Installation of the first fire pump 1828 (≈ 1828)
Pompage of Seine water for Auteuil and Passy.
1859
Connection to Paris
Connection to Paris 1859 (≈ 1859)
Auteuil and Passy integrated into the capital.
1900
Construction of plant A
Construction of plant A 1900 (≈ 1900)
Modernisation with coal-fired machinery and boilers.
1925
Inauguration of plant B
Inauguration of plant B 1925 (≈ 1925)
New red brick factory, more efficient.
1952
Electrification of plant B
Electrification of plant B 1952 (≈ 1952)
Replacement of coal by electricity.
1955
Decommissioning of plant A
Decommissioning of plant A 1955 (≈ 1955)
End of initial industrial use.
2007
Opening of the Water Pavilion
Opening of the Water Pavilion 2007 (≈ 2007)
Reconversion to educational and cultural space.
2020
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 2020 (≈ 2020)
Protection of plants A and B and their stairs.
2024
Become a House of Europe
Become a House of Europe 2024 (≈ 2024)
A new European and citizen vocation.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The following parts of the Auteuil Water Factory located at 75-93 avenue de Versailles and 74 quai Louis Blériot, on Parcel No. 19, shown in the AK cadastre, as delimited by a red border on the plan annexed to the decree: the facades and roofs of the A factory, the facades and roofs of the B factory, the metal staircase located in the B factory tower: inscription by order of 30 January 2020
Key figures
Information non disponible - No key character mentioned
The source text does not mention any specific historical actors.
Origin and history
The Auteuil water factory started in 1828 with the installation of a fire pump on the banks of the Seine, between the Auteuil dock and the Versailles road. This facility, intended to supply water to the municipalities of Auteuil and Passy, preceded their connection to Paris in 1859. At the end of the 19th century, the pump was replaced by a decision of the municipal council, marking the beginning of a modern factory project.
In 1900, the construction of Factory A began on the site of the old pump, incorporating technical innovations such as rooms dedicated to machines and boilers. Its clear and milled brick facades, decorated with windows and a metal frame, reflect the industrial architecture of the time. However, its dependence on coal and its inadaptation to technological developments led, after the First World War, to the construction of factory B in 1925, still in operation today.
The factory A, disused in 1955, has several reassignments: garage, offices, then reconversion in 2007 to the Pavillon de l ́eau, a teaching space on the management of Parisian water. Since 2024, it has also been home to the Maison de l'Europe in Paris. The factory B, modernized in 1952 with electrification, now feeds the lakes of the Bois de Boulogne and the green spaces. The two sites, listed as historical monuments in 2020, symbolize the evolution of hydraulic and urban techniques.
The Water Pavilion offers a permanent exhibition on the history of water supply in Paris, Gallo-Roman aqueducts in the industrial era, as well as temporary exhibitions and educational activities. Its current role combines environmental awareness and promotion of European issues, while preserving an emblematic industrial heritage.
Architecturally, the factory is distinguished by its lantern roofs, its brick fireplace (now extinct) and its typical materials (mill, red brick). The B factory, made of red brick, has a remarkable metal staircase, also protected. These elements illustrate the adaptation of infrastructure to the growing needs of the city, between technical heritage and innovation.
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