Sentiers du Patrimoine ®
Le Perchay
Poursuivre jusqu’au le lavoir de la vallée aux Moines.
Prochain point : Lat. 49.11172, Long. 1.93818
Although only its stone basins survive today, this washhouse—once protected by a roof—was probably built later than the one further upstream in the Valley of the Monks. Municipal records show that, in 1876, the commune purchased land to build a washhouse on the site of the Fontaine aux Reliques ("Relics Spring").
Curiously, there were very few dwellings nearby, apart from Le Cornouiller Farm in the neighbouring commune of Us. Perhaps the washhouse served local washerwomen when the upstream washhouse was already in use.
Its former name, Fontaine aux Reliques, remains something of a mystery. Neither local history nor oral tradition offers any explanation. It may be linked to the name Valley of the Monks, or to the place-name Saint-Blaise, recorded on an 18th-century map, both of which evoke the area's religious past. These names almost certainly reflect the presence of the former Priory of Le Cornouiller further down the valley.
The Priory of Le Cornouiller is believed to have been founded in the 12th century by Thierry de Luzarches and belonged to the Benedictine Abbey of Josaphat. The monks followed the Rule of Saint Benedict, leading a daily life structured around prayer, manual labour and the study of religious texts. During the Middle Ages, the Benedictine Order was the wealthiest and most influential monastic order in Western Europe.
The priory was dedicated to Saint Blaise, and local tradition tells that some of the saint's relics were once kept nearby. This may explain the origin of the name Fontaine aux Reliques ("Relics Spring").
The priory was abandoned in 1654 and, during the French Revolution, was sold as national property in 1792 before being converted into a farm. The former Chapel of Saint Blaise still survives today and forms part of Le Cornouiller Farm, which has since been converted into holiday accommodation.
