As you saw in the previous blog post, FLUSH's Kim Worsham recently was in France on holiday! She spent time in France and the Dordogne region and took some fun pictures of toilets along her trip. We thought we'd share them in a light-hearted, not rigorous list of toilet highlights from her trip. For your enjoyment, we also put added superlatives, just because.
1) Best History: Beynac Castle (Dordogne)
Images of Beynac Castle, the garderobe from outside, and the toilet room from the inside (Credit: FLUSH/Kim Worsham)
This 12th/13th-century toilet in the south of France sits on the Dordogne River and definitely won in toilet history on her trip. The Beynac Castle is carved out of the cliff's rock and is one of the best-preserved castles in the region. It witnessed a lot of fighting during the Hundred Years War, and Richard the Lionheart even used this castle for a while.
The toilet is a wonderful, spacious example of a garderobe that sticks out of the side of the castle, with the waste directly dropping out onto the cliffside (see middle picture). The exhibit probably had a wooden toilet seat and cover, and there was heating from the fireplace in front of it.
2) Best Decor: La Mosquée (Paris)
Images of the entrance and washing area of La Mosquée's toilet (Credit: FLUSH/Kim Worsham)
The most beautiful bathroom decor probably went to La Mosquée, which had beautiful tiles welcoming cafe visitors. The mosque and its cafe are next to the Jardin des Plantes, and if you need a great pastry with some sweet mint tea, this is a wonderful place to visit.
3) Most Professional Chic: Le George (Paris)
The Michelin-starred Le George restaurant (by The Four Seasons) has very chic and clean bathrooms for guests there. It's tucked away discreetly so professionals and diners can go to the toilet in peace, and we really enjoyed its spacious mirror look.
4) Most Retro: Public Toilet in Périgueux (Dordogne)
The most retro-looking public toilet on the trip was likely in Périgueux, where this functioning public toilet welcomes all to take care of business. It looks to may have been part of the 1980s movement to install Decaux toilets.
5) Most Understated: Public Toilet in Montmartre (Paris)
Lastly, we want to share the most understated public toilet from the trip - a toilet close to the steps of Sacre Coeur in Montmartre that looks as normal as other public toilets you may find in many other countries. This bathroom looked to be closed at the time, but it was in a good place for tourists to enjoy it after climbing the steps to get to the top without any unpleasant smells.
That's it for now! Have you seen any fun toilets on your recent adventures? Please share your stories with us!