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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Couterne mill is an industrial complex located in Rives d'Andaine, Orne department, Normandy. Built at the beginning of the 20th century (1st quarter), it replaces an old grain mill and consists of a three-storey manufacturing workshop, an office, a hangar and an employer's home. The materials used, such as sandstone, brick and concrete, reflect the industrial construction techniques of the time. The whole, whose facades and roofs have been protected since 1995, reflects the local milling activity until its closure around 1984.

The entrepreneur L. Bernard, based in Bagnoles-de-l'Orne, is at the origin of its construction. Operated in 1919 by a named Crescent, the mill operated until the 1980s before being converted into a warehouse. Its tools have since been dismantled, but the buildings remain, combining industrial functionality and decorative brick elements. Today, the site belongs to the association Avenir Espoir 2000, which carries out professional reintegration missions while preserving this heritage.

Architecturally, the milling is distinguished by its three-storey workshop topped by an attic, its ground floor office with roof terrace, and its metal hangar. The master house, made of sandstone and brick with slate roof, completes the whole. These features, as well as its inscription in historical monuments, make it a remarkable example of Norman industrial heritage. Materials such as asbestos cement (for the hangar) or mechanical tile recall the technical innovations of the time.

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