Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The old forges of Brocas, located in the Landes department in New Aquitaine, were founded in 1830 by Dominique Larreillet, master of forge and landowner. In 1825 the latter, already operating the forges of Ychoux and Pissos, obtained the prefectoral authorization to build two blast furnaces, a lamp oven and iron processing plants. In 1828 he acquired a mill and adjacent lands to establish the factory, associated with his sons Camille and Adolphe. The first casting of cast iron took place on 12 June 1833, marking the beginning of a production that reached its peak in the 1850s, with 187 employees.

The activity of the forges declined after 1881, facing competition from the Forges de l'Adour. The blast furnace finally ceased operations around 1904, after about 50 years of production. The facilities, including a flour mill, a barn, a dam and worker housing, were partially preserved. In 1883, the Tinarrage brothers, who operated the St. Helena forges, established a foundry nearby, but today only one store remains. The site, which was listed as a historic monument in 2006, has since 1989 been home to a museum that traces the history of the Landes metallurgy.

The heritage of the Brocas forges illustrates the exploitation of local resources, such as the garluch (iron mine), charcoal and the Estragon hydraulic network. The brand name of the forge, a pine apple, still adorns cast iron objects preserved in the museum. In 2020, the site received a €120,000 grant under the Heritage Lotto, stressing its historical and cultural importance.

The architectural ensemble, composed of the rehabilitated blast furnace, mill, workshop and water retention, offers a rare testimony of the 19th century rural steel industry. Production, focused on household furniture, reflects the constraints of geographical isolation and the use of charcoal. After the closure, the estate was shared between Larreillet's heirs, before becoming a place of memory dedicated to Dutch metallurgical crafts.

Future

Today, the Brocas forge museum has been located near the blast furnace since 1989. It presents the history of metallurgy in the Landes.

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