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This Belle Époque public restroom in Paris has been restored to its former glory, but costs about $2 to use

Stephanie Stacey

2023-02-25T08:45:00Z

Employees clean the public toilets of the Lavatory de La Madeleine — The Lavatory de la Madeleine is below a public square in central Paris. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/Getty Images

A public restroom in Paris that was built in 1905 has been restored and reopened.
The facilities feature varnished mahogany, ornate tiles, mosaics and stained-glass windows.
The subterranean toilet costs 2 euros ($2.13) to use to cover the cost of an attendant and cleaning.

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One of the world's fanciest public restrooms has reopened in Paris, France.

The Lavatory de la Madeleine is more than a century old and features varnished mahogany, stained-glass windows, ceramic tiles, and ornate mosaics.

The restroom has been closed since 2011 but reopened on February 20 following extensive renovations. Take a look inside.

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The restroom was constructed in 1905. It was intended to be beautiful and luxurious, as well as functional.

The interior of the restroom, featuring tiles, a reception area, and a large mirror

Source: City of Paris

After more than a century of operation, the Lavatory de la Madeleine closed in 2011 because it wasn't being used enough to cover maintenance costs.

Tiles in an Art Nouveau style featuring yellow flowers

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Paris committed to renovating and reopening the toilets as a functional historic monument in 2015.

A close-up image of a stained glass window featuring dark green flowers

Source: En-Vols

Restoration work was completed in January to return the woodwork, windows and tiles to their former glory. Not everything is from the previous century, however. The toilets, as well as the basins and faucets, have been replaced with modern equivalents, The Guardian reported.

People enter the public toilets of the Lavatory de La Madeleine, which features historical artefacts in a display case

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"Spending a penny" at the Lavatory de la Madeleine isn't cheap. Admission is 2 euros ($2.13) to cover the cost of a full-time attendant and cleaning.

A mirror reflects the tiled interior of the restroom

Source: The Guardian

There are more than 400 free public toilets in Paris, but they're generally rather less desirable.

An employee cleans a public toilet which has been graffitied with the words 'We crap on your laws' in French

Source: City of Paris

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Karen Taïeb, deputy mayor of Paris, described the toilets as a "journey through time" to the Paris of the Belle Époque, or "Beautiful Period" that spanned the late 1800s to the start of the First World War in 1914.

A mahogany door featuring a stained glass window in green, blue, and orange hues

Source: Twitter

There's even an old shoeshine chair, but it's no longer in use. It's been preserved as part of a miniature museum within the Lavatory de la Madeleine.

An old shoeshine chair, which is brown, sits on top of a functional miniature staircase, featuring operable drawers.

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These were once the women's restrooms at the Lavatory de la Madeleine. The male section was repurposed in the 1990s for development on the Parisian Metro.

Employees clean the public toilets of the Lavatory de La Madeleine

Source: City of Paris

Local authorities said the only regret was that the toilets are not accessible for disabled people because the space is too small.

Employees clean the public toilets of the Lavatory de La Madeleine — The Lavatory de la Madeleine is below a public square in central Paris. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/Getty Images

Source: The Guardian

Paris France

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