If you’re on the road in France and see a sign like “Paris 250 km”, that refers to the distance to “point zéro” in the French capital. In other words, all roads connect Paris with France’s other cities at this landmark, which is also known as kilomètre zéro.
I first became of ware of point zéro when I saw a French news report in July showing workers putting the point zéro marker into the ground after it was removed following the 2019 fire. (See below.) Then, a few weeks ago, my tour-guide friend Cindy took me on a tour of Île de la Cité (where the Notre Dame stands) and we got to see it up close.
Point zéro is marked with a compass rose indicating the four cardinal points that is embedded in an octagonal stone. On the stone is inscribed “point zéro des routes de France”. It’s located about 30 meters (100 feet) away from the front of the Notre Dame Cathedral, in an area known as the forecourt.
Be aware that with so many tourists, you can easily miss it. So make sure you look down when you’re wandering around outside the Notre Dame!
The history behind point zéro
During the Middle Ages, the ‘scales of justice’ in the form of a gallows stood on that very spot. That’s where bare-headed and bare-footed political prisoners and criminals received their judgment. With a sign on their backs listing their crime(s), they would kneel and make amends for their wrongdoing, after which they were condemned and sometimes executed immediately.
In 1769, the spot was declared ‘point zéro’ by Louis XV. By 1786, Louis XVI declared it a ‘milestone’ and had a triangular stone placed there. (A number of years later, Louis XVI would be tried for treason and executed, ending France’s absolute monarchy.) After that, it didn’t hold too much significance, until…
A special marker goes into the ground
In 1924, after more than a decade of discussions by Paris city officials and a special commission, a point zéro marker was laid into the ground. (See the photo further down.) For the first time, this created the system for measuring distances within France. On the bottom of the medallion were the names of all of the artisans who worked on it.
In the 1960s, the marker was removed for excavation to build an underground parking garage (quel horreur!). Just for context, Île de la Cité is a small, dense island where parking can be a challenge.
However, construction crews discovered some fascinating archeological finds and all work was stopped. The Notre Dame’s website alludes to artefacts from hundreds of years of history, as well as mosaics that were discovered under the forecourt. A crypt below the cathedral now holds those treasures.
Fire damage
After the 2019 fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral, the medallion from 1924 was damaged, so it was removed for safekeeping. Officials then decided to have a new one made:
"The initial point zéro was too damaged, so we were unable to reuse it.
Therefore, the mayor wanted to take advantage of the skills of the metalworkers
of the City to create an identical [one]."
— Thomas Chevandier, deputy to the mayor of Paris
In keeping with tradition, the names of the artisans who recreated the new marker were imprinted discreetly on the bottom. The original is now at the Musée Carnavalet, a terrific museum dedicated to the city’s history. However, it is stored in the archives and not available for public viewing.
A fascinating historical footnote
This is a bit of an aside, but worth your while.
If you stand on the Left Bank, say, from in front of the bookstore Shakespeare & Company and look across the river to Île de la Cité, there is a wide-open space with a clear view of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
However, it wasn’t always that way!
Below is a photograph by a man named Henri Le Secq, dating back to 1853. It shows how an old hospital once partially obscured the view of the cathedral. Le Secq was commissioned to take photos of construction work around Paris before Georges-Eugène Haussmann tore them down to make way for a newly designed city.
If you visit the cathedral today, be sure to look at the ground because you can see the outlines of the houses that once stood there.
PS: Notice the old wooden bridge across the Seine!
Sources:
City of Paris: Point Zéro (in French)
Notre Dame Cathedral article (in English)
Le point Zéro de Paris – Paris ZigZag (in French)
BFM.com report on point zero (in French)
All the roads lead to Notre Dame !
Such an interesting article with great images! I enjoyed this so much!