Saint Michael Fountain, Paris, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

The Saint-Michel Fountain (Fontaine Saint-Michel) is a monumental wall fountain on Place Saint-Michel in Paris, where the Latin Quarter meets the Seine. Designed by the architect Gabriel Davioud and completed around 1860, it shows the archangel Michael overcoming the devil. It has been a popular meeting point for Parisians ever since.

The story behind it

The fountain dates from the Second Empire, when Paris was being rebuilt and new boulevards were cut through the old city. Rather than standing free in the middle of the square, it was set against the blank end wall of a building, which it hides behind a grand architectural frame. Davioud rose to the challenge with a tall composition about 26 metres high, mixing red and green marble with bronze.

The central group, of Saint Michael slaying the devil, evokes the battle of good against evil. Over the years people have read more into it. One popular interpretation sees the four elements: water in the fountain, earth in the rock beneath the archangel, fire in his sword and air in his wings. Another reads it as a struggle between ignorance, the devil clinging to the rock, and knowledge, which lifts the spirit upward. These are readings of the monument rather than documented intentions, but they make it a fine place to linger.

What to look for

• Look at the archangel's raised sword and spread wings, then down at the devil twisting beneath his feet.
• Notice the mix of materials: coloured marble and dark bronze give the monument a richer palette than most Paris fountains.
• Find the bronze dragons at the base, which pour water into the wide basin below.
• Step back to see how the whole structure works as a tall frame set against the plain wall of the building behind it.

Tips for your visit

• Ten to fifteen minutes is enough to look at the sculpture, though the square is pleasant for a longer pause.
• Go early in the morning for fewer crowds, or in the evening when people gather on the steps around the basin.
• The fountain is an outdoor monument in a public square, so you cannot go inside and you can view it at any time.
• It sits close to the Seine, Île de la Cité and the lanes of the Latin Quarter, so it combines easily with a longer walk.

See it on a quest

Mystical Paris: A History of Magic suits this fountain well, given the alchemical readings attached to it. You reach the fountain on foot as one stop on a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Romantic Paris: A Forbidden Love Adventure along the Seine passes the fountain on a walk along the river. The app tells you about the places you pass and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you, so you see the square and its surroundings rather than just crossing it. One ticket covers the whole group.