Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Bourgneuf's blast furnace, located in Beaumont-la-Ferrière in the Nièvre, found its origins in an active forge in 1619. This facility, originally operated by Louis Le Vau in 1665 for its iron-white manufacture, became a key regional metallurgical production site. Between 1665 and 1770, it passed under the control of the family of Neufchaise, then was acquired in 1775 by Nicolas Chaillou, who centralized several local factories under the same direction. Its annual production then fluctuates between 60 and 120 tonnes of iron, including steel.

In 1824, Amédée de Béhague transformed the forge into a blast furnace, marking a major technological development for the site. This industrial monument, a symbol of 19th-century steel activity, was finally listed as a historical monument in 1971. Its architecture and history reflect the economic importance of metallurgy in the Nièvre, as well as the technical changes of the era.

Today, the Bourgneuf blast furnace, protected for its technical heritage, remains a material testimony of the industrial know-how of the past. Although its main building is excluded from protection, the site retains historical and educational value, illustrating the role of blast furnaces in the French industrial revolution and the local economy of Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

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