Profile of the Machine of Marly
Cut the length through the spillways
Engraving of La Machine of Marly
View from the river
Profile of the Machine of Marly
Section along its length
From "Beautés de la France", Nicholas de Fer, 1705-1724
Bird's Eye View of the Machine of Marly
18th century engraving
"THE MACHINE OF MARLY is built on an arm of the Seine river. It consists of 14 wheels of 30 feet in diameter, the axles of which have two cranks, one which moves the pistons which push the water into the pipes and raise it up to the first reservoir; the other moves a system of crossarm levers which run the length of the mountain up to the highest reservoir. These crossarms power the pumps which are in the reservoirs and pump the water from the lower resevoir to the upper and from there to the top of the tower which is at the summit of the mountain, from where it runs over a large aqueduct which feeds different pipes to furnish all the waters of Versailles and Marly."
The vertical perspective of this view is exaggerated.
In the distance is the town of St. Germain en Laye.
The two buildings along the left side of river path still exist, as does the Chateau Du Barry and the aqueduct in the upper left.
Details of the transfer lever system and pumps of the Machine of Marly. The levers, driven by the waterwheels, powered the remote pumps located at the midpoint reservoir on the hill and at the top reservoir at the Chateau Du Barry, forcing the water to the top of the aqueduct. There were a total of over 250 pumps in the system.
River View of the Machine of Marly
Colored Engraving from "Beautés de la France", Nicholas de Fer, 1705-1724
Details of the pump pistons. Leather was used as sealing gaskets. Hinged valves allowed water to enter the pump cylinder or be pushed from it, depending on the direction of the stroke.
Plan of the Machine platform showing locations of pumps and cross arm mechanisms.
Model of the Chateau of Marly, destroyed after the Revolution. One of the reservoirs filled by the Machine can be seen in the upper left, which supplied both this chateau and Versailles. The model is from the Musée Promenade in Louveciennes.
Annotated Model of the Machine, early 1700s. The model is from the Musée Promenade in Louveciennes.
The "Modern Day Machines"
Versions of the nineteenth century
This is la Machine de Marly as it was known most recently. Built in 1858 by Dufrayer, it was one of the replacements for the original machine of 1685. Several Impressionist painters from the area found it interesting subject matter.
Six huge paddlewheels (40 ft. diameter by 13 ft. wide) were in the interior of the 1858 Machine. Its construction was encouraged by Napoleon III, who extended the supply pipes all the way to his favorite chateau in St Cloud.
The array of pipes can be seen behind the smokestack of the Cecile and Martin "Steam Machine", which functioned between 1824-1856. The "Service des Eaux de Versailles et Saint Cloud" company still uses these pipes to carry water pumped (by electricity) from wells in the Croissy aquifer up to reservoirs still in use since Louis XIV's era.
The machinery in the 1858 Machine was still in use up until 1963, at that point being used to generate electricity. The building was demolished in 1968, considered an obstacle to navigation.
A more recent postcard of the Machine site, on which one can see, across the river, two of the original administrative buildings from the 1685 Machine (left and center-right), and the steam-driven Machine of 1824 (right). Reflected in the water, at the top of the hill is Madame du Barry's Pavillon de Musique.
This 1830 engraving by Georges Muller shows the replacement steam Machine on the right, and the remenants of the original Machine in the lower center, which was in use until the early 1800s. Two of the original wheels were left standing and retrofitted with new pumps which could propel water to the highest resevoirs in one stage instead of three. All of the old pumping mechanisms on the hill have disappeared, and a public walkway has taken over the steep maintenance road running up behind the old paddlewheels. At the top of the hill, just to the left of the path, is Madame du Barry's Pavillon de Musique.