Paris is a veritable open-air museum. And if you turn down a street in the 9th arrondissement, you might just catch a glimpse of this unusual ceramic façade. Covered in turquoise stoneware tiles, this unique Art Deco work pays homage to the mineral water…
A hidden treasure at 30 rue de Londres
In the vibrant9ᵉ arrondissement of Paris, a stone’s throw from the Saint-Lazare train station, hides an astonishing facade, looking like a tiled swimming pool. A former showcase for the Société Française des Eaux Minérales, this facade at 30 rue de Londres, with its azure-blue ceramics, is sure to catch the eye of onlookers. A little-known architectural gem that fascinates Art Deco enthusiasts and strollers alike.
Art Deco meets ceramics
In a capital dominated by the Haussmann style, it’s impossible to miss this unusual building at first glance. With its singular shapes and blue, green and turquoise palette, its façade is entirely clad in glazed stoneware tiles. For the record, this brilliant material was fashioned in the 1920s by the Fourmaintraux-Delassus factory in Desvres, northern France, renowned for its ceramics expertise.
An unusual ceramic façade in Paris, featuring mineral water!
At 30 rue de Londres, this astonishing and spectacular facade pays tribute to mineral water. Engraved in stone, the slogan“Vals – Sources Perles“ appears like an outdoor advertisement. Designed by architect Henri Baranton, this Parisian building – with its façade entirely adorned with ceramics – is the only one of its kind in Paris. Just above the building’s entrance and two windows, delicate details are revealed. A crown adorned with pearls, and fine bubbles that seem to sparkle as they gently rise along the façade.
On your next trip to Paris, why not take a look at this curiosity with your own eyes? And will we, at Paris Secret, be going there too? It’s a no-brainer!
Where? 📍 30 rue de Londres, Paris 9