What is Point Zero in French?
 

I have a photograph I took of my dear departed dad on his very last trip to Europe. In the photo Dad is standing on a round marker amidst a cobblestoned area which is across the street from Notre Dame. The marker is not the center of Paris, but is rather the point from which all distances in Paris are measured.

I know I was told a French name for this marker, but as a non-French speaker it went in one ear and out the other, and I only remembered the English translation.

Babel Fish is trying to tell me that Point Zero in English translates to Point Zero in French. That may be true, but does anyone know the more French sounding name I'm sure I was told??

Thank you.

I just did a search on Google for "point zero" along with some very common French words, just to see whether I'd come up with much French text using these words. I did. It's "point zéro." (The only difference is the accent mark.)

Here is a rather clumsily translated internet explanation.

No reason to think there is another more euphonious name for the spot in question:

"It’s a simple bronze milestone, sealed in a stone of the parvis, about twenty metres from the cathedral. Completely concentrated looking at the western façade of the church, the tourists just trample on it, pass by, don’t notice it without ever seeing it. It is true that nothing announces its presence; only that discreet inscription: ”Point zero des routes de France”. But this milestone is important: it materializes the zero point of France, since several centuries, from where distances are calculated between Paris and other French or foreign cities."

Interesting. I never noticed the one in Paris.

I do remember seeing the one outside the mayor's office in Madrid, Spain.

I guess the mayor's office in Madrid doesn't distract tourists like Notre Dame does in Paris. :-)

Ah, "Point zero des routes de France".

That must be the name I was told, because I was thinking it had sounded like longer, as well as more "French sounding", words.

Thank you so much, Ted Gale, and you too, cmt.

By the way, our Parisian tour guide also said that supposedly, if you stand on Point Zero you will always return to Paris.

I hope it will work for me!

Thanks again.

It's also referred to as kilometre zero, although the stone says point zero.

Christina and GECW, I confirm that a Frenchman would say "Kilomètre zéro", "Point zéro" not ringing any bell.

>..our Parisian tour guide also said that supposedly, if you stand on Point Zero you will always return to Paris.<

IMHO, once you've been to Paris, you will return even if you don't stand on PZ.

Unlike Rome, where you have to toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain. :)

((I))

"Set in the slabs of stone outside the west door of Notre Dame cathedral is a bronze star-shaped plaque denoting Point Zéro, the spot from where all distances from Paris are measured."
Above is another description of the point zéro, an excerpt from:
http://www.footprintguides.com/Paris...e-St-Louis.php

http://www.naturegraphics.net/bh393%20Point%20Zero.jpg
There you can read "Point Zéro des Routes de France".

Thank you for pointing out the other name, Christina and Art V.

Thanks for sharing the photo of the marker, kappa. I guess I should have taken a picture like that so I could have rememebered the real name of the thing. Live and learn.

And Ira, as ever, you're right. :)