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Origin and history

The fountain of Peillon, located in the village of the same name in the Alpes-Maritimes, was designed to meet the water needs of the inhabitants. Before the French Revolution, the latter were to draw water from three distant sources: two in the Vigne district and a third, snooped it from Argent, located below. These sources, fed by underground outfalls linked to a geological fault on the northwest slope of Rastel's crown, were insufficient, especially during the summer.

In 1799 (the year 8 of the Republic), the community decided to capture a new source, searched Vieilla, to feed a central fountain located at the entrance of the village. Designed in 1789 by the Royal Ghiotti Surveyor, the building was inaugurated on 6 July 1800. Despite these developments, water shortages persisted until 1951, when the Holy Thecle source was finally captured and connected to the village. This final solution was inaugurated on 7 August 1954. The fountain, which was listed as a historic monument on 22 December 1941, bears witness to the evolution of hydraulic techniques and community organization.

Water from the fountain comes from a complex underground network, whose main resurgence is at the Sainte-Thècle spring, near the same hamlet. This system, dependent on local geology, illustrates the adaptation of provençal villages to natural constraints. The fountain, owned by the commune, remains a central element of the architectural and historical heritage of Peillon, reflecting the past challenges of water management in the Mediterranean mountain areas.

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