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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Medici aqueduct, also called aqueduct of the waters of Rungis, was built in the 17th century on the order of Marie de Medici to supply drinking water to Paris. Its route of 12.9 km (reduced to 10.4 km today) initially linked the square of the waters of Rungis to the Water Castle of the Observatory, crossing Fresnes, La Haÿ-les-Roses, Cachan, Arcueil, Gentilly and the 14th arrondissement. Launched in 1623, it followed partially the route of a Gallo-Roman aqueduct, with an underground gallery of 1.75 m high and a single water bridge at Arcueil-Cachan.

The construction began in 1613 under the direction of entrepreneur Jean Coingt, then his son-in-law Jean Gobelain, with a first stone laid by Louis XIII. It was designed to feed the Palace of Luxembourg and 14 public fountains on the left bank, which was then deprived. Its initial flow rate of 1,280 m3/day was from sources captured at Rungis, supplemented later by connections to Cachan and Wissous. The Parisian part was declassified in the 19th century, redirecting the waters to the Panthéon reservoirs and then Lake Montsouris.

Ranked a historic monument for its looks (including those of Rungis, Fresnes and Arcueil) and its bridge-aqueduct, the work remains the property of the City of Paris. Although most of its sources are dry today, it still works, testifying to four centuries of hydraulic engineering. Its underground route, invisible on the surface, is protected by a servitude of 30 meters on both sides, prohibiting nearby constructions or pollution.

Among its remarkable elements, the Arcueil-Cachan water bridge (379 m long, MH class) crosses the Bièvre valley, while the 21 still existing views allow access to the gallery. The Louis XIII look at Rungis and the Observatory's castle (now the Fontainier House) are the most emblematic. Water, formerly considered pure, is now unfit for consumption due to urbanization.

The Medici water pipeline illustrates the historical challenges of water supply in Paris, from the projects of Henri IV and Sully to its integration into the modern network. Its heritage includes fountains such as Pot-de-Fer (rue Mouffetard) or Sainte-Geneviève, as well as innovations such as siphoning under highways A6 and A86. Managed by Eau de Paris, it remains a symbol of the Franciscan industrial heritage.

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