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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Fountain of the Toad, located boulevard de la République in Riom, was built in 1822 in Volvic stone. It is part of a neoclassical style rare in Auvergne, inspired by the fountains of Franche-Comté. Its name comes from the carved toad's head, surrounded by reeds, from where the water springs, supplemented by two grimmating masks on the arch's feet. The ensemble feeds a rectangular basin, with a shell vaulted niche and prominent mouldings.

The fountain was backed by the new Mozac gate, replacing the old Riom fortifications demolished between 1773 and 1779. These walls, 2 km long and pierced by four gates, were gradually destroyed, leaving only the Goyon and Bonan towers of the palace of the Dukes of Auvergne. The western gate of Mozac was renovated after 1784 by the architect Claude-François-Marie Attiret, who also designed the fountain. The filled ditches allowed the creation of shaded boulevards.

In 1796, Father Jean Bonnet identified 62 fountains in Riom, highlighting their importance in urban life. The Toad Fountain, built by Attiret, is distinguished by its unique design and its integration into the history of the city's urban transformations. It was listed as a historic monument on December 30, 1988, recognizing its heritage value.

Water flows through the mouth of the toad and two side masks, feeding a rectangular basin. The niche, soberly decorated, features a shell vault and mouldings at imposte and cornice height. This monument, although attributed to Attiret, may have been built by another architect after 1822, according to some sources. Its originality lies in its neo-classical inspiration, atypical in Auvergne.

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