Source of inspiration. By Pauline CHAPPON & Mathilde MARCILLIERE

A fountain for peace

A fabulous fountain

The first picture was taken on a windy sunny Sunday in a small town in the Auvergne called Les Martres de Veyre. I like this fountain, built in 2008 to celebrate the twinning with Arcozelo, a small town in Portugal. It is built in Volvic stone. On the right of the fountain there is a fish. The little thing in blue  is a plaque where we can see the coat of arms of Arcozelo. In the background there are houses. This is the lower part of my town. In the foreground there are flowers. I love this small friendly park, it is a great place to relax. There is a river next to it. The sounds of the river and the fountain are very beautiful. Many of the townfolk, including myself and the mayor, went last summer to visit our twin town, as it was the 10^th birthday of the twinning. I love this fountain because of what it stands for: peace among nations.

  

The second picture was taken at midday, on a beautiful but nippy Tuesday, in Clermont-Ferrand. I was with my friends. In the background, you can see part of the historic center of Clermont-Ferrand and in the foreground there are lawns and benches. I love being near a fountain, listening to its soothing sound, just sitting on a bench among the flowers and trees. This grand fountain, in dark Volvic stone, is called the Fontaine d'Amboise and I'm fascinated by it. It is now in the Poterne square, having been moved several times over the years. Jacques d'Amboise asked a sculptor to make it in 1511. There is an inscription in Latin on it and the elaborate decorations are typically Renaissance, there are masks and garlands adorning it. At the top, there is a statue of a man wearing an animal skin. It is obviously a prestigious historical monument and adds to the inhabitants' sense of civic pride.

These fountains are in different towns; one is recent and the other is much older. They are proof that fountains have always been an important part of the urban environment.