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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The public baths and washhouses of the Herbiers, located in the municipality of the same name in Vendée (Pays de la Loire), date from the 3rd quarter of the 19th century. This monument, now classified, reflects the importance of collective hygiene infrastructure at a time when access to running water remained limited for a large part of the population. Its utility architecture, designed by construction manager Ballereau, met the social and health needs of the local community.

The building, registered in the inventory of Historic Monuments by decree of 6 November 1980, is owned by the municipality of Herbiers. Its location, initially listed rue du Tourniquet (official address in the Mérimée base), is also associated with rue des Bains Douches according to GPS coordinates. The accuracy of this location is estimated as fair (note 5/10), highlighting the limitations of available geographic data.

At the time of its construction, public washhouses played a central role in everyday life, especially for women in charge of laundry. In a rural region such as Vendée, these collective spaces facilitated social exchanges while meeting increasing hygiene requirements in the 19th century. Their preservation reflects the evolution of health practices and communal planning in France.

The available sources, from the Monumentum database and from the Mérimée internal data, confirm its status as old baths and washhouses (cadastre AE 22). No additional information is provided on any architectural changes or uses after its construction period.

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