The clock and its bell tower

The campanile of Provence is a unique heritage element since it is only found in the South of France: it is an architectural element that is installed at the top of a clock to give it an original and aesthetic touch.

The bell traditionally announced the hours and half-hours, like all the others, but the gong also rang for every quarter of an hour ... But why this little feature? Simply because in the 19th century (and this until the 1940s) the sprinklers in the village of Tourtour were very numerous : each Tourtourain had its own vegetable garden (for family cooking) and each needed water to water the carrots. , tomatoes, beans and salads. Thus, it was necessary to "take the water" for a certain period and the calculation was made according to the size of the garden and the number of people living in the home: therefore, a couple without children, saw their hourly quota be reduced to a quarter of 'hour ! And to remember when to move the hammer (the cast iron plate that blocked the stream or canal), the bell rang.