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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 StaceyFeb 25, 2023, 15:02 IST

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.

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.

Clément Dorval/Mairie de 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.

Clément Dorval/Mairie de Paris

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

Clément Dorval/Mairie de Paris

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.

Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

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.

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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.

Clément Dorval/Mairie de Paris

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

François Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

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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.

Clément Dorval/Mairie de Paris

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.

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.

Clément Dorval/Mairie de Paris

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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.

Anne-Christine Poujoulat/Getty Images

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

The Lavatory de la Madeleine is below a public square in central Paris.Anne-Christine Poujoulat/Getty Images

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