What was supposed to stop peeing in public has become a joke: A urinal located on the Seine promenade is far from being a quiet retreat.
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/D. Silpa
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The French capital wanted to counter peeing in public with ecological urinals — and inadvertently created the summer's biggest joke.
Those who relieve themselves in one of the bright-red boxes located near the Notre-Dame cathedral right by the Seine River get to be observed by walkers on the promenade, passing tourist boats on the Seine and people in deckchairs on the opposite shore. Peeing on show: this sight promptly triggered a wave of ridicule and criticism.
The inventors of the open-air urinal, from a start-up in Nantes, are saddened by the "hair-raising proportions" the topic has taken on. They blame decisions taken by the Paris city council: "The problem lies in positioning," says designer Laurent Lebot. The urinal was not intended to stand exposed on the banks of the Seine, but rather to disappear discreetly into corners. Lebot still campaigns for the concept as a means of preventing men from urinating in public and making the city cleaner.
The inventors of the "Uritrottoir": Laurent Lebot (right) and Victor Massip (left)Image: picture-alliance/dpa/MAXPPP/J.-G. Bontinck
A lack of public toilets in Europe
Paris is by no means the only city that wants to fight the problem of people peeing in public. Open-air urinals can also be found elsewhere — in Brussels there is even one on the outer wall of a church. In Copenhagen, public urinals are always set up when celebrations take place in the Danish capital.
Until recently there were hardly any public toilets in Madrid. The city government only began installing modern public facilities last year. Its use costs 10 cents. The roughly 130 toilets even offer wireless internet access. But you shouldn't make yourself comfortable there for too long. After 15 minutes the door opens automatically.
Madrid: public toilets for users of any genderImage: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Frentzen
In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, the number of public toilets has been declining for years due to cost reasons.
Clean Singapore
The situation is very different in the southeast Asian city state of Singapore. Here, public toilets are always within reach: in shopping malls, subway stations or even at the many markets with street kitchens. Those who still pee in public are fined the equivalent of 96 euros.
The discussion on the bright red Paris urinals on the banks of the Seine, however, continues. Paris district mayor Ariel Weil has made it clear that the question of the urinals' location should be decided again but this time together with the local residents. After all, some of the site's critics have also acknowledged that there is a need for such a facility — after all, the banks of the Seine Island are always a popular meeting place.
A weekend in Paris
Stroll through the French capital and see just enough sights to leave yourself time to enjoy the French way of life: 10 suggestions for a journey of discovery through the city on the Seine.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/N. Clark
Banks of the Seine
Paris should really be explored on foot. Only then can you really appreciate the city's unique character. Where cars once sped along the Seine, pedestrians can finally stroll in peace on a total of seven kilometers between the Place de la Bastille and the Eiffel Tower. You almost automatically walk past the most important sights.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Euler
Paris from above
At 210 meters (689 ft), the Tour Montparnasse is the tallest building in Paris. The tower's public observation deck at offers a panoramic view of the city and its main landmark, the Eiffel Tower. Behind the Eiffel Tower you can recognize the high-rises in La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/McPHOTO
Eiffel Tower
But the Eiffel Tower is the city's tallest structure, at 324 meters (1063 ft). It's one of the world's most-visited tourist sights. A lift takes you to the top for 25.5 euros (28 USD). But watch out! There's also a charge to climb the stairs. All that's free is the view from the top. The view on this postcard is from the Palais de Chaillot. The Trocadéro gardens are in the foreground.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/N. Clark
Sacré Coeur
The Sacré Coeur Basilica sits atop Montmartre, the city's highest hill, at an elevation of 130 meters (427 ft). The neo-Byzantine pilgrimage church is one of the most romantic spots in Paris. If you want to avoid the crowds, it's best to come early in the morning or in the evening. The terrace below the main portal is the perfect place to enjoy the sunset above the city of love.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/W. Grubitzsch
Louvre Museum
Most visitors to Paris see the Louvre as a must. It's one of the largest museums in the world. The biggest draw is unquestionably Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Once you get into the museum, you need patience. There's no way anyone can see 35,000 exhibits in one day. It's better to select what you want to see before you go — and simply go again.
Image: picture-alliance/Bildagentur-online/AGF/L. De Simone
Fondation Louis Vuitton
Museums are certainly no rarity in Paris, and in 2014 another museum was added to their ranks. The Fondation Louis Vuitton in the Bois de Boulogne presents temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. Celebrated architect Frank Gehry designed the spectacular structure that houses it. Galleries and observation decks encourage visitors to explore that building as if it were an installation.
Image: picture-alliance/T. Muncke
La Canopée
Another new arrival: since April 2016, this structure has covered the area where Paris's once beloved central market used to stand, and later the Forum des Halles shopping mall led a miserable existence. The complex is called la Canopée, the Canopy. The immense structure unites an urban transit hub, a shopping center, restaurants and a variety of arts venues under its spectacular roof.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/I. Langsdon
Galeries Lafayette
When it comes to presenting consumer goods in style, 19th-century Paris was already at the forefront. The Grands Magasins were an entirely new kind of department store. The Galeries Lafayette epitomize elegant shopping. Like balconies in an opera house, the galleries around the central space spiral upwards, crowned by a glass dome 42 meters (138 ft) above the floor — sublime retail design.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/W. Grubitzsch
Take a break
Sit down and relax for an hour or so! That's best done in one of the many parks — for instance, here in the Jardin des Tuileries near the Louvre. The green metal chairs in the parks are icons of industrial design from 1923. They share a name with the famous Jardin du Luxembourg, where they were first set up: Luxembourg chairs. By the way, until 1974 people had to pay for a seat.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Lavieille
Stop for a snack
You don't have to pay a lot to get delicious food in expensive Paris. You're in good hands in the Marais, the city's most famous Jewish quarter. On the Rue des Rosiers there's the best falafel in town. It's a joy to stroll through this quiet district with its boutiques, bookshops and bistros. It has largely escaped modern development and its residents are determined to keep it that way.
