Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Gradignan's bottle ovens are an iconic industrial site dedicated to pottery production since at least 1750. Originally, a stoneware pottery is mentioned as belonging to the noble land of Rouillac, marking the beginning of a craft activity anchored in the territory. These installations, whose history is linked to local production, have evolved to become a symbol of girondin ceramic heritage.

The two current ovens, recognizable by their characteristic shape of bottle, date from the last quarter of the 19th century. A third oven, now destroyed, once completed this set. Working with wood, these two-level structures – separated by a pierced sole – were active until 1955. Their arrangement is special: one is visible outside, while the other is integrated into the main building. This site, purchased by the commune of Gradignan in 1982, has been reactivated and has been protected by historical monuments since 2012.

The registration of the bottle ovens, as well as the industrial buildings and their parcel (cadastre BY 26), by order of 26 November 2012, underlines their heritage importance. The site, a communal property, illustrates both the Gironde's industrial heritage and the vitality of traditional ceramic know-how. Today, there remains a concrete testimony of the techniques of artisanal cooking and of the evolution of pottery practices in New Aquitaine.

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