Haims is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by t ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

in western

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Geography and hydrography

The town is crossed by the River Chambron and the River Salleron. The

Salleron The Salleron (french: le Salleron) is a long river in the Haute-Vienne, Vienne and Indre departments in central France. Its source is several small streams which converge in a pond at Azat-le-Ris. It flows generally north. It is a left tributar ...

forms part of the commune's eastern border. Despite this there was a lack of water. Haims has calcareous soil that does not hold water and is crossed by no other watercourse than the Salleron. Every house has wells and drinking pits. The pit's bottom is covered with white clay to retain rainwater. This water was used for everyday consumption and even for making baby bottles. Getting water to Haims was a job undertaken by Bechet, Georgets, Tutaudière and Puy Franc. The village of Haims has six wells. The one located in the public garden is 18 m deep. The village also has communal pits which designed in the same way as the private drinking pits, but they are larger in size and rectangular in shape. They date from the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century. Historically the village's laundrey was cleaned on the Salleron, to wash the linen. Access to water was an important issue and was the source of some disputes until 1958 when an external water supply wasinstalled. It led to a boom in agriculture. The boom is now over and agriculture is in decline..

Geography and hydrography

See also