Old postcards
Discover the washhouses of yesteryear through a collection of historical postcards
Old postcards of washhouses
With the participation of Jean-Pierre TORNATO and Charles CAMBE.
You can help us improve this site
To do so, simply scan your cards at maximum resolution (preferably in JPEG/PNG format).
You can then send them by email to the following address: webmaster@lavoirs.org
Any help is welcome. Given the large number of old postcards, they have been organised by region.
ENJOY YOUR VISIT and a big THANK YOU to everyone who has sent us a card.
Examples of postcards
Just click on the photo to enlarge it
Bazincourt (Eure)
Saint LĂ©ger en Yvelines (Yvelines)
Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis)
Moret-sur-Loing (Seine-et-Marne)
Choose a region
and view the many old postcards listed
Old images
1) Old images of scenes at washhouses
2) Advertisements for washerwomen
3) Soldiers at the washhouse
With the participation of Jean-Pierre TORNATO.
Just click on the photo to enlarge it.
Old images (scenes at washhouses)
Washhouse boat on the RhĂ´ne
Villaines la Gonais (Sarthe)
Cheilly les Maranges (SaĂ´ne et Loire)
Advertisements for washerwomen
Soldiers at the washhouse
Granville (Manche)
Mourmelon (Marne)
The infantry at the washhouse
The pleasures of the barracks
Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine)
Châlon-en-Champagne (Marne)
About old postcards
These postcards are a precious testimony to the era when washhouses were still in use. They let us discover the architecture, the surroundings and sometimes even the washerwomen at work.
Most of these cards date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the golden age of the postcard in France. They represent an irreplaceable documentary heritage for understanding the history of our washhouses.