It is a wash-house with a “central impluvium” (with an opening in the middle of its roof), allowing rainwater to be collected, in addition to the spring water provided by a fountain.
The hillside location of the town of Bougival has enabled several washhouses to be built near the springs. The picturesque washhouse in the hamlet of St-Michel, a communal heritage site, is already mentioned on a plan dating from 1858. Made of stone, tile and wood, it was restored in June 2005. It was a place where the women of the neighbourhood met and exchanged the latest news of the day.
