It had closed at the end of the 90s, unable to withstand competition from washing machines. A quarter of a century later, the Pontaniou washhouse, located at 16, rue Saint-Malo in Brest, will reopen on Wednesday July 10, 2024 after being transformed into a unique exhibition site by La Carrée. The objective of the collective, formed in 2019, is to “promote popular cultures and the heritage of the city of Brest in all its aspects”. A clear desire to introduce the general public to the precious pre-war history of Brest.
“I scoured Leboncoin”
After three years of construction, the place, which housed two wash houses, traces life in Brest from 1800 to the Second World War. “Nostalgic for details”, Olivier Polard, a member of the collective and a history teacher, persistently searched for the lost treasures of Brest. “I scoured Leboncoin, little by little”, he explains to create this real Brest museum.
The first washhouse, built in 1884, was covered with the legendary parquet flooring of the Marcel-Cerdan room, demolished in 2022. It houses the cabinet of curiosities and exhibitions, plunging visitors into the heart of everyday life during the 1939-45 war. It also houses Pierre Perron’s 20th-century press cartoons and Paul Léonnec’s illustrations from 1843, as well as a café-restaurant and the former caretaker’s lodge.
Up to 250 people a day at the time
The second washhouse remains intact. It was built in 1913 by the municipality to meet the high demand of the time. This helped reduce tensions between the mothers and the professional washerwomen that the caretaker had to manage in addition to managing the washhouse. This place, which had become unique in Brest, brought together nearly 250 people every day, until the Second World War.
Practical
Pontaniou washhouse, 16, rue Saint-Malo. Open from July 10, at 1 p.m., then from Wednesday to Sunday until the end of summer. Prices: adults, €4; under 6s, free; 6 to 17s, €2; family (two adults and children), €10; job seekers or students, €2; groups (from fifteen people), adults €3 and children over 6, €1. Guided tours by reservation by email ([email protected]) with a supplement of €2 per person. Disabled access.
