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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Varoqueaux potter oven, built in the 18th century at La Chapelle-des-Pots, is a rare example of a ceramic oven in the Saintonge region. This monument, inscribed in historical monuments by order of 26 May 2011, consists of two distinct rooms: a heating room and a cooking room. Its specially developed heat transmission system was specially designed for the production of polychrome glaze ceramics, some of which were exported to North America.

The structure of the oven rests on an ingenious device: a fireplace located two meters from the entrance of the heating room diffused the heat via a vaulted tunnel four meters long. This heat then gained the cooking room thanks to columns of piled pitchers, creating ten centimetres in diameter ducts. These stacks, placed in groups of two or three, allowed a gradual rise in temperature while filtering the impurities of the gases. The small cooking room provided a homogeneous heat, ideal for ceramics.

Archaeological excavations revealed ceramic furniture dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, confirming the use of the oven for the production of polychrome glazed ceramics, typical of the region. The wall of the oven, constructed of clay-bound and tile-lined rubble, and its flat tile sole, resting on a clay layer, illustrate construction techniques suitable for optimal cooking. Today, the oven and soil of the plot, containing archaeological remains, have been fully protected since 2011.

This monument, now owned by an association, bears witness to the historic importance of pottery in the region of Saintonge, a major artisanal activity that marked the local economy and whose productions were known far beyond French borders. Its inscription in historic monuments underscores its heritage and technical value, providing valuable insight into 18th-century craftsmanship.

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