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Origin and history

The Boucherat Fountain is a classical quadrangular building located in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, at the corner of the streets of Turenne (n°13) and Charlot (n°70). It is now part of the Olympe-de-Gouges square. Its architecture, marked by an adorned triangular pediment and a mascaron, reflects the 17th century style. A Latin inscription celebrates the peace of Ryswyck (1697), signed under Louis XIV, while a plaque commemorates his architect, Jean Beausire, and his sponsor, Chancellor Boucherat.

Built in 1697 by the Parisian architect Jean Beausire, the fountain bears the name of Louis Boucherat, Chancellor of France under Louis XIV. The latter is known in particular for having executed the edict of revocation of the edict of Nantes. The monument has two plaques: one in Latin, thanking the king for the peace of Ryswyck (20 September 1697), the other in French, recalling his erection in 1699 and his homage to the chancellor. The side faces bear the names of the old streets Boucherat (now Turenne) and Charlot, as well as the number 14, corresponding to the neighborhood according to the ordinance of 1729.

Ranked a historic monument since 17 March 1925, the fountain was restored in 1993 by the city of Paris. For reasons of economy, a pushbutton system limits its flow rate. This public monument, owned by the municipality, illustrates the importance of fountains in 17th-century Parisian urban planning, combining practical utility and political symbolism.

The Boucherat fountain is part of a historical context marked by the wars of Louis XIV and the urban developments of Paris. The fountains at that time served as much to feed the population with water as to glorify royal power. Their decoration, often loaded with symbols, reflected the political and religious values of time, as evidenced by Latin inscriptions and references to peace.

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