Special washhouses | lavoirs.org

Types of washhouses

There are four main types

Washhouses by a pond or river

Washhouses by a pond or river are the simplest. Sometimes they have a rack-and-pinion board: a washing board fixed to a metal structure connected to racks that allowed the board to be lowered or raised depending on the water level.

Covered washhouses

Washhouses covered by a simple roof supported by pillars, with the basin in the centre — rectangular, circular, semicircular, oval, etc.

Impluvium washhouses

In impluvium washhouses, the basin is in the centre and supplied with rainwater by a roof sloped inward.

Tunnel washhouses

Tunnel washhouses take the form of a half-cylindrical tunnel built entirely of dressed stone. Making use of an embankment or a cliff, they are buried and vaulted either in a basket-handle or barrel shape.

Specialised washhouses

Particular uses depending on local needs

Horse washhouse

The horse washhouse (for example the Beaurepaire Farm in the Beauce) is a watering point with a paved bottom, as shown at both ends of the washhouse. Horses would wade fully into the water to cool down and rid themselves of parasites after their labour.

Horse washhouses, or "egayoirs". The name, in Lorraine, for the kind of pond dug to bathe horses.

Vegetable washhouse

The vegetable washhouse (photo: the Saint Nicolas washhouse in Mézières-sur-Seine), shallow, was once used to wash leeks, the specialty of the market gardeners of Mézières.

Washing stone

A washing stone is a flat stone, usually sandstone. These are spots arranged along the riverbank for beating laundry, used by washerwomen. Photo: one of the rare washing stones in Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines.

Washhouse boat

A floating public facility. Some remain in Mayenne, including the Saint Julien , which was turned into a museum retracing the life of washerwomen, then widespread in river towns.

Town-hall washhouse

"Town-hall washhouses" were built in the early 19th century and are now listed as historic monuments. Mont-devant-Sassey (55), Bouligney (70), etc.

Block washhouse

The washhouse is a simple rectangular basin surrounded by raised blocks. These blocks allowed laundry to be scrubbed on a slate slab while standing upright.

Double-sided washhouse

This is a washhouse with no framework where the two edges are parallel. One side follows the riverbank, the other lies on the stream where the water flow can be regulated.

Olive washhouse

The olive washhouse was intended for washing olives and wheat before they were taken to the mill. Later supplemented by a laundry washhouse, this place was for a long time a hub of village social life. Even today, water flows there summer and winter at a constant temperature of 12°C.

Diversity of heritage

This diversity of types and uses reflects how washhouses adapted to local needs and geographical constraints. Each region, each municipality developed its own solutions depending on available resources, climate and local economic activities.

This architectural and functional richness makes French washhouses a heritage unique in the world, reflecting the ingenuity and adaptability of our ancestors to the necessities of daily life.