Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former factory of the company Badoit, located in Saint-Galmier, is a historical monument linked to the exploitation of the source Fontfort, known since Roman times. This source, originally called Fontfort, was acquired in 1837 by Auguste Saturnin Badoit, a silk broker who became his farmer. Taking advantage of the enthusiasm for thermalism in the 19th century, he started marketing bottled water, marking the beginning of a major industrial activity in the region.

Construction of the main factory building was entrusted to architect Hugues Batillat (1816-1878) and completed in 1868. This industrial site, emblematic of the rise of bottled mineral water, was gradually replaced by modern infrastructure. In 2012, the former factory was bought by the municipality of Saint-Galmier, thus preserving a heritage linked to local economic and social history.

The source Fontfort and the Badoit factory illustrate the evolution of thermal and industrial practices in France in the 19th century. The building, inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 26 August 2015, also includes its parvis and surrounding plots (CC 105, 106 and 107). Today, it bears witness to the industrial heritage of Saint-Galmier and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

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