The Waters
The little town of Aigle at the foot of the Swiss Alps is known for its white wine – and its many water fountains.
“Good morning,” said the little prince.
“Good morning,” said the merchant.
This was a merchant who sold pills that had been invented to quench thirst. You need only swallow one pill a week, and you would feel no need of anything to drink.
“Why are you selling those?” asked the little prince.
“Because they save a tremendous amount of time,” said the merchant. “Computations have been made by experts. With these pills, you save fifty-three minutes in every week.”
“And what do I do with those fifty-three minutes?”
“Anything you like . . .”
“As for me,” said the little prince to himself, “if I had fifty-three minutes to spend as I liked, I should walk at my leisure toward a spring of fresh water.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
I agree with The Little Prince: there are few things more refreshing than a spring or fountain of fresh, artesian water.
Aigle, a town of fewer than 10,000 people in Vaud, Switzerland, on the east edge of the Rhône Valley at the foot of the Swiss Alps, has recognised the value of its many old water fountains which still flow freely with fresh, clean water. The local Department of Tourism has designed a 5 kilometre walk which takes in 27 of the 40 fountains scattered around the little town.
In Every Town a Castle!
As we come down the mountains into Aigle, we look over the old castle, a site of Swiss national heritage significance, which sits amid the vines and green fields (iPhone 5).
L’Aigle
The town’s namesake, L’Aigle (The Eagle), sits proudly atop Fountain #22, sculpted in 1940.
Church
The narrow strrets are lined with trees and old buildings.
Fontaine du Carroz
The notes on this fountain, the Fontaine du Carroz, remark on the irony of having the “most decorated” fountain ajoining the house of the town’s principle protestant reformer, Guillaum Farel.
Old House
Place du Marché
Wine – especially white wine – is central to this region’s identity.
Town Centre
Fontaine Rue Colomb
Fontaine Rue Colomb
Everywhere there are fresh, cool waters and a tumble of flowering plants.
Bottle in the Traffic Circle
The wine theme is repeated in the large fountain in the traffic circle leading out of town.
Rouelle du Grenier (Jérusalem)
This large, somewhat austere, fountain was built in honour of legendary William Tell (Guillaume Tell).
Rouelle du Grenier (Jérusalem)
The water flows continuously – a concept I find amazing after too many years of liveing with water restrictions in arid climates!
Place Alphonse Mex
Named for a locally famous personage, Place Alphonse Mex is home to a large, fanciful pond.
“Follow the Waters”
We follow the trail markers …
The Waters Around
… across the fast-flowing canal ..,
The Vines Around
… to the tidy vineyards and estates surrounding the town. Aigle wineries comprise 132 hectares of prime growing region.
The Waters and Vines Around
Everywhere, the flowers decorate the fountains against a backdrop of mountains and chaming farmhouses.
Fountain #4
Many of the spigots are elegant in their simplicity.
Rue du Rhône
Quai de la Gare (iPhone 5)
Ironically, Fountain #1, at the train station was the last one we saw…
Quai de la Gare (iPhone 5)
… as we had somehow missed it when we first arrived into town.
Mountain Rails
The cog-train is waiting to take us back up into the mountains…
Leysin
… to the even smaller town of Leysin where we were staying.
I hope, like the Little Prince, to always have the time for a walk to a spring, or a well, or a fountain.
For water (or wine) is indeed, the stuff of life.
A votre santé!
Pictures: 23July2014
[…] Leysin, a village at 1263 metres in the Vaud Alps, high above Aigle in the Rhone Valley (q.v.: A Walk through the Waters), home to international schools and a sports academy, and reputed to be a year-round holiday […]
[…] making extensive use of them to get around the country (eg: Wanderweg around the Pfäffikersee; Balade Des Fontaines, Aigle; Château de Chillon; Schaffhausen and Neuhausen am Rheinfall; Gruyères; The Salt Mines of Bex; […]