Laundries and Fountains - 5.

Saturday, 6th June.  Blue skies and a very hot sun.  Thank goodness for air conditioning in the car as we set out, after an early lunch, on a ‘magical mystery tour’ to find more lavoirs et fontaines.

Our journey took us south of Verdun.  We were pleasantly surprised to find unexpected old laundries on the way to the villages we planned to visit…

Chatillon-sous-les-Cotes...

The river behind the wash house.

On the road side of the building the water disappears underground and no longer continues above ground on the opposite side but, just along from the bridge we spotted this pretty house...

Then, on to....

The wash house is now dry.

Behind the building there is a skittle ally and play area opposite a war memorial and church.

Back to the itinerary…

This laundry too is dry and basin has a stone top, but the area makes a good hang-out for the youngsters. Two girls on bikes politely stopped cycling the circuit when I held up my camera but their younger, admiring brother, perhaps, still watched.  I thanked them as I said my 'aurevoir'.

Nearby - boys and their toys! Ron investigates!

We find a second wash house in the village...

My camera requests a battery charge!  Luckily Ron has his with him!!  We

continued our journey through forests, tree-lined roads and open countryside...

to...

Lots of gushing water here!

To the left of the building...

...and to the right.

We haven't seen this type of wash house before. There is machinery inside which can be used to lower or raise the floor depending on the height of the river which was used instead of a basin. The river flows behind and to the side of the building.

Then I did some old-fashioned map-reading to get us west, then north to our next destination and afterwards east towards Verdun.

The building was locked and windows covered but a bench outside in the shade was welcome.











We arrived back home four hours from the start time, having stopped off at a small farm shop in Bras-sur-Meuse for asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries.  A lovely afternoon through beautiful countryside, a lot of which was new to us.  And there are still more lavoirs et fontaines to discover!