Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The forges of Moisdon-la-Rivière were founded in 1668 under the impetus of Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, Baron de Châteaubriant, to exploit local mining and forestry resources. Installed on the edge of the Don, they included two blast furnaces, a refinery forge and a split shop, producing standard iron bars for the Royal Navy. Hydraulic energy and charcoal fueled this innovative complex for the time.

In the 18th century, the forges reached their peak, but 19th century industrialisation, marked by the adoption of coal and steam, made their model obsolete. English competition, exacerbated by the 1860 Free Trade Treaty, precipitated their decline. The forge finally closed in 1869, before being converted to cider factory, then to starch factory in the 20th century.

During the Second World War, the site served as a camp for Spanish refugees (1939) and Gypsies (1940-1942). Saved from demolition in 1952 by an SCI, it became a place of leisure and will house a museum from 1984, renovated in 2013. The halls and bridges of the Bourbiers, classified in 1985, now bear witness to this industrial heritage.

The architecture of the forges was based on a coherent set: production workshops, coal halls, and dwellings for workers and forging masters. Their operation illustrates the integration of traditional metallurgical know-how before being replaced by modern industrial methods. The site, a communal property, retains a major historical and memorial value in Pays de la Loire.

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