Last modified: 2026-01-31 by olivier touzeau
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Forges-les-Eaux (3,653 inhabitants, 1,533 ha) is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department. On 1 January 2016, the former commune of Le Fossé was merged into Forges-les-Eaux. The name of the locality is attested in the form Forges-en-Bray in the 19th century, before the reputation of its waters provided it with this thermal supplement in the first half of the 20th century.
The waters of Forges were noted as early as 1573 by Nicolas de Moy, a local lord. They were recognized for their medicinal properties and became known as "fountains of youth" thanks to Julien Le Paulmier, former physician to King Henry III. The Francini family (naturalized as Francine), responsible for the hydraulic systems of the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, the terraces of the Château Neuf in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and the fountains of the Royal Château of Fontainebleau, were tasked with separating the three main springs of the Forges waters, which would henceforth bear the names Reinette, Royale, and Cardinale. In 1631, Louis XIII drank the water of Forges. However, a cure at the springs was recommended to him. He arrived in Forges on June 15, 1633, with Anne of Austria and Richelieu joining him a few days later. They stayed in the house of a glassmaker, Vincent Le Vaillant. Mademoiselle de Montpensier, niece of Louis XIII, also contributed to the renown of Forges. Between 1656 and 1681, she made numerous visits, seeking relief from her throat ailments. Her presence led to the spa town attracting the Court and the upper middle class. The daily lives of these "water drinkers" were punctuated by festivities, shows, and games, which took on a prominent role during the reign of Louis XVI. Illustrious figures such as the Duke of Saint-Simon, Voltaire, Marivaux, and Buffon contributed to the fame of Forges-les-Eaux. During the Revolution, the town of Forges-les-Eaux was favored by émigrés. Under the guise of taking the waters, they crossed into England through a clandestine organization, while the complicit municipality issued them false residency certificates.
Olivier Touzeau, 21 December 2025
![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-76-fg1.gif)
Former flag of Forges-les-Eaux - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 21 December 2025
No flag currently known with the current logo adopted in 2018.
The former flag was white with the logo,as reported in 2010 by Pascal
Vagnat and Arnaud Leroy: source.
Photo (2010).
Olivier Touzeau, 21 December 2025