Une histoire des lieux d’aisances publics à Paris

Abstract

Pissoirs, public conveniences, lavatories, sanisettes, street urinals… all these items of urban furniture, made available to the population for the satisfaction of natural needs, belong, like the sewers, to the history of public hygiene. Their diffusion became possible with the availability of an abundant water supply. Some of them are still standing in the public spaces of Paris, kept as picturesque vestiges, whilst others are now seen as symbols of our modernity. Based primarily on sources available at the Paris Archives, this contribution seeks to sketch out this history, which calls for further research. After a presentation of the sanitary context prior to the creation of public conveniences, a chronological approach takes a look at succeeding public lavatories and in particular the spectacular public lavatory at the Place de la Madeleine, recently restored.

Keywords

• public hygiene
• sanitary equipment
• lavatory
• underground public convenience
• urinal
• pissoir