Mapping Modernity

19. Les égouts

25 October 2023

 

Modern Paris underground

The Paris of 1900  wasn’t just characterized by its endless streets; it also boasted a thousand-kilometer-long sewage system. This unique underground Parisian network, featuring colossal pipes, has transformed into a present-day tourist attraction. Despite the French inclination toward state intervention and centralization, the construction of the Paris sewer system occurred relatively late when compared to other world cities.

Préfecture de la Seine, Service de l'assainissement, Les égouts de Paris, 3ième et 4ième arrondissements, Paris 1903. Coll. S/T K.388, 67 x102 cm.