Fontaines

There are numerous fountains in Saint-Clément: one in each district. In the days before running water, everyone used to fetch the water they needed for domestic chores and for their animals. it's in fact more commonly known as a fountain-washhouse, with several basins for washing clothes. Washerwomen were still employed at the turn of the century. These are women paid to do the washing. In the past, coarse white linen was washed twice a year, in autumn and early spring: this was known as bugade. The fountain at the bottom of the village is a reminder of the social role it used to play, serving as a drinking water supply, a fire-fighting system and a wash-house. Saint-Clément-sur-Durance boasts some incredibly beautiful fountains, each different from the next in terms of the materials used and their shape.

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