What is a French lavoir?
“When you wish upon a star, or in this case when you wish upon a French lavoir.”
A lavoir is a public wash house or communal washing place found in many French villages often with a fountain.
These places can be generously decorated with flowers and are usually well maintained by locals and councils. They vary from the very simple to the quite grand. Many were built in the 19th century when bringing water to a village was considered a priority for village inhabitants and farmers. Built around natural water sources like springs or rivers and often with roofs for shelter, they were the focal point of village life. Many are also located directly beside rivers or lakes like the photographed above in central France.
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