Aquariums du Lavoir, Public aquarium in Roches-Prémarie-Andillé, France.
Aquariums du Lavoir is a public aquarium housed in a former communal washhouse and features ten separate tanks displaying fish species and crayfish native to regional rivers. The facility showcases the freshwater biodiversity found in the local waterways.
The building began as a communal washhouse in 1900 and served as an important social gathering place for local residents for generations. Its conversion into an aquarium preserved this historical structure while giving it a new purpose.
The facility reveals how local rivers have shaped the community and their relationship with water ecosystems over generations. Visitors can see the living connections between the region's waterways and the species that depend on them.
The facility opens seasonally from April through October and welcomes visitors exclusively on Sunday afternoons with no admission charge. Plan your visit accordingly since hours are limited to this weekly window.
Each tank is carefully designed to recreate the exact conditions of specific river sections, allowing native species to thrive in settings that match their natural habitats. This thoughtful arrangement helps visitors understand how different organisms coexist in the wild.
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