17/06/2026
If you ever wander through Paris and spot a small bronze disk on the ground with the word ARAGO, you have just stepped on a little piece of science hidden in plain sight. There are one hundred thirty five of these medallions scattered across the city. Many people never notice them, yet they turn up near the Louvre, the Luxembourg Gardens, Montmartre, and even along quiet side streets.
The medallions follow the old Paris Meridian, a north south line that guided French maps before the world switched to the Greenwich system. In the nineteenth century, astronomer François Arago spent years studying this meridian. His measurements helped refine our understanding of the Earth, and his work became so influential that Paris chose to honor him by marking the line he dedicated his life to.
In 1994, Dutch artist Jan Dibbets set the bronze markers into the ground as part of a citywide art project. Each disk is twelve centimeters wide and engraved with ARAGO and the letters N and S. They run straight through museums, gardens, and buildings, creating a quiet trail that people step over every day without knowing what it means.
One of the most photographed spots sits right in front of the Louvre Pyramid. Visitors look up at the glass triangles and never realize that a scientific landmark sits beneath their feet. If you find yourself in Paris, take a moment to look down as you walk. You might discover that you are following a line that once guided explorers and astronomers across France.
📸 .me
