Thanks. I'm in the process of planning a trip in France for this coming year. When I saw the title I thought it might be a map of all the canals you can follow by bike.
Hi
While most people won't be touring here in winter, it's worth remembering that taps are generally turned off when the temperature falls.
At any time, ask for a Robin A, which is the rough pronunciation of robinet. There are often public taps in squares, beside some public buildings, and occasionally in churchyards.
It's rare in any season to be turned away when knocking on a door to ask for water - and you get to meet the locals, of course.
I have a couple of apps on my phone, but haven't had the need to use them yet. According to the internet:
1. WeTap App - This maps public drinking fountains, providing specific information about their location and functionality. It's designed to promote tap water use, improve community access, and reduce plastic waste. Coverage is focused mainly on the U.S. and select global regions. Available for iPhone and other platforms.
Pros: Encourages sustainability, user-driven updates.
Cons: Limited global coverage and inconsistent data quality.
Verdict: Useful in areas with active user contributions but less reliable elsewhere.
2. Fountain Finder - This app displays public drinking fountains, especially in urban areas. It has mixed reviews regarding coverage in North America and is better suited for urban Europe. It has a strong user base for locating fountains in urban areas, but may show fewer than half of the available fountains; even so, it's still a useful tool for some travelers. Users can contribute by adding and reviewing fountains.
Pros: User-friendly interface, focuses on city areas
Cons: Often misses smaller or older fountains, especially in rural areas.
Verdict: Helpful for urban travelers but not comprehensive globally
I thought this might be of use to some of us. This map shows where you can find publicly available, drinkable water within France.
It seems to be crowdsourced, so take that into account before relying on a "point d'eau" being where the map says it is. It might not be 100% accurate.
Here's a link: https://watermap.fr/
Most bike travelers in France know this, but in case you don't, cemeteries are also usually reliable sources of drinkable water in France. Check just inside the cemetery gate and there will usually be a spigot nearby. I looked at some of the locations on the water map that were close to me and several were cemetery water spigots.
Most bars will also refill your bottles if you buy a coffee.
Hope this is useful to someone!
1 month ago