travelling many kilometres, is maintained by Eau de Paris or Water of Paris company.
You will also be able to discover the famous Wallace fountains dotted all over the city, which are public drinking fountains that were financed by Sir Richard Wallace, and although intended initially for the poor to have drinking water, these are still in use today by passersby to quench their thirst and these are also maintained by Eau de Paris.
Fountains that are now decorative features are also dotted all over the city and there are some very impressive fountains in Paris such as the ones at the Jardins du Trocadero or those at the Place de la Concorde and again some of these date back centuries, yet are also maintained by the Eau de Paris company.
In fact, over 500 million litres of drinking water are consumed in the city daily, and although one of the tasks for Eau de Paris is to ensure the purity of the water from bacteria, pollutants and other things that we would not want to consume, another major task they play is to educate the public on the importance of water and its conservation.
About Pavillon de l‘Eau Water Centre and the museum in Paris
The Pavillon de l’Eau or Water Pavilion as it translates to in English, is located within a converted water pumping station close to the River Seine and has been designed over three floors, with the basement providing a conference room for holding meetings, presentations and documentary films, plus there is a cafe on this level.
On the ground floor there is a permanent exhibition all about the water system in the city, not just how it is today, but from a historical point of view as well, plus there is an area dedicated to children and has educational activities, which is why many schools visit the Pavillon de l’Eau.
There is also a mezzanine level and this part of the museum in Paris holds temporary exhibitions, which are designed to provide additional information on the history, science, technology, culture and how things have developed over the years.
Guided tours around the city are also organised throughout the year on foot and by bike, plus there is a shop that holds numerous different items such as water carafes with specifically designed themes like one with the Eiffel Tower, along with books, DVDs, postcards and much more.
Visiting the Pavillon de l’Eau Water Pavilion and museum in Paris
This is one of the truly unusual tourist attractions in Paris just like the Sewer museum called the Musee des Egouts, and you will be pleased to know that you can gain free entry to the exhibitions.
You will find the Pavillon de l'Eau open on a Monday through to a Friday from 10am to 6pm, yet is closed at weekends and on all National French holidays, with guided visits of the permanent exhibition also available upon prior booking.
When it comes to different guided tours, these are limited to the number of people that can join at a time, and with this in mind, these do have to be booked well in advance, usually at least a couple of months prior to the tour by telephone on +33 (0) 1 42 24 54 02.
These guided tours are always on different themes or places that you can discover, so there will be something of interest for most, and there are also places you can discover that are only open on the national Heritage Days. Although we would like to point out that children must be accompanied by an adult, and only those aged 12 or over can join in a cycle tour.
Access to Pavillon de l'Eau Museum
You will find that the Pavillon de l’Eau is located in the 16th Arrondissement close to the River Seine and the Pont Mirabeau bridge in Paris, with the nearest Metro station being the Mirabeau stop serving line 10.
Alternatively, if you are travelling by train, you will find that the nearest RER train station is the Javel stop serving the RER C line, which is located on the opposite bank of the River Seine.
In addition to these options, the bus lines 22, 52, 62 and 72 along with the Noctilien Night Bus Service via lines N12 and N61 will also get you within walking distance of the Water Pavilion Museum and other tourist attractions this area such as Ballon de Paris at the Parc Andre Citroen and the Ile aux Cygnes island with the Statue of Liberty.
