Route of the Fountains and Washhouses in Alvignac

Car park: on the left as you approach Alvignac, before the Hôtel du Château, coming from L’Hospitalet on the D673.

(S/E) Head towards the Grande Rue and make your way towards the village centre. Turn right into the Venelle du Théron, located on the corner by the school. Walk past the washhouse and the Théron fountain and continue to the right along the Rue du Mas de Cavalié, until you reach the junction with the Rue du Théron on the left.

(1) Turn right into Rue des Grands Chênes. Continue to the Route de Gramat (D20) and turn right. Then take the first road on the left, Rue Louisa Paulin, followed by the second road on the right – still called Rue Louisa Paulin – until you reach the crossroads.

(2) Turn left onto Rue du Coustalou. After passing through the hamlet of Coustalou, at a Y-junction, take Rue du Causse Nud on the left. Just before the last house in the hamlet of Coustalou, on the left, about 30 metres from the road, there is a fountain. Continue along this street until you reach a crossroads with a track on the left.

(3) Take this track, heading due north, towards the lodge. At the entrance to the hamlet of Causse Nud, walk past the lodge on your right and continue northwards, descending to the D673.

(4) Turn right and then immediately left onto the track towards Pénoutou. On reaching the hamlet of Pénoutou, turn left onto the Chemin de la Combe Molière. Immediately on your left, you will see the Fontaine du Théron de Pénoutou.

(5) At the end of Chemin de la Combe, turn left onto Chemin des Fontanelles to reach a crossroads.

(6) Keep to the left and immediately turn right onto the path which climbs for about 150 metres to the T-junction. Turn left and continue along the edge of the forest. You will reach the Lavoir des Fontanelles. Continue along the road to the right until you reach the D20.

(7) Cross Avenue de la Source with care, then take Rue du Couderc opposite and, next, turn right into Rue de Samarre. Turn left onto Chemin de Samarre. At the bottom of the path you can see the washhouse.
Then walk back up the grassy path on the other side of the hill until you reach Rue du Mas de Troy, and turn right onto this street. At the T-junction, turn left into Rue Marie Bach. Walk past the town hall to reach the car park on the right in the Grand’Rue (S/E).

Please note: after point (3), the path leading downhill may be slippery after heavy rain.

As you walk down the Venelle de Théron, you’ll come to the Théron washhouse and fountain at the bottom of this alley.
On the Route du Causse Nub, just before the last house on the left, there is a fountain about 30 metres from the road.
On reaching the hamlet of Pénoutou, you’ll find the Théron de Pénoutou fountain on the left, at the junction with the Chemin de la Combe Molière.
At the end of the Chemin des Noyers is the Fontanelles washhouse.
As you walk down the Chemin de Samarre, you’ll come to a washhouse.