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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chauprovider des Brosses is a former lime factory located in Saint-Berthevin, in the department of Mayenne (Pays de la Loire). This industrial site, one of the largest in the region in the nineteenth century, bears witness to the importance of lime production in this territory, then the first French department for this activity. The nine ovens still visible, as well as the accompanying buildings (master house, stables, outbuildings), illustrate the functional architecture associated with this industry. The site, mentioned in the early eighteenth century, saw its current furnaces built between 1822 and 1886, while the master house dates back to 1865.

The classification of the ensemble as a historic monument in 1989 (inscription of ovens, facades and roofs) underscores its heritage value. La Mayenne, then in full industrial expansion, drew a large part of its lime economy, used especially in agriculture and construction. The location of the hillside site facilitated the extraction and processing of limestone, an essential raw material. Today, this set offers a rare testimony of the techniques and organization of work in the 19th century chauproviders.

Although the sources do not specify its current state, the chau set provides Brushes remains a major historical marker for Saint-Berthevin and Mayenne. Its architecture, preserved despite the time, allows to study the evolution of production methods and the key role of this industry in local economic development. The mansion, dated 1865, also reflects the social status of the owners, often from the emerging industrial bourgeoisie.

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