Place du Quebec and L'Embacle Fountain
Place du Quebec is a small square in Paris in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés. Place du Quebec is at the bustling junction of rue de Rennes, rue Bonaparte and Boulevarde Saint Germain which, despite its size, is actually one of the busiest crossroads in Paris.
Place du Quebec is probably my most walked across squares/places in Paris because of where I stay when in Paris. My often stayed at hotel is just a few hundred metres from Place du Quebec, on rue du Four, and when not staying at this hotel, it is the arrondissement I hang out the most in anyway.
Place du Quebec is only a two minute walk from the pretty Place de Furstemberg, a one minute walk from Café Bonaparte where I frequently eat late at night, directly opposite Église Saint Germain des Prés and diagonally opposite the iconic café Les Deux Magots. So, you can see how central it is to many of the famous places to visit in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.
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L'Embacle fountain, Les Deux Magots on left, Café Bonaparte in middle, Église Saint Germain des Prés on right
What to do near Place du Quebec
The 6th arrondissement is well known for its rich history, intellectual and artistic past and more currently as a shopping district filled with high-end boutiques. It also has a great covered market called Marché Alimentaire Saint-Germain, which is open every day except Mondays.
Read Why Staying in Saint Germain des Prés is a Good Idea and start planning your Paris trip. And if you only have 24 hours in Paris, then you might find this post helpful What To Do in 24 Hours in Paris in The Latin Quarter and Saint Germain.
Place du Quebec can be easily missed as it appears as a small paved area at a very busy intersection with roads and pedestrian crossings going everywhere! I'd walked across it numerous times on my way out and about the city before I really stopped and took notice of the modern fountain that sits smack in the middle of the pavement.
L'Embacle Fountain on Place du Quebec
The modern fountain called L'Embacle, is a sculpture which was given to the city of Paris from the government of Quebec in 1984. It is called L'Embacle, which means Ice Jam. It represents the obstruction of a riverbed by blocks of ices and how they bank up, crush against each other and obstruct the flow of water.
L'Embacle fountain close up
When you glance at the fountain you might first think that something is being constructed with what appears to be pavement ripped open and large blocks. However the blocks are the bronze slabs representing the ice blocks during the Canadian spring thaw, and in particular the Saint Lawrence River.
The sculpture was created by Quebecois artists Gindre and Charles Daudelin, who are both renowned for their pioneering work in integrating art into public spaces.
Placing L'Embacle fountain sculpture on Place du Quebec is the result of careful thought. The Place was inaugurated in 1980 in honour of the first Bishop of Quebec, François de Montmorency-Laval, who was consecrated in Église Saint Germain des Prés in 1676 (directly across the intersection). It was four years after the Place was constructed (1980) that the fountain sculpture was inaugurated on Place du Quebec on 25 October 1984 as part of the 450th anniversary celebrations of the discovery of Canada by Jacques Cartier in 1534. The fountain underwent restoration in 2011 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Quebec Government Office in Paris.
When exploring the area of Saint Germain des Prés, take a few extra minutes to find Place du Quebec and watch the interesting fountain L'Embacle.
Useful Information on Place du Quebec
Address: Place du Quebec, 75006, Paris
Closest métro station: Saint Germain des Prés on Line 4
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