The washhouse

I have spent most of the day sleeping on the sofa. I can't remember the last cold that poleaxed me in this way. I decided to get a bit of fresh air in the middle of the day and walked the 100 metres to the newly decorated lavoir. By the time I returned it felt like I had climbed Canigou! They have made a good job of the decoration even if it is a bit romanticised. The hot water from the spring runs permanently and a woman was washing there at the time.
Lavoirs were usually constructed on the sites of springs or beside streams and rivers. Ours was reconstructed in the 1950's after the previous one was swept away in the terrible floods of 1940. Apart from their obvious function they also provided a place for the women of rural France to socialise, thus relieving the tedium and hard work of washing by hand. They remained in use until the advent of mains water and washing machines-in some places up until the 1960s.
Unused and unloved they began to crumble and decay and some have disappeared altogether. Happily, many communes have now recognised the importance of preserving this part of their heritage and the lavoirs have been restored.
There are several different types of lavoir depending on the water source; a covered stone quay on the banks of a river or lake, a covered central wash pool or a wash pool with an open sloping roof angled to collect rainwater. Some are simply built, others elaborate examples of the local architectural style.
Mrs TT spotted some large washers the other day recently installed in the supermarket car park. She did not seem impressed when I pointed out we had a better one closer to home!