Prochain point : lat="49.001151" lon="1.974401"
Fontaine-lavoir Saint-Nicaise
(Saint Nicasius fountain-washhouse)
Where a monster once raged, the Saint and his companions made him as gentle as a lamb...
From the dragon’s cave...
This is the legendary site of the event that led to founding of the parish of Vaux-sur-Seine in the third or fourth century. In those ancient times of early Christianity, the evangelist Nicasius and his companions Quirinus and Scubicule encountered a population terrorized by a dragon that was living in a nearby cave and had poisoned the spring. Tamed by Nicasius, the dragon allowed a stole to be tied around its neck and to be led before the people of Vaux. The future Bishop killed it, with the words "Cursed snake, in the name of Jesus Christ be shattered and broken, so that reduced to dust the wind will clear the memory of your carcass." Convinced by the miracle that had rid them of the demon, more than three hundred villagers were baptized with the spring water that had been purified.
... to a miraculous fountain
The spring is now Saint-Nicaise fountain. Over the centuries, many miracles have taken place for those who drank its water. Six have been approved and recognized. A chapel built there was destroyed in November 1793, during the Reign of Terror, and replaced in 1890 by this cross associating Saint Nicasius and Saint Roch. For many centuries, there was a procession to the fountain every year on May 1st. The event continued until the 1940s. This very old fountain was redesigned in 1838, and roofed over in 1883. The washhouse was restored in 1995 and again in 2011.
