Grande Fontaine – The Big Fountain

Hidden away in this underground passageway, you’ll find the so-called Grande Fontaine, the Big Fountain. It’s a spring that was made into a washhouse in the 18th century. The fountain, however, dates from the 13th century, as far back as 1274. Hidden beneath the city streets, it has served as a vital water source throughout its history, notably during the city’s sieges in 1479 and 1636. Washerwomen would then come here to wash their clothes. To this day, the fountain is erroneously nicknamed the “Fountain of the Lepers.” You see, it is said that the sick were kept here and told to wash their clothes in the fountain in order to contaminate the water, which then flowed to the lower town, where the enemy drank it. This isn’t true, however, as lepers were not allowed to enter the city – they were kept well away from the locals. You can still see, however, the remains of a Romanesque bridge that was once built here. This eerie, mysterious place inspired writer Marcel Aymé to pen his novel The Secret Stream, published in 1936. Tucked away in the Raynaud III Passage, it’s a truly one-of-a-kind place, straight out of medieval times!