Lavoirs de France
Discover, explore and preserve the unique heritage of French washhouses
What is a washhouse?
A washhouse is a public basin intended for washing clothes. Generally fed by a spring or watercourse and often covered, it was the workplace of washerwomen. Some washhouses were even equipped with chimneys to produce the ash necessary for bleaching. Whether made of stone, brick, wood or cob, these witnesses to our history deserve to be preserved and enhanced.
Our mission
Lavoirs de France aims to showcase this often unknown local heritage and guide walkers and cyclists in their exploration. Our site aims to:
- Help appreciate these places of life and meeting, witnesses of local history
- Encourage municipalities to restore and maintain their washhouses
- Encourage private owners to preserve this fragile heritage
- Highlight the renovation and beautification efforts already carried out
- Inspire collective action for the preservation of this unique heritage
Latest publications
New washhouses added in the last 30 days (256 in total) :
- Saône-et-Loire (71) : 44 lavoirs - 22/08/2025
- Puy-de-Dôme (63) : 1 lavoir - 22/08/2025
- Haute-Vienne (87) : 2 lavoirs - 22/08/2025
- Vienne (86) : 1 lavoir - 22/08/2025
- Deux-Sèvres (79) : 1 lavoir - 22/08/2025
- Allier (03) : 1 lavoir - 22/08/2025
- Haute-Marne (52) : 60 lavoirs - 19/08/2025
- Rhône (69) : 16 lavoirs - 18/08/2025
- Tarn (81) : 2 lavoirs - 18/08/2025
- Ain (01) : 37 lavoirs - 16/08/2025
- Doubs (25) : 1 lavoir - 16/08/2025
- Isère (38) : 6 lavoirs - 16/08/2025
- Savoie (73) : 3 lavoirs - 16/08/2025
- Hautes-Pyrénées (65) : 5 lavoirs - 10/08/2025
- Dordogne (24) : 3 lavoirs - 10/08/2025
- Gers (32) : 10 lavoirs - 10/08/2025
- Cantal (15) : 4 lavoirs - 10/08/2025
- Côtes-d'Armor (22) : 1 lavoir - 10/08/2025
- Lot (46) : 2 lavoirs - 10/08/2025
- Aveyron (12) : 3 lavoirs - 10/08/2025
- Jura (39) : 5 lavoirs - 07/08/2025
- Ariège (09) : 4 lavoirs - 07/08/2025
- Gironde (33) : 1 lavoir - 03/08/2025
- Lot-et-Garonne (47) : 1 lavoir - 03/08/2025
- Lozère (48) : 1 lavoir - 03/08/2025
- Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) : 22 lavoirs - 03/08/2025
- Gard (30) : 2 lavoirs - 03/08/2025
- Creuse (23) : 2 lavoirs - 03/08/2025
- Aude (11) : 3 lavoirs - 03/08/2025
- Haute-Garonne (31) : 3 lavoirs - 03/08/2025
- Haut-Rhin (68) : 2 lavoirs - 03/08/2025
- Charente (16) : 1 lavoir - 30/07/2025
- Tarn-et-Garonne (82) : 1 lavoir - 30/07/2025
- Corrèze (19) : 1 lavoir - 30/07/2025
- Cher (18) : 1 lavoir - 30/07/2025
- Ardèche (07) : 1 lavoir - 30/07/2025
- Drôme (26) : 2 lavoirs - 30/07/2025
A journey through history and regions
On Lavoirs de France, we invite you on a fascinating journey through time and the terroirs of our country. You will discover:
- The rich history of washhouses, from their origins to their peak
- The architectural diversity reflecting regional particularities
- Traditional washing techniques and tools used
- The social and cultural importance of washhouses in community life
- Current preservation and enhancement efforts by our contributors
Join the adventure
Lavoirs de France is also your site. Whether you are an amateur historian, heritage enthusiast, hiker or simply curious, you can contribute to this beautiful adventure:
- Explore our washhouse database
- Share your discoveries and photos of local washhouses
- Report washhouses that are not yet on our site
- Participate in preserving this precious heritage by raising awareness among those around you
May this virtual walk through the washhouses of France awaken in you the desire to contribute to the preservation of this unique heritage. Together, let us keep alive the memory of these places that have so much to teach us about our past and our collective identity.
Happy exploring on Lavoirs de France !
The team of Lavoirs de France.
Discovery of the day
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