Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former central pharmacy of Saint-Denis, located 379 avenue du Président-Wilson, is an emblematic industrial complex of the 3rd quarter of the 19th century. Designed by the architect Jules Saulnier between 1862 and 1867, it mixes various materials: wood, brick, metal, cut stone and rubble. The brick dominates, especially in the polychrome chimney adorned with Menier's "M", vestige of its original founder, Émile-Justin Menier. The latter, pioneer of the French pharmaceutical industry, gave the site in 1867 to the Pharmacie Centrale to devote himself to chocolate.

The site, marked by its industrial architecture, was partially listed as historical monuments on 17 November 1994. This stop protects the facades, roofs, the staircase of the direction with its vestibule, the fireplace and the hall of the machines. After decades of pharmaceutical activity, the French Comptoir des produits arométiques (CPPA) took over in 1982. Today it is transformed into an event space called the Usine, and can accommodate up to 1,200 people, perpetuating its central role in local life.

Jules Saulnier, the recurrent architect of Menier projects, applies a functional and aesthetic style, typical of the Second Empire factories. The fireplace, a key element of the site, illustrates the industrial identity of the place, while the contemporary rehabilitation makes it a living witness to the French technical heritage. The materials used, such as polychrome brick, reflect the innovations of the era and concern for durability.

The inscription to the historic monuments in 1994 underlines the heritage value of the site, thus preserving a part of the industrial history of the Seine-Saint-Denis. The transformation into an event place, while respecting the protected elements, offers a second life to this monument, between memory and modernity. The site remains a symbol of the economic evolution of Saint-Denis, from the pharmaceutical era to cultural animation.

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