LA BOULE RONDE

As you approach Montagnac on the D613, you're likely to come across this astonishing monument. Cylindrical in shape, it comprises a dome and a stone ball. Built in 1657 at the request of the Consuls, the building was once used as a water collection station to alleviate summer drought. To do so, it captured water from a dozen springs and guided it to the main Griffe fountain via an underground aqueduct. Today, its activity has ceased, but its outlines attract the curious and passing photographers.