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Origin and history

The Mérouvel needle factory, located in L-Aigle, Orne, is an industrial complex founded in 1819 by Pierre Adam on the site of an old flour mill. Regulated by a royal ordinance of February 6, 1822, it was originally dedicated to the manufacture of pins and needlework for sewing or knitting, as well as carde and hardware yarns. The factory experienced two major phases of expansion, around 1836 and then in 1861, marked by the addition of a large workshop of 41 slats, typical of the industrial architecture of the period. In 1830 it was operated by Victor Ventillard, who modernized the infrastructure, while in 1861 hydraulic energy was replaced by a 25 horsepower steam engine.

The factory's activity evolved over time: in 1919 it produced 80 tons of needles and pins annually, employing 42 workers (compared with 70 in 1841). After World War II, under the name Les Fils de F. Charpentier, the site was converted into plastic moulding before finally stopping its activity in 1952 (or 1958 according to sources). The buildings, partially transformed into dwellings, have retained protected elements since 1987, including the fronts of the main building, the employer's house, the forge, and the hydraulic system (pief and valves).

The architecture of the site reflects its industrial history: walls in coated flint with brick links, roofs with rumps or long panels covered with flat tiles, slates or asbestos cement. The employers' housing, the workshops and the forge illustrate the typical spatial organization of 19th century factories. The site, originally powered by two hydraulic wheels (for polishing and drawing), symbolises the energy transition from water to steam, as well as the adaptation of productive structures to changing needs, before their decline in the mid-20th century.

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