Le lavoir Notre-Dame

A "TROGLODYTE" WASHHOUSE

Established in 1882 in the city wall, near the old Notre-Dame gate, this washhouse is sheltered by a low vault, forming a bridge under the rue des Tisserands.

Its parallel basins, fed by a gutter dug against the back wall, are subdivided into two: at the top, the "refrescador", or washing basin, from which the water flows into the "lavador", the actual washhouse.

THE BUGADO

Women used to kneel in wooden boxes lined with straw to wash their clothes. the "bugado", a big white laundry, made at home with wood ashes in the "lou tineu" or laundry vat, was usually done only once or twice a year, in spring and autumn! The laundry was then taken to the wash house or to the river to be rinsed with running water.

"LOU LAVADOU DI PEVOU

The Notre-Dame washhouse is popularly called "des Poux". The proximity of the fountain that adjoins it is perhaps not foreign to this name. Horses, mules and other draught or pack animals entering the town used to drink there.