Communal wash-houses in Pays Arnay-Liernais

Heritage is not always a tourist attraction. Each commune has its own local heritage: wash-houses, chapels, mills, etc. Volunteers (residents, local councillors or associations) continue to safeguard these places and allow the public to discover them freely.

Here are a few examples of wash-houses in Pays Arnay-Liernais :

– The wash-house in Viévy: located near the town hall and the school. Primary school groups from Viévy-Magnien-Voudenay worked with Marie-Agnès, a local guide, on the work of washerwomen. They passed on their knowledge to the public during a guided tour in collaboration with the service Pays d’Art et d’Histoire (PAH) of Pays Auxois Morvan area.

– Le wash-house in Magnien: Located on the outskirts of the village, this is one of the largest restored wash-houses in Pays Arnay-Liernais.

– Le wash-house in Marcheseuil: located under the Mairie-school, the wash-house can be entered through the arcades.

Laundries are not just about washing…

Women have always gone to the river or pond to wash their clothes. Usually, they used flat stones or wooden planks to rub the laundry. Then they would rinse the linen with plenty of water before putting it out to dry.

It was in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, following several epidemics (cholera, smallpox and other diseases), that health measures began to be taken seriously. In 1851, a law was passed to subsidize the construction of a washhouse in every commune. Use of the public wash-house was either free or subject to a charge.

The wash-house was used only by women, some bringing their children with them when they couldn’t be looked after. It was a place for reunions, discussions, gossip and sometimes jealousy between washerwomen whose laundry was of better quality.

They were used until the 1950s, when washing machines were introduced into every home.