[An illustration of a ship, symbolizing the symbol of Paris]

Histoire de Paris

L’Arche Marion
Dès les origines, le blanchissage du linge s’effectue en bord de Seine. Vers la fin du Moyen Age, il s’organise avec l’apparition des premiers bateaux-lavoirs, simples barges à fond plat protégées des intempéries par une toiture de planches ou de chaume, à des emplacements délimités par le Prévôt. Ils sont environ 80 à la veille de la Révolution, installés de préférence sur la rive droite, mieux exposée au soleil. Supprimés en 1805 sous le prétexte qu’ils gênaient la navigation, les "bateaux-lessives" reparaissent plus nombreux sous la Restauration. Afin de lutter contre la concurrence des blanchisseries industrielles, ils accroissent leur capacité, jusqu’à devenir de véritables cités flottantes: les lavandières travaillen tdésormais au ras de l’eau, abritées par des auvents; à l’étage au-dessus, de vastes salles couvertes accueillent le linge prêt à sécher. Le plus imposant d’entre eux est l’Arche Marion, formé de 12 barges et long de 200 mètres, amarré entre le pont d’Arcole et le pont Notre-Dame; 250 personnes peuvent ytravailler ensemble.

One of the series of signs describing historical places in Paris. The signs were placed starting in 1992 and are also called sucettes Starck (Starck’s Lollipops) after Philippe Starck who designed them.

The sign indicates the "washing boats" boats that were on the Seine where the residents of Paris gave their clothes to be washed. The most impressive of which was in this place, the Marion arch which was made up of 12 barges connected together.

The place where the sign is located was photographed on the same day Click for a larger image

Translation of the text on the sign:

[An illustration of a ship, symbolizing the symbol of Paris]

History of Paris

Marion Arch
From the beginning, laundry has been laundered on the banks of the Seine. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, it was organized with the appearance of the first wash boats, simple flat-bottomed barges protected from bad weather by a roof of planks or thatch, at locations demarcated by the Provost. There were around 80 of them on the eve of the Revolution, preferably installed on the right bank, better exposed to the sun. Abolished in 1805 under the pretext that they hindered navigation, the "laundry boats" reappeared in greater numbers under the Restoration. In order to fight competition from industrial laundries, they increase their capacity, until they become real floating cities: the washer women now work at water level, sheltered by awnings; on the floor above, large covered rooms accommodate laundry ready to dry. The most imposing of them is the Marion Arch, made up of 12 barges and 200 meters long, moored between the Arcole bridge and the Notre-Dame bridge; 250 people can work there together.