Public baths

Once upon a time we thought of public baths as adjuncts of public swimming pools - "going to the baths" is how we described a trip to the piscine municipale. But the bathhouse element has been part and parcel of the facilities since Roman times and if today it has all but disappeared the public showers in Albi adjacent to the hospital are still going strong.
Opened 82 years ago** the municipal douches open every day and provide a shower in a clean, modern cubicle for just 80 centimes, including soap. The building is supported by a benevolent association who paid for its modernisation and support the wages of the staff. It has made its way into several tourist guide books.
The clients range from the homeless to tourists in need of freshening up, to an elderly "paysan" who considered that paying "5 million francs" to install a bathroom was just too much. Regular clients often demand the same cubicle at the same time each day. So next time we are without water for a few days, perhaps a trip to Albi will be in order.
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** An interesting caption said "Douches d'Albi: 82 ans aux prunes" - apparently "aux prunes" means "this year when the plums are ripe".