Evian (where the water comes from)

Renault: And what in heaven’s name brought you to Casablanca?
Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Renault: The waters? What waters? We’re in the desert.
Rick: I was misinformed…
From Casablanca, Warner Brothers, 1942, possibly the greatest movie of all time

Well make no mistake, if you take the ferry across Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) from Lausanne, you’re going to Evian-les-Bains and you’re probably going for the waters. Unlike Rick who found himself in French Morocco.

You leave Ouchy, which is here

Ride the ferry across the Lake, a 30 minute journey

Arrive here at Evian-les-Bains, no sign, just a small port. And no passport controls!
Evian-les-Bains is a small resort town on the French side of Lac Leman. During the low season (like now), many of the shops and restaurants keep short hours or are closed for the season.

Here it is, the Evian Visitors Center!

Except its CLOSED like 2/3 of the places around here…
The Evian (bottled water) story is well documented. Guy drinks water from spring. Liver and kidney maladies ease. Doctors recommend said water to patients. Other guy who owns the spring fences it off and begins to sell said water. Voilà, Evian bottled water!

The historical plaque telling the story of the Source
Of cors, in the US, Evian is sold as a luxury, premium water, bringing with it its own snide remarks and jokes while in the rest of the world, it’s just another bottled water while in France, it’s just called “water”.

This is the source of all Evian water!
And if you live here, you can help yourself to this water, free of charge.

Just pull up with a buncha bottles and fill up! Everyone here does it.
There’s also a second tap on the other side of the pump station called the Source des Cordeliers.

Thirsty thirsty thirsty…

The pumping station at Source Cachat and the Source des Cordeilers runs 24/7 and all you have to do is bring your own bottles to fill up. Twas true, I’ve seen it and done it!
Mmmm. Nothing beats free Evian!!

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