Cité des lavandières
VD-CAT
Historic site and monument

Source Saint-Martial et lavoirs

Partage :

The Saint Martial spring already existed in the 3rd century. In the 20th century, it still supplied a few washing basins, earning Nohanent the nickname “cité des lavandières” (city of the lavender ladies).

Sacred in Gallic times, this spring was dedicated to Saint Martial in the 3rd century.

In the second half of the 19th century, the Royat thermal spa, located 6 km away, was booming. The bourgeoisie and the European aristocracy flocked there to “take the waters” at the Eugénie spring, tested by the Empress in 1862. Bourgeois residents of Clermont-Ferrand and spa visitors produced such large quantities of dirty linens that the residents of Nohanent decided to channel the clean water from the Saint Martial spring to supply the many washing basins and provide a laundry service. Until the 1920s, there were six washing basins on the square, dubbed “streams” by the Nohanent residents. Nohanent was then nicknamed “cité des lavandières” (city of the Lavender ladies), the name given to the washer women who used lavender essence to perfume the laundry. This business prospered until the arrival of the washing machine in the 1960s.

At 8 rue de la Ville is a former laundry featuring a boiler, washing tubs and small laundry items including wheelbarrow, crate, umbrella, laundry beater, scrubbing brush and soap. Note that at the end of the house, the opening allowed ventilation of the attic where the laundry was put to dry in bad weather.

The Saint-Martial spring flowed under the Maison de la Source, which has been the local association support centre for Nohanent since 1991. Several buildings have successively occupied this site over the centuries, including Saint-Anne chapel, built in the 10th century and destroyed in 1790, and the former Town hall-School built on its remains in 1838.

Tarifs

Free access.

Ouverture

Periode d‘ouverture : Ouvert toute l‘année

All year round, daily.

Ça peut vous intéresser
Site des côtes
Clermont-Ferrand

Côtes de Clermont-Ferrand - Chanturgue

Château de Blanzat
Blanzat

Château de Blanzat

Eglise Saint-Pardoux à Blanzat
Blanzat

Église Saint-Pardoux

Façade des  Thermes de Royat, carte postale ancienne
Royat

Spa resort

Buvette Eugénie, parc thermal de Royat
Royat

Eugenie drink stand and Velleda Spring

Clermont Auvergne TourismeFontaine d'Amboise
Clermont-Ferrand

Amboise Fountain

Pavillon Saint-Mart à Royat. Patrtimoine thermal
Royat

Pavillon Saint-Mart or fontaine des goutteux

Église Saint-Martial
Nohanent

Église Saint-Martial

Fontaine-Lavoir de Saulzet-le-Chaud
Romagnat

Fontaine-Lavoir de Saulzet-le-Chaud

Mise à jour le 11/10/2024 Par Clermont Auvergne Volcans
Signaler une erreur
Vos favoris

Votre panier est vide, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet