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Here’s the inside guide for how to find all the Statue of Liberty replicas in Paris. Note: One of the liberties is on loan to the US, so technically there are only seven.
First: a lightning quick guide for those who don’t know: The Statue of Liberty was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and constructed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, the man who made the Eiffel Tower). Liberty was gifted the to US by the French in the late 1880s.
So, here’s where to find the Liberty statues in Paris (and beyond).
The podcast episode
Here’s a quick explainer of it all in podcast form, plus some info about our grand plans to find them all Live on YouTube for July 4th, 2024.
The interactive map
Now, here’s an interactive map of all the Liberty statues to help you find them.
1. The biggest
The grandest replica of all is just off the Grenelle Bridge on the little man-made island called Île aux Cygnes. That’s it pictured above (and below). While Liberty in New York was a gift from the French, this statue in Paris was a gift from the Americans in Paris. And it’s the biggest too, at 11.50 metres (37 feet 9 inches) – which is exactly a quarter as big as the one in New York.
2. The hardest to find
There’s a Liberty nestled in the Jardin de Luxembourg in the sixth arrondissement. You can find it on the western edge of the park. Here’s what it looks like today. It’s just one of many, many statues in the park, so you’re forgiven if you can’t find her straight away.
3. The most prestigious
Head inside the famed Musee d’Orsay on the Left Bank to find this Liberty, which is located in the grand central aisle on the ground floor.
In fact, if you want an in-depth history of Lady Liberty and France, head over to the Musee d’Orsay’s site for much more information.
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4 and 5. The closest two Lady Libs
If you want a two-for-one deal, head to the Arts-et-Metiers museum in the third arrondissement. There’s a Liberty replica right out the front of the building (well, not anymore… it’s on loan to the US). And if you head inside the museum, there’s another perched atop a display in the centre of the main hall.
6. The smallest
You’ll have to look very closely for this one. First you’ve got to find the 5m tall statue called Le Centaure at 2 Place Michel Debré in the 6th arrondissement. It was made by French artist César in 1985 and depicts a centaur. And emerging from the breastplate of this centaur you might be able to see a tiny liberty poking out! Full statue followed by a closeup:
7. The private Liberty
A listener alerted me to this one and it’s inside a private building. But, if you ever happen to have business at 5 rue du Cirque in the 8th you’ll see a sizeable Liberty in the lobby. Here’s a closer look.
8. The floatiest
There’s an EIGHTH Liberty on top of a péniche by the Eiffel Tower. Who’d have thought? Here’s a pic via my Instagram account (go follow for much more from Paris).