Fontaine des Neuf Jets, Fountain and classified historical monument in Céret, France
The fontaine des Neuf Jets is a classified historical monument in the main square of Céret, a town in southern France, built from local marble with nine water jets that flow together into a wide octagonal basin. A sculpted lion stands at the top of the structure, and carved inscriptions around the stone mark different moments in its history.
The fontaine des Neuf Jets was built in 1313 and served for centuries as a public water source for the people of Céret. After the 1660 Treaty of the Pyrenees brought the region under French rule, Louis XIV had the lion on top reoriented to face France, and an inscription was carved into the stone to mark the change.
The fontaine des Neuf Jets stands in the main square of Céret, where people naturally pause, sit nearby, and watch the nine jets of water rise together. A marble lion sits at the top, and its orientation, turned toward France rather than toward the former kingdoms of Aragon, is a detail that still tells a story to anyone who looks closely.
The fountain is easy to reach on foot as it sits right in the center of Céret's main square, with no barriers around it. Walking around the full perimeter lets you read the inscriptions and see the lion from every angle.
When the lion was beheaded during a local festival in 2011 and repairs were carried out, workers discovered the remains of an even older fountain buried beneath the current structure. Those fragments were recovered and reassembled into a second fountain, which now stands behind the church of Céret.
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