EHD2026: Guided Tour of the Marly Machine and the Water Trail

Saturday 19 September 2026

09:45 to 10:45, 11:00 to 12:00, 13:30 to 14:30 and 15:00 to 16:00

Location : La Machine de Marly

Destination

12 quai Rennequin Sualem

78380

Bougival

GPS coordinates

Latitude : 48.871454

Longitude : 2.124421

Event Organizer

Mairie de Bougival

Phone : +33 1 30 78 25 80

"Mairie de Bougival"

Location

La Machine de Marly

12 quai Rennequin Sualem

78380

Bougival

Presentation

Celebrate the European Heritage Days with an exceptional guided tour of the Marly Machine. Discover the ingenious hydraulic system that supplied water from the River Seine to the Palace of Versailles.

Take advantage of the exceptional opening of the Marly Machine during the European Heritage Days and discover one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 17th century.

Built in 1681 during the reign of Louis XIV, the Marly Machine was an extraordinary technological masterpiece. Its innovative hydraulic system pumped water from the River Seine to the gardens and fountains of the Palace of Versailles, making the King's ambitious landscape projects possible.

Led by a specialist archaeologist, this guided tour takes you through the educational exhibition spaces before exploring the pumping station, which remains in operation today. Along the way, you will learn how this remarkable feat of engineering worked and why it played such a vital role in the history of Versailles.

A fascinating journey into the history of science, technology and hydraulic engineering.