At the foot of the castle rock, a small spring known as the Fontaine d'Arlette marks the spot where, according to Norman tradition, Duke Robert I first saw Herleva (called Arlette in the later chronicles) washing linen. She was the daughter of a local tanner; he was the ruler of Normandy. Their liaison produced William, who would become Duke of Normandy and later King of England.
The fountain itself is a modest nineteenth-century structure, but the setting — the castle looming directly above, the Ante stream running nearby — makes the legend feel credible. It is a quiet and atmospheric corner of Falaise, easy to overlook if you do not know to look for it.