outdoor living » gps » paris meridian / arago medallions

(Shortcut URL to this page: http://christophermolloy.com/arago)

This is a story about an invisible line and an invisible monument ...

The Paris Meridian Line lost out to Greenwich as the Prime or Zero Meridian, the datum for all measurements of longitude. It was established in 1667 and revised/extended several times, most famously by François Arago (1786-1853). To commemorate Arago an 'invisible monument' was created by Dutch artist, Jan Dibbets, in 1994/95. Ostensibly it consists of 135 bronze medallions, each 12cm [4.7"] in diameter, inlaid into the ground along a 9.2km [5.7 mile] stretch of the Paris Meridian Line. I say 'ostensibly' because whilst the 'official' documentation about the monument states that there are 135 medallions, their own Arago Medallion Location List only details 121 items.

In December, 2005 I decided to walk the line of medallions whilst holidaying in Paris. The lack of good information about how to go about this prompted me to attempt to document as much as I could about the details of the route so that others could enjoy it as well. Some may say that documenting it in so much detail makes it too easy, and detracts from the mystery imbued in this unusual monument. However, anyone who has attempted this walk will know just how difficult it is - even with a list of locations, finding the small, dirt-coloured medallions amongst the leaf litter and a multitude of other pavement hardware is no easy task. I was only able to find 65 medallions (or medallion-shaped blank spots) using this list. It was only once I had returned home to NZ that I found this more authoritative list - the former is a not-quite-100%-accurate English translation of the latter. My list, below, is a synthesis of these two 'official' lists (and includes one or two elaborations from me).

In May/June, 2007 I was able to revisit the monument and review the listing below. I was able to locate a good number of additional medallions, although I also recorded a few that had been lost (stolen?) since my 2005 visit. I also came to the conclusion that a number of the missing medallions have been replaced with newer 'An 2000 - La Méridienne Verte' markers (a more recent commemoration of the Paris Meridian that spans the length of France). This conclusion may not be correct (though I'm fairly sure that it is the case), but I have incorporated it into my listing, below.

You should note before attempting this walk that a small, but significant, number of medallions are in places not accessible to the public, e.g. private gardens or courtyards. The most frustrating example of this is the ten medallions inside the grounds of the l'Observatoire de Paris - an area only accessible by prior, written application. It's also worth noting that the 9.2km span is very much 'as the crow flies' - I walked almost 20km to cover the route.

.gps/map data

On my 2005 visit I used a GPS to record the positions of all the medallions (and 'medallion-shaped blank spots', i.e. missing/stolen items) that I found. Unfortunately most of the fixes I got were out by tens of metres due to them being taken in amongst buildings - and in this instance tens of metres is just too great to be useful. On my 2007 visit I logged each location directly into Google Earth which has resulted in a much higher level of accuracy. If you're loading these positions into your GPS, just be aware that they are only as accurate as Google Earth is (good, but not perfect).

The data files, and the location list, below, also include estimated positions for the medallions I could not find. My estimated positions are based on the sometimes vague 'official' location list - take these estimates with a grain of salt. It is also possible that the 'medallion-shaped blank spots' that I found are not in fact the correct locations, but rather a mistake on my part. The data files, and the location list, below, also include a number of other items associated with the Paris Meridian Line - the far older Mire du Nord and Mire du Sud markers, plus a couple of 'An 2000 - La Méridienne Verte' markers that don't appear to corrolate with the location of any missing medallion.

The list of Arago medallion locations is available in a number of formats:

.list of arago medallion locations

The following location list should aid any prospective Arago Medallion hunter. A photograph of each location I found has been included in the list to help identify the location. The locations I didn't find, for which I've provided an estimated location, are illustrated with a '?' placeholder. Each location has been identified with a sequence number and prefix. The prefixes are: 'A' - found medallions; 'X' - missing medallions; 'E' - estimated locations; and 'M' - 'An 2000 - La Méridienne Verte' markers. Several items in the list have two photos - one from December 2005 and one from May/June 2007 - typically the former shows the medallion that was there in 2005, but is now missing.

	E001
	At no.18 Avenue de la Porte Montmartre at the main entrance of the public library.
	Lat.: 48° 53' 58.264" N (estimated)
	E002
	At the corner of Rue René Binet and Avenue de la Porte Montmartre.
	Lat.: 48° 53' 56.601" N (estimated)
	A003
	At no.45-47 Avenue Junot (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 53' 21.555" N
	A004
	At no.15 Rue S. Dereure (south side).
	Lat.: 48° 53' 18.947" N
	X005
	At no.10 Avenue Junot (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 53' 16.928" N
May/June, 2007: December, 2005:	X006
	At no.3 Avenue Junot (south side).
	Lat.: 48° 53' 16.400" N
	A007
	Beside the Mire du Nord (note that this medallion was mistakenly placed slightly to the west of the meridian line). Photo credit: http://www.kunstgeografie.nl/ar.10.w.jpg
	Lat.: 48° 53' 14.970" N, Lon.: 2° 20' 10.830" E
	Mire du Nord
	Mire du Nord. Photo credit: http://www.kahunna.net/graphics/q&a/q&a03a03.jpg
	Lat.: 48° 53' 14.970" N, Lon.: 2° 20' 10.830" E
	E008
	At no.79 Rue Lepic (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 53' 14.478" N (estimated)
	E009
	At no.21 Boulevard de Clichy, side pavement (côté trottoir).
	Lat.: 48° 52' 58.043" N (estimated)
	E010
	At no.21 Boulevard de Clichy, on the main road (sur le terre plein central).
	Lat.: 48° 52' 57.492" N (estimated)
	X011
	At no.5 Rue Duperré (south side).
	Lat.: 48° 52' 55.465" N
	A012
	At no.69-71 Rue Pigalle. Outside door '69'.
	Lat.: 48° 52' 53.930" N
	X013
	At no.69-71 Rue Pigalle. On the street edge.
	Lat.: 48° 52' 53.618" N
	E014
	In the inner yard of the National Education Ministry, 34 Rue de Chateaudun.
	Lat.: 48° 52' 35.424" N (estimated)
	E015
	In the inner yard of the National Education Ministry, 34 Rue de Chateaudun.
	Lat.: 48° 52' 35.231" N (estimated)
	A016
	Outside no.34 Rue de Chateaudun (north side). On the streetside corner of the bus shelter.
	Lat.: 48° 52' 34.175" N
	X017
	At no.16-18 Boulevard Haussmann (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 52' 21.206" N
	A018
	At no.9-11 Boulevard Haussmann (south side). Outside door '9'.
	Lat.: 48° 52' 20.444" N
	A019
	Outside the brasserie ('La Taverne', no.24 Boulevard des Italiens) at the corner of Rue Taitbout and Boulevard des Italiens. At the rear corner of the brasserie, on Rue Taitbout.
	Lat.: 48° 52' 17.985" N
	X020
	Outside the brasserie ('La Taverne', no.24 Boulevard des Italiens) at the corner of Rue Taitbout and Boulevard des Italiens. On Boulevard des Italiens (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 52' 17.264" N
	E021
	At no.16 Rue du 4 Septembre (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 52' 10.629" N (estimated)
	A022
	At no.15 Rue Saint Augustin (south side).
	Lat.: 48° 52' 7.857" N
	A023
	At no.24 Rue de Richelieu.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 54.473" N
May/June, 2007: December, 2005:	X024
	At no.9 Rue de Montpensier.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 51.792" N
	A025
	In the Palais-Royal. Under the collonaded exit to Rue de Montpensier, outside 'Conseil Constitutionnel', in line with rows 8/9 of the main courtyard sculpture.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 49.585" N
	A026
	In the Palais-Royal. Under the collonade, outside the café, in line with rows 4/5 of the main courtyard sculpture.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 49.148" N
	A027
	In the Palais-Royal. Under the collonade, in line with the first row of the main courtyard sculpture.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 48.683" N
	A028
	In the Palais-Royal. In the middle of the entrance tunnel to the main courtyard.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 48.195" N
	A029
	In the Palais-Royal. Under the collonade, between the entrance to the main courtyard and the entrance to 'Noxa'.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 47.866" N
	A030
	In the Palais-Royal. Under the collonade, outside 'Le Nemours Café Bar'.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 47.439" N
	X031
	Outside the Palais-Royal. In front of the 'La Meridienne Verte 2000' marker.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 46.684" N
	M032
	At the corner of Place Colette and Conseil d'État, Rue Saint Honoré.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 46.627" N
	M033
	In the Place du Palais Royal, beside Rue de Rivoli.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 43.941" N
	A034
	On the Rue de Rivoli, just inside the Richelieu Wing passage entrance.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 43.654" N
	A035
	In the Louvre (Richelieu Wing), 18th - 19th c. French Sculpture area, in the passage between the 5th - 18th c. and the 18th - 19th c. areas (see detail).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 42.597" N
	A036
	In the Louvre (Richelieu Wing), 18th - 19th c. French Sculpture area, on 'mezanine-level' walkway on the south side of Cour Puget (see detail).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 41.993" N
	A037
	In the Louvre (Richelieu Wing), 18th - 19th c. French Sculpture area, between the escalators, at the top (see detail).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 41.616" N
	A038
	At the Louvre (Napoleon Court), east of the pyramid.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 40.364" N
	A039
	At the Louvre (Napoleon Court), east of the pyramid.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 39.670" N
	X040
	At the Louvre (Napoleon Court), east of the pyramid.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 39.066" N
	A041
	At the Louvre (Napoleon Court), east of the pyramid.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 37.884" N
	A042
	At the Louvre (Napoleon Court), east of the pyramid.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 37.162" N
	A043
	In the Louvre (Denon Wing), Etruscan and Roman Antiquities area, on the main ground floor stairs (see detail).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 36.609" N
	A044
	In the Louvre (Denon Wing), Etruscan and Roman Antiquities area, just inside the door to Room 31 (closed to the public at this time) (see detail).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 36.080" N
	E045
	In the Louvre (Denon Wing), Etruscan and Roman Antiquities area, Room 31 or 21 (closed to the public at this time) (see detail).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 34.994" N (estimated)
	An 2000 - La Méridienne Verte
	An additional 'An 2000 - La Méridienne Verte' Paris Meridian marker.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 34.165" N, Lon.: 2° 20' 11.413" E
	X046
	On the Quai du Louvre, close to the entrance to the pavillon Daru, in front of the 'La Meridienne Verte 2000' marker.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 34.080" N
May/June, 2007: December, 2005:	X047
	On the Port du Louvre, on the walkway beside the Seine.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 33.150" N
	E048
	On the Port des Saints-Pères waterfront.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 28.697" N (estimated)
	A049
	On the Quai de Conti (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 28.497" N
	A050
	On the Quai de Conti (south side).
	Lat.: 48° 51' 27.973" N
	X051
	In the mouth of the tunnel between Rue de Seine and Place de l’Institut.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 27.335" N
	A052
	At no.3 Rue de Seine.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 27.070" N
	E053
	At no.3 Rue de Seine.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 26.780" N (estimated)
	E054
	At no.3 Rue de Seine.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 26.480" N (estimated)
	E055
	At no.12 Rue de Seine.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 23.874" N (estimated)
	A056
	At the corner of Rue de Seine and Rue des Beaux-Arts.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 22.463" N
	A057
	At no.152 Boulevard Saint-Germain (north side), behind the phone booth.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 11.143" N
	A058
	At no.125-127 Boulevard Saint-Germain (south side), in the middle of the pavement.
	Lat.: 48° 51' 10.396" N
	A059
	At no.28 Rue de Vaugirard (south side), near the Sénat entrance.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 57.272" N
	A060
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 52.289" N
	An 2000 - La Méridienne Verte
	An additional 'An 2000 - La Méridienne Verte' Paris Meridian marker.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 51.582" N, Lon.: 2° 20' 11.413" E
	M061
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 50.462" N
	M062
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 47.462" N
	A063
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 46.810" N
	A064
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 46.695" N
	A065
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 46.566" N
	A066
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 44.123" N
	A067
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 41.432" N
	A068
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, on asphalted or cemented spaces.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 40.693" N
	A069
	In the Jardin de Luxembourg, just inside the south-west entrance.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 39.864" N
	A070
	On Rue Auguste Comte, at the entrance to the Jardin de Luxembourg.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 39.579" N
	E071
	On Avenue de l'Observatoire, on the pavement beside the Jardin R. Cavelier-de-la-Salle.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 37.705" N (estimated)
	X072
	On Avenue de l'Observatoire, on the pavement beside the Jardin R. Cavelier-de-la-Salle, at the western entrance.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 36.299" N
	X073
	At the corner of Avenue de l'Observatoire and Rue Michelet.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 32.883" N
	E074
	In the Jardin Marco Polo.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 31.770" N (estimated)
	E075
	In the Jardin Marco Polo (near the ping-pong table).
	Lat.: 48° 50' 30.790" N (estimated)
	E076
	In the Jardin Marco Polo.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 29.810" N (estimated)
	M077
	At the corner of Avenue de l'Observatoire and Rue d'Assas.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 27.417" N
	X078
	In the Place Camille Jullian. On the curb (north side).
	Lat.: 48° 50' 27.224" N
	A079
	In the Place Camille Jullian.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 26.717" N
	A080
	At the corner of Avenue Denfert Rochereau and Avenue de l'Observatoire (Observatory side). At the foot of the crossing.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 18.038" N
	X081
	On the Avenue de l'Observatoire. Adjacent to the end of the triangular building, on the grass, 1.5m [5'] in from the edge of the street (west side).
	Lat.: 48° 50' 17.001" N
	A082
	On the Avenue de l'Observatoire. 6m [20'] outside the gates to l'Observatoire de Paris.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 13.536" N
	A083
	In the North side courtyard of l'Observatoire de Paris, just inside the gates.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 13.079" N
	E084
	In the North side courtyard of l'Observatoire de Paris.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 12.610" N (estimated)
	E085
	Inside l'Observatoire de Paris.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 11.850" N (estimated)
	E086
	On the north and south side terrace and upstairs garden within the protected limits of the Observatory.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 10.810" N (estimated)
	E087
	On the north and south side terrace and upstairs garden within the protected limits of the Observatory.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 10.730" N (estimated)
	E088
	On the north and south side terrace and upstairs garden within the protected limits of the Observatory.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 10.650" N (estimated)
	E089
	On the north and south side terrace and upstairs garden within the protected limits of the Observatory.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 10.570" N (estimated)
	E090
	On the north and south side terrace and upstairs garden within the protected limits of the Observatory.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 10.490" N (estimated)
	E091
	On the north and south side terrace and upstairs garden within the protected limits of the Observatory.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 10.412" N (estimated)
	A092
	Within the protected limits of the Observatory, just over the fence from the public gardens on the south side of the Observatory.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 7.843" N
	A093
	On the Boulevard Arago (outside the rear Observatory gates).
	Lat.: 48° 50' 5.080" N
	A094
	On the Boulevard Arago (street side of the old Arago monument).
	Lat.: 48° 50' 4.228" N
	A095
	On the Place de l'Ile de Sein (on south face of the old Arago monument).
	Lat.: 48° 50' 4.043" N
	A096
	On the Place de l'Ile de Sein.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 3.610" N
	A097
	On the Place de l'Ile de Sein.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 3.238" N
	A098
	On the Place de l'Ile de Sein.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 2.869" N
	A099
	At no.81 Rue du Faubourg Saint Jacques.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 1.365" N
	E100
	On the Place Saint Jacques.
	Lat.: 48° 50' 0.999" N (estimated)
	A101
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys). Near the northern entrance to the park.
	Lat.: 48° 49' 26.389" N
	A102
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys). Near the northern entrance to the park.
	Lat.: 48° 49' 25.940" N
	X103
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 20.665" N
	A104
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 20.531" N
	A105
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 20.018" N
	A106
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 18.834" N
	A107
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys). Just north of the police station.
	Lat.: 48° 49' 17.940" N
	A108
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys). Outside police station entrance (south side).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 17.437" N
	A109
	In Parc Montsouris (on the alleys).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 16.299" N
	Mire du Sud
	Mire du Sud
	Lat.: 48° 49' 15.416" N, Lon.: 2° 20' 12.496" E
	M110
	On Boulevard Jourdan.
	Lat.: 48° 49' 15.397" N
	M111
	On Boulevard Jourdan.
	Lat.: 48° 49' 14.185" N
	A112
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 12.410" N
	A113
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 12.155" N
	X114
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 11.759" N
	A115
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 10.117" N
	A116
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 8.499" N
	E117
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 7.723" N (estimated)
	M118
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 4.773" N
	E119
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 4.314" N (estimated)
	A120
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (on a line between the Canadian and Cambodian Pavilions).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 3.411" N
	E121
	Within the grounds of the Cité universitaire (behind the Cambodian Pavilion).
	Lat.: 48° 49' 1.349" N (estimated)

.louvre detail

.for more information ...

Philip Freriks has written the definitive guide to the monument, 'De meridiaan van Parijs', (available in Dutch and Polish, only).

This web page is referred to in the following guidebook to Paris: 'You Go Girl Paris: A Women's Guide to Paris' by Polly Boline and Barb Chesley.

• Documentation On The Arago Medallions
• Hommage à Arago de Jan Dibbets [in French]
• The Invisible Monument
• Paris Meridian Medallions
• Looking Around for Arago's Markers
• Disks and Dials
• Paris Meridian
• l'Observatoire de Paris [in French]
• Project Jan Dibbets: De nulmeridiaan als 'Hommage à Arago' [in Dutch]
• Jan Dibbets 'Meridian Arago Line' 1995
• Arago, Dibbets en de Meridiaan van Parijs [in Dutch]
• "Le long du Méridien de Paris" by Benoit Rives [in French]