Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Eloi Fountain, located in Floursies in the Northern Department, is a Roman vestige built around the year 150 to supply a 29 km aqueduct linking Floursies to Bavay. This work, now partially disappeared, was supplied by sources such as Fosse-amère, located 1.3 km northeast. The stones of the aqueduct were reused to build the Saint-Rémi de Floursies church, adjacent to the fountain.

The circular basin of 2.90 m in diameter, surrounded by blue stone slabs dated to the year 350, was Christianized in the early Middle Ages. A statue of Saint Eloi, added in the 16th century, overcomes the weir, commemorating his episcopate at Noyon in 640. The fountain, originally linked to a pagan cult, was modified several times, including the addition of a rectangular wash.

Aqueduct, fed by several sources including the Tarsy River, included a siphon bridge to cross the Sambre Valley. Its collection drained the Fosse-amère swamp, sustainably changing the local ecosystem. Today, the flow of the source still reaches nearly 100 m3 per hour, testifying to the durability of this ancient work.

The fountain has been listed as a historic monument since October 4, 1932. It is situated in the Church Square, aligned according to some legends with other remarkable stones of the region, such as the "stone of Dessus-Bise" of Sars-Poteries. Owned by the municipality, it remains a symbol of the water and religious heritage of Avesnois.

External links