One day of 1788, a doctor in Sainte Marie stay on sea boulverse the destiny of Préfailles by revealing the virtues of the ferruginous source.
The water which of it is resulting fights inter alia the very widespread infectious illness at the time, thus involving the arrival of the first curists.
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The practice of the sea bathings, which develop in France since 1810 for therapeutic reasons, increases soon the frequentation of the station,
and as of 1812 of the hundreds of curists come to profit from its benefits.
Located along the cornice, all in bottom of the street of the Source, with the foot of the rocks, it is accessible by a small very abrupt staircase which goes down on the ocean, this staircase was built on ordering of Mr. Hippolyte DURAND-GASSELIN who repurchases the source in 1901 and places it liberally and free at the disposal of all: “rich and poor, bathers and inhabitants”.
By decree of February 11, 1960 the exploitation of the source is revoked, and for this time water has been declared “nondrinkable by it”. |
