Regard Saint-Martin

The Regard Saint-Martin is a small stone-roofed water access point with a wooden door built against a retaining wall on rue des Cascades in the 20th arrondissement. It functioned as part of a wider water distribution network that connected natural springs and underground channels across northeast Paris.

This water access point originated in the Middle Ages and was later used by monks from the Saint-Martin-des-Champs monastery who maintained it for local use. The structure underwent several renovations in the 17th and 18th centuries, which are recorded in a Latin inscription carved into its pediment.

This water structure served as a gathering point for local residents in medieval times who came to collect water for daily needs. Today it reflects how people once organized their lives around natural water sources in the neighborhood.

The water access point sits along an active street in the Belleville district and can be visited without advance planning or special equipment. The site is accessible year-round, though the surrounding area may become slippery after rain.

A carved stone shield above the left side of the entrance depicts Saint Martin tearing his cloak in two, a rare example of religious imagery connected to practical water management in Paris. This religious symbol was placed on a utilitarian structure to honor the monastery's role in maintaining public water sources.