The water spirit, Fountain in central Clermont-Ferrand, France
Le Génie des eaux is a 17th-century fountain in the center of Clermont-Ferrand, built from dark Volvic lava stone. It features a round basin, a central column topped with a half-sphere and a crown, and four niches carved into the column shaft, each holding a small figure seated on a dolphin that spits water.
The decision to build a fountain on the Place de la Terrail was made in 1598, funded by an abbot named Etienne de la Barge, who in return claimed part of the water supply for his own residence. The fountain was finally completed in 1684, carved by a sculptor named Paquin, whose name and the construction year are engraved on the column.
The name "Le Génie des eaux" refers to the spirit of water, an image common in European art from the 17th century onward. The fountain stands on the Place de la Terrail, a square that once hosted a ceramics market, which adds another layer of local history to the spot.
The fountain is located on the Place de la Terrail in the center of Clermont-Ferrand, within easy walking distance of the cathedral. It can be visited at any time and fits naturally into a walk through the old part of the city.
A Latin inscription on the column was once easy to read, but the marks of the French Revolution and time have left it nearly impossible to decipher today. The fountain was shut down in 1958 and only brought back to life in 1984, exactly 300 years after it was first completed.
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