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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The former paper mills of Couze-et-Saint-Front are a set of water mills installed on the Couze River in the village of Dordogne. From the 15th century, these mills, originally dedicated to the milling of wheat, gradually specialize in the manufacture of paper. At their peak, in the 19th century, thirteen mills operated simultaneously, three of which still remained paper mills until recently. The site has now been protected as historical monuments since 1989.

The Moulin de la Rouzique, certified as a wheat mill in 1530 before becoming a stationery in the 18th century, is the most emblematic of the site. It now houses the eco-museum of paper, where are preserved traditional manufacturing machines, including a round-shaped machine and Dutch batteries. This mill, which was in operation until 1983, symbolises the transition between crafts and industrialization, thanks in particular to the invention of filter paper in 1840 by Mr Prat, who saved the local industry.

The mills of Merle and Sous le Roc, as well as that of the Guillandoux, also date from the 16th century and illustrate the evolution of papermaking techniques. Their architecture, unchanged since 1750 for some, and their hydraulic systems (fowls, water bodies) have been protected since 1989. The mill of the Guillandoux, used as stationery and milling in the 19th century, has two dryers and was connected to the mill of the Rouzique for drying paper. The houses of Foremans and Jardel, built in the 19th century, complete this industrial and residential complex.

The paper industry of the Couze Valley, centered on rag paper and then filter paper, marked the local economy for four centuries. The partial conversion of the site into a museum and the protection of its elements (tensils, wagons, troglodytic rags) testify to its heritage importance. Today, these old paper mills offer a unique overview of pre-industrial techniques and their adaptation to technological revolutions.

The protection for historic monuments covers not only mills and their mechanisms, but also related elements such as the banners (one of which is connected by a rail network with wagons) and a troglodytic clothwork. These inscriptions, dated December 1989, highlight the historical and technical value of a site that was one of the main paper centres in southwestern France.

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