The artesian well in La Butte aux Cailles is a public fountain on Place Verlaine. Free drinking water flows from it like the ones located at Square Lamartine (16th arrdt) and Square de la Madone (18th).

The principle of the artesian well was discovered by monks in the Artois area (in Picardie, north of Paris). It is a phenomenon resulting from groundwater pressure and altitude making the water flow naturally above ground, without any pumping system. The one in Butte aux Cailles was discovered during drillings mid-19th century. It was finished in 1904 after many geological and financial setbacks. However, it became a public fountain only recently.

As the water flowing from the well is naturally warm (about 24 degrees), it was first used as a water supply to the neighbouring swimming pool (opened since 1924 and now listed as a National Heritage site). A filtering and cooling system was placed to transform it into a drinking fountain, and now people can enjoy water flowing all the way up from… a 20,000-year-old phreatic table.

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