Le Bateau-Lavoir Saint-Julien

First appearing in Laval under the Second Empire, these washboats, initially relegated to the outskirts of the city, grew to number around twenty on both sides of the river.

The labor of the washerwomen, nicknamed “Poules d’eau” (moorhen) in Mayenne, was not easy.
First, they rinse the linen cold in the river water, then subject it to a hot wash in the vats on the upper deck. They then wring it out, rinse it cold and dry it.
In so doing, they manually replace the classic cycle of a modern washing machine.

A place to live, a place to socialize, the Saint-Julien is the last remaining witness to Laval’s washerwoman industry.
Its closure at the dawn of the 70s marked the end of an era for generations of Laval residents.

Saved from sinking in 2009, restored as a living museum and put back in the water in 2013, it is a precious testimony for younger generations.