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Origin and history

The Pré-Saint-Gervais Fountain, also known as the Pré Fountain, is a 6-metre high, rectangular stone building located in Place du Général-Leclerc, along Rue André-Joineau. Built under the reign of Louis XIII, it was used as a look at the waters captured on the plateau of Romainville, directed to the priory Saint-Lazare in Paris. A cul-de-four niche still houses a fountain in service, topped by a pine apple and a commemorative inscription.

The monument was part of a complex hydraulic system, consisting of three collection complexes: one near fort Romainville (now Henri-Barbusse and Jean-Moulin aux Lilas streets), a second towards rue Faidherbe (Lilas), and a third on the territory of Pré-Saint-Gervais. These waters were centralized in this look, starting from a drive to Paris. The present building, rebuilt in the seventeenth century (circa 1640) when the management of the sources was entrusted to the city of Paris, replaces a medieval look.

Ranked a historic monument in 1899, the fountain bears witness to the importance of pre-industrial hydraulic developments in Île-de-France. Its inscription recalls the names of the officials responsible for its construction, including the provost Jérôme Le Feron and l'échevin Pierre Hachette, as well as royal officers such as Germain Prête, king's attorney. The building, owned by the municipality, remains a symbol of the local technical and architectural heritage.

The site is part of the network of Parisian gazes, alongside other works such as those of the Trou-Morin or the Maussins. These infrastructures illustrated the increasing control of water resources, essential for an expanding city like Paris. The fountain, still visible Place de la Mairie, retains its original function while becoming a historic and urban landmark.

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