Histoire de Paris plaques

The market offer was won by the company JCDecaux, based on a model designed by Philippe Starck.

The City of Paris does not have a complete and detailed inventory, so the total number of panels installed varies according to sources: 767,[1] 672, etc.

Each plaque takes the shape of a cast iron oar painted dark grey, but is actually meant to recall a ship's paddle, in honour of the Latin motto of the City of Paris, Fluctuat nec mergitur ("battered by the waves, but never capsized").

[2] The handle of the "oar" is sunk into the ground; the plaque itself, located at adult height, has in its upper third, in red lines, a stylized version of the ship from the coat of arms of Paris, the words "Histoire de Paris" and a short descriptive title.

The lower two thirds bear an explanatory text, in white characters, as well as generally an illustration, in red.