It is a historical and unusual place of the capital which hides many secrets. Do you know the Lavatory of the Madeleine? Closed to the public in March 2011, these underground public toilets, nestled at the foot of theChurch of La Madeleine, reopen their doors to Parisians and tourists from this Monday, February 20, 2023, after 12 years of closure. On this occasion, we propose to take a look back at the history of this little-known place, a real heritage jewel built by the Porcher establishments during the Belle Époque.
It was in 1905 to be exact that the Lavatory de la Madeleine was built in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, exactly under the Place de la Madeleine.
Considered at the time as the first of its kind in France, these lavatories were directly inspired by the London model of the 1880s. The idea? To offer the inhabitants public toilets, both beautiful, luxurious and useful, as well as washbasins. They also had the particularity of being located in the basement. Today, there are still 6 such lavatories in Paris, including the one on the Champs-Élysées.
The Lavatory de la Madeleine has become over the years very famous, especially thanks to its Art Nouveau style. These public toilets reveal noble materials: woodwork, varnished mahogany, stained glass windows with flowers, ornate ceramics, mosaics, brass faucets, earthenware on the floor and ceiling... A style of the Belle Époque that the place is preparing to display again from February 20, 2023 when it reopens to the public.
For those who wonder, this Lavatory of the Madeleine is indeed that of the Ladies, transformed into a mixed lavatory in the 1990s. During this period, several cabins were modified into urinals. The former men's part of the lavatory, now owned by the RATP and converted into a technical room, is located on the other side of the Place de la Madeleine.
Closed in March 2011, and listed as a historical monument since March 16, 2011, these underground public toilets in the Madeleine are now back in operation and reopening under the responsibility of the concessionaire 2theloo, which manages the toilets in the Notre-Dame square.
Due to multiple problems, notably linked to the poor waterproofing of the place, 12 years will have been necessary to revive this heritage jewel. On site, all the furniture is period. The woodwork, stained glass and ceramics were restored between October 2022 and January 2023. There is even the old shoeshine chair, preserved on site as a heritage object. Several posters dating from the Belle Époque are also displayed in a showcase. The toilets have of course been brought up to standard and the taps have been replaced by similar models in a different material.
It's " a trip out of time " and a " dive into the Paris of the Belle Époque! " said Karine Taïeb, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of heritage, during the inauguration of the place on February 14. However, the deputy expressed one regret. This Lavatory of the Madeleine is unfortunately not accessible to disabled people, because of the reduced size of the place.
What about the spiral staircase that leads to the Lavatory? As Karine Taïeb explained at the inauguration, it had become an " open-air garbage can " in recent years. The handrail of the staircase has been treated to remove the lead. However, several cracks remain, and the mosaic will be restored only during the year 2024.
But beware, unlike most public toilets in Paris, the Lavatory de la Madeleine - open from 10am to 6pm - is not free. The access to these luxury toilets will cost you 2 euros. To justify this rate, the concessionaire indicates that the cleaning is done on a regular basis and after each visit by a host of reception and maintenance.
As a reminder, the City of Paris has nearly 435 sanitary facilities, which are free and accessible to the disabled. Proof of their necessity, the Parisian sanisettes welcomed more than 15 million users in 2019!
Location
Place de la Madeleine
Place de la Madeleine
75008 Paris 8
