Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Gillet factory of Saint-Chamond, founded in 1861 by industrialist François Gillet, implanted on the Gier to exploit the quality of its water, essential to dyeing activities. The site developed rapidly, with the construction of an artificial silk dyeing plant nicknamed The Silk of Izieux in the 1870s-1880s. The architect André Gaspard designs the buildings, including the red brick fireplace, and adorns the facades with a sumptuous decor in brick trim.

After a decline begun after the Second World War, the factory closed permanently in 1976, victim of the 1973 oil crisis. Repurchased by the city of Saint-Chamond in 1977, it was partly converted into a business incubator in the 1980s. Despite the demolitions in the 1970s, the ensemble retained its 1877 workshops (with cast iron shelving), the management building, the villa and the fireplace. The facades and roofs were protected by registration at the Historic Monuments in 1995.

The site illustrates the golden age of the Stéphanois textile industry, drawing on local resources (Gier water, skilled labour) and architectural innovation. The presence of renowned Lyon architect Gaspard André highlights the aesthetic and functional ambition of the project. Today, the factory bears witness to both the Loire industrial heritage and the economic changes of the 20th century.

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