The Sacred Fountain
Pont-de-Ruan

The Sacred Fountain

Heritage and history
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 "Framed by ancient walnut trees, young poplars with pale golden leaves amid long meadows where the eye loses itself under a warm sky, you'll get an idea of one of the thousand views of this beautiful country."

With these words, Honoré de Balzac, in Le Lys dans la Vallée, invites you to love "his" Touraine.

Attachment

  • La Fontaine Sacrée - Pont-de-Ruan

    Credit: La Fontaine Sacrée - Pont-de-Ruan - Touraine Vallée de l'Indre

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Description

  1. Balzac mills
    The two wheels belong to the Lambert mill, the older of the two mills, built in 1285. The larger Gillet mill produced bread flour until 1959 and ice-cream loaves until 1972. Today, the two mills form Les Moulins Lambert.
  2. Sainte-Apolline chapel
    The oratory dates from 1820. She is the patron saint of dental surgeons.
  3. Hexagonal Oratory of the Holy Trinity 
    Dating from the 16th century, pilgrims pray and then throw their oblations at the foot of the modest altar.

    The Sacred Fountain
    Between mid-May and mid-June, and particularly on Holy Trinity Sunday, the sick would come here in procession, in the hope of supernatural healing, especially for rheumatism.

    The wash-house
    Dates back to 1907. It retains its fireplace and brick-framed door.
  4. Front of a house 19 rue Saint-Brice
    Sculpture by a Compagnon du devoir.
  5. Church of the Holy Trinity
    The original church was founded by Saint-Brice, a disciple of Saint-Martin, in 444, on the foundations of an ancient Roman house. It was rebuilt in the 11th century after Norman incursions.
  6. The Grand'Maison
    Known as the "Belle Croix", this is a former Dominican convent dating from the 17th century.
  7. The Roman Way
    Still visible between Pont-de-Ruan and Thilouze, it linked Tours to Poitiers.
  8. Car circuit
    Straddling the communes of Pont-de-Ruan and Saché, this circuit hosts rally-cross and 2CV cross races.
  9. Lavoir de la Planche des Chaqueneaux
    Humble and difficult to access, this was the only washhouse where the women of Haut Village and Les Châletières could do their laundry. Imagine how hard the women had to work to haul up their wheelbarrows laden with wet linen! 
  • Departure : Moulin motorhome park
  • Arrival : Moulin motorhome park
  • Towns crossed : Pont-de-Ruan, Saché, Thilouze, and Artannes-sur-Indre

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