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Public toilets in Paris
Luxury toilets - POINTWCThis was a treat after having experienced several disappointing public toilets recently.
When you walk in you are greeted and told that it will cost 1,50 euro. Don't fret about paying; it will be worth it. Welcome to the cleanest toilets in Paris. They are cleaned after every visit. PointWC averages 15,000 visitors per month. During a marketing study, the average stay was two minutes for each visit and has now been recorded at 2 and 1/2 minutes.
These are modern stalls, each with a different theme: chic, high tech, BCBG*, Glam Rock, kid, etc. (*Bon Chic Bon Genre)
In one, "Kids", you have a toilet for mom and one for the little one.
If you need to change a baby, pull up the changing table and Eric Salles or someone from his team will provide you with a changing mat and large, soft towel.
I wrote an article about places to change a baby's diaper and other child care information.
If you need to freshen up, ask for the "BCBG" room and they will bring you a padded stool. Inside the "BCBG" room is a vanity mirror and sink; it is also large enough for a wheel chair.
If you need decorating items for your bathroom (or wine), they have them for sale. If you need an hygienic product, diaper, fake nails, etc. the machine can dispense it for you. Want a cup a coffee? Make your choice from the vending machine.
PointWC is a real oasis in a corner of a shopping gallery and worthy of your visit. Two of the stalls are designed with not only families in mind for those with limited mobility.
“We have worked with the Association Française des Paralysé de France to build the two cabines that are larger for a wheel chair…. Our staff has been trained to help disabled people,” said Mr. Salles.
“Handrails will be installed very soon”, he said.
POINTWC CHAMPS-ELYSEES 26 Champs-Elysées (in the gallery)_ Métro: Franklin Roosevelt (line 1 ou 9) Telephone : 01 42 56 35 25
Open :seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Buy the book on line
Now you can buy for 2,80 euros a 36-page booklet on line with maps and addresses of all the sanisettes in Paris.
Philippe Dorcourt is the author of the Paris-Pause-pipi guide available in French and English.
The most recent edition can be paid for with either PayPal or your credit card, ordered and downloaded online. When you download the book is only takes 9 pages since it is printed in book format.
The Sanisettes
Paris introduces free public toilets
I have compiled a list of the free public toilets taken from the Paris mayor's office website. If you are not close to a department store, this list below might be handy to carry around.
More free toilets are planned and should eventually number up to 200 with some handicap accessible. The Paris pay toilets were first introduced into Paris when Jacques Chirac was mayor. Since February 2006, the city of Paris provides "sanisettes" around Paris free of charge.
The city rents the current 420 sanisettes from JCDecaux at a cost of 1,192 euros per sanisette.
If you want something more precise in finding these sanisettes, be sure to check out the Paris Pause-pippi Guide.
While out sightseeing, one important thing to know is where to go when you need to go without having to pay for a coffee or soda.
Philippe Dorcourt has published the addresses and maps of where the sanisettes are located, which I can attest to is very helpful to know where exactly to find them instead of wandering around looking!
For 2,80 euros you can download the guide from his website. It is 36 pages but produced in booklet form and will only use 9 pieces of A4 or 8 1/2" x 11" paper.
The guide is available in either English or French with little anecdotes. You can sample the guide on line before buying.
You can pay using either a credit card or PayPal. Be sure to check it out at the Paris Pause-pippi website.
Originally following in the footsteps of Vespasian from the early 1st century, Paris introduced outdoor paid toilets around Paris in the late 20th century.
As part of the the 21st century kicking off , the sanisettes and metro station toilets join the department stores in providing free access since February 1, 2006. When the new line designed by Patrick Jouin is completely introduced; you will find 400 all with handicap accessibility.
Some of the metro facilities are interesting from an old-fashioned appearance viewpoint. If any of my readers have found a significant one, please send me the location information.
The following list comes to you from the mayor of Paris' website. Sanisettes parisiennes (Public toilets)
36 toilettes publiques (accès gratuit) : (free access) - 12 Sanisettes open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. de 6 h à 22 h, - 24 lavatories open 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. 1er arrondissement
- rue Coquillière, angle rue du Louvre DVT Manufrance - Sanisette - rue de l'Arbre-Sec, angle quai de la Mégisserie - Sanisette - Place du Châtelet (M° Châtelet) - (lavatory)
- Place du Palais-Royal (M° Palais Royal) - (lavatory) - Face 2, quai du Louvre (M° Pont-Neuf) - (lavatory) 2e arrondissement
- place de la Bourse DVT - Sanisette
- 15, bd St Denis (M° Strasbourg Saint-Denis) (lavatory) 4e arrondissement
- Face 5, place de la Bastille (M° Bastille sortie rue Saint-Antoine) - (lavatory) - place Edmond-Michelet (près du centre Georges Pompidou) - (lavatory) - place de l'Hôtel de Ville (M° Hôtel de Ville) - (lavatory)
- place du Parvis-Notre-Dame - Côté statue Charlemagne (M° Notre-Dame) - (Lavatory) - square de la Tour Saint-Jacques - Face 6, rue Saint-Martin - (lavatory)
5e arrondissement
- boulevard Saint-Germain (M° Cluny) - (lavatory) - face 47, bd Saint-Germain (M° Maubert) -(lavatory) 6e arrondissement
- 149, bd Saint-Germain (parking Saint-Germain) - (lavatory) 7e arrondissement
- avenue Joseph-Bouvard (Champ de Mars) -(lavatory) 8e arrondissement
- angle avenue George-V et avenue Montaigne (M° Alma Marceau) - (lavatory)
- avenue des Champs-Elysées côté espace Cardin - (Lavatory - châlet de nécessité Ambassadeurs) - 16, place de la Madeleine (M° Madeleine) - (lavatory)
- angle avenue Marceau et Champs-Elysées - (M° Etoile) - (lavatory) 9e arrondissement
- face 38, bd Haussmann - (M° Havre Caumartin) - (lavatory) - face au 53, bd Haussmann - (M° Havre-Caumartin) - (lavatory)
- angle bd des Italiens et bd Haussmann - (M° Richelieu-Drouot) - (lavatory) 10e arrondissement
- square Henri-Christine (République) - Sanisette - 85, bis boulevard de Magenta - Sanisette
- square Alban Satragne (face au 107ter, rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis) - (Sanisette) 11e arrondissement
- bd Ménilmontant, face n° 41 - Sanisette - angle bd Richard Lenoir et bd Voltaire - Sanisette 13e arrondissement
- place de l'Abbé-G.-Hénocque DVT n° 4 - Sanisette - rue Bobillot, angle rue Martin-Bernard - Sanisette
- boulevard de l'Hôpital, vers entrée de la cour de la gare d'Austerlitz - Sanisette 14e arrondissement
- devant le 147, rue Vercingétorix - (lavatory) 15e arrondissement
- avenue Ernest-Renan (M° Porte de Versailles) - (lavatory) 16e arrondissement
- avenue du Président-Wilson (M° Trocadéro) - (lavatory) 18e arrondissement
- boulevard Barbès - Sanisette
Along the tree-lined promenade between Clichy and Barbès the toilettes are numerous; some are much cleaner than others.
If you find one not to your liking, you do not have to walk far to find the next one. 19e arrondissement
- rue de Belleville face n° 4 - Sanisette
Anecdote
The concept of pay toilets originated during the rein of the Roman emperor Vespasian (7 AD - 79 AD; reined from 69 AD to 79 AD). The first public toilets in Paris were called "vespasiennes".
According the Latin historian, Suétone (and our Dougga guide), Vespasian's son, Titus, was reluctant to collect money for the use of public toilets. He was told by his father, the emperor Vespasian, who had instituted this method of collecting government funding, “non olet” or “money does not smell”.
While touring in Tunisia, we visited the remains of a Roman city. Our guide told us this story when we came across the public toilets in Dougga.
Charles de Gaulle/Roissy Airport
Airport toilets are free.The nicest one that I found at CDG is between hall 2A and 2C (just after the food court). Walking from 2A to 2C, after the food court, take the escalator down to the "Groups" area. It always seems the cleanest and least frequented.
La Pissotière de l'Impératrice Grand Vin de Bordeaux Appellation Bordeaux Contrôlée Viticulteur à Marsas (Girornde)
Buy the wine at PointWC on Champs-Elysées The story from the label:
In 1809, the Empress Josephine, while accompanying Napoleon campaign to wage war against the Spanish, felt a pressing need while passing at the edge of a vineyard. Since then this registered parcel of land known as “Congaillard” produces wines that enjoy an honorable reputation.
While searching information about a wine in honor of the Empress Josephine, I came across a link with photos of toilets or where people relieve their need in different countries and different settings.
Best bathrooms in the world
If you are traveling and interested in searching for information, I came upon the Best Bathrooms in the World
. The Bathroom Diaries' theme is: "When Nature Calls, even intrepid travelers prefer a comfortable reply." Click on the country links to reach the cities. The list is a bit out of date since there is reference to closed facilities and prices are in French francs.
Promenande Plantée
William wrote and asked about toilette locations along the Viaduc des Arts and Avenue Daumesnil, the Promenande Plantée.
There are three toilet locations. One is a regular toilet about mid-way as the route crosses over rue Villiot Rambouillet.
Two additional facilities are the free sanisettes, street level: Boulevard Diderot and on the triangle of rue de Lyon and rue Biscornet.
The last Vespasienne
The Count of Rambuteau’s job during the Second Empire was to implement hygienic theories.
Under the Rambuteau's term, the sewer network was modernized, ornate fountains were installed in parks, gas lampposts increased from 69 to 8,600, trees were planted along the boulevards, and in 1843 counted 478 public colonne vespasiennes along the Paris sidewalks.
PointWC photo
PointWC photo
Paris sanisette
Sign at café in the Jardin des Tuileries : "Don't bother looking - there are no toilets in the gardens"
The Porcelain God L. Julie Horn Best Price $9.50
or Buy New
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Roman emperor Vespasian
Dougga, Tunisia
The Romans would sit and chat. Each had a stick with a cloth wrapped on the end which they could discretely use with their togas draped over their knees. Source: our guide
