Lady Liberty's Parisian Roots: Where to Find the Five Statues in Paris

Everyone knows the colossal figure in New York Harbor, but few realize she was born in Paris, built in the 17th arrondissement, and that she has five smaller sisters still living in the French capital. The Statue of Liberty isn't just an American icon; she's a Parisian native, created by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with engineering by Gustave Eiffel. Today, you can trace her history through Paris by visiting these five locations—from the Seine to hidden museums—where her torch still burns, albeit on a more modest scale.

Île aux Cygnes: The "Official" Sister

The most famous Parisian replica stands on the Île aux Cygnes, a man-made island in the Seine near the Eiffel Tower. This 11.5-meter bronze statue was a gift from the American community in Paris to France in 1889, celebrating the centennial of the French Revolution.

Originally, she faced east toward the Élysée Palace (to avoid turning her back on the president), which disappointed Bartholdi because she turned her back to her big sister in New York. In 1937, for the Universal Exposition, she was finally turned westward, facing the Atlantic and America—the orientation Bartholdi had always intended.

Where to see it: Pont de Grenelle (Métro Bir-Hakeim or Javel). Walk down to the tip of the island for the best view, or take a Seine cruise to pass right beneath her torch.

Musée d'Orsay: The Original Model

Inside the spectacular Musée d'Orsay stands a significant piece of history: one of the first bronze models Bartholdi cast for the Luxembourg Gardens. This statue stood outdoors in the Jardin du Luxembourg for over a century (from 1906 to 2012) before pollution and theft of her torch led to her relocation for protection.

She now resides safely in the museum's central nave, allowing you to examine the details of Bartholdi's work up close without weather damage. Her presence here connects the artistic masterpiece to the industrial feat.

Where to see it: Musée d'Orsay, typically in the central nave or 19th-century sculpture galleries.

Jardin du Luxembourg: The Replacement

After the original model moved to the Musée d'Orsay in 2012, the Senate (which manages the garden) installed a new bronze replica in the exact same spot. Standing near the rue Guynemer entrance, this statue continues the tradition of Lady Liberty watching over Parisian joggers and students.

It serves as a tangible reminder of the friendship between France and the United States, positioned in a garden that has long been a center of Parisian intellectual and political life.

Where to see it: Jardin du Luxembourg, western side near the rue Guynemer entrance.

Musée des Arts et Métiers: The Technical Origins

This museum, dedicated to industrial design and technology, holds two Statues of Liberty. Inside, in the former church that serves as the museum's main hall, stands the original 1878 plaster model (1/16th scale) that Bartholdi used to finalize the design before scaling it up. This is the "mother" of all the statues—the definitive shape from which the New York colossus was mathematically enlarged.

Outside on the museum's forecourt stands a bronze cast made from this plaster model in 2010, welcoming visitors to the museum.

Where to see it: 60 Rue de Réaumur (Métro Arts et Métiers). The bronze is outside (free); the plaster model is inside (ticket required).

The Hidden Centaur: The Secret Statue

The smallest and most elusive Statue of Liberty in Paris hides in plain sight on Place Michel Debré in the 6th arrondissement. The "Centaur"—a massive sculpture by the artist César—stands in the square. If you look closely at the centaur's chest, you'll see a tiny replica of the Statue of Liberty emerging from his torso. It's an artist's wink, a miniature homage concealed within a completely different work of art.

Where to see it: Place Michel Debré (Métro Sèvres-Babylone), embedded in the Centaur sculpture.

Visiting these statues reveals the French engineering and artistic vision behind the American symbol. From the technical models at Arts et Métiers to the diplomatic gift on the Seine, Paris offers a Liberty tour that tells the story of her creation before she ever reached New York Harbor.