Laundries and Fountains - 6 (a bonus discovery).

Sunday 7th June.  More blue sky and sunshine but with a stiffer breeze so a little cooler than yesterday.

We decided to go out but somewhere not too far today.  Green, water, trees for shade…it had to be a favourite - the village green and pond at Azannes, which is a pretty spot about 5 miles from home. As we arrive, we noticed a fountain and water trough which we hadn’t been conscious of before!  We hadn’t set out on the lavoirs et fontaines route so it was serendipity.

As we were leaving we turned up by the church to investigate...

 

...and saw this sign…

 

 

 

We thought we would be adding more information to our previous search for destroyed villages as well as lavoirs, but it was not to be.  The road became a track which climbed and got rougher the further we went and suddenly we were above Azannes which is set in beautiful countryside…

An old windmill...and continuing the panorama from left to right...

 

Dog roses and elder flowers grew in profusion on the hedges...

 The road dipped a little, we turned a corner and found two beautiful lakes. From a map we discovered the area is called Etang du Haut Fourneau.

Sadly there was no sign or signs of the former village of Soumazannes. 

We turned and went back to Azannes and, as we got to ‘good’ roads, strange noises came from under the car. We had picked up a small square of metal with two nails which had been stuck into the front offside tyre until it had flapped off into the road. With the prospect of a slow puncture we made no further stops and took a steady drive back.

On the way out of Azannes we spotted another fountain and what could be a wash-house.  We will be back!