Certification of the forge XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
Steel activity documented on site.
1ère moitié XVIIIe siècle
Construction of blast furnace
Construction of blast furnace 1ère moitié XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1850)
Shale building for production.
XIXe siècle
Operation by the Duke of Tourzel
Operation by the Duke of Tourzel XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Period of maintenance and intense activity.
3e quart XIXe siècle
Cessation of activity
Cessation of activity 3e quart XIXe siècle (≈ 1962)
End of steel production.
1er avril 1986
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 1er avril 1986 (≈ 1986)
Official heritage recognition.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Haut-Fourneau de la Poitevinière (Box H 657): inscription by order of 1 April 1986
Key figures
Duc de Tourzel - Owner and operator
Site maintenance in the 19th century.
Famille Durfort - Heirs of the field
Successors of the Duke of Tourzel.
Béthune-Chârost - Baronie d'Ancenis
Initial owner of the forge.
Origin and history
The blast furnace of the Poitevinière, located in Riaillé in Loire-Atlantique, dates from the first half of the 18th century. It was part of the infrastructure of the Riaillé forge, linked to the Barony of Ancenis (Bethune-Charost family). The building, built in shale, is about 8 meters high for 9 meters side, with a circular tank. It operated on charcoal produced in the forests of Ancennis and Saint-Mars, and processed iron ore extracted from local deposits (Arche forest, Abbaretz). Its activity, attested from the 15th century for the forge, continued until the end of the 19th century, before its decommissioning.
In the 19th century, the site was operated by the Duke of Tourzel and then passed on by inheritance to the Durfort family. The blast furnace depended on a larger set including a castle, a pond, and houses (Hugenin, Trebuchet). It symbolizes the pre-industrial metal industry, based on local resources and a specialized workforce. The monument was listed as a Historic Monument in 1986, recognizing its heritage importance.
The definitive cessation of activity, which occurred in the third quarter of the 19th century, coincides with the decline of the charcoal forges in the face of the industrial revolution. Today, the site is decommissioned and belongs to a private company. Its cubic architecture and materials (schiste) illustrate the construction and steel production techniques of the Ancien Régime, while its present state offers a material testimony to the economic changes of the Pays de la Loire.
