Construction of furnaces 1870-1880 (≈ 1875)
By the Dombes Company.
vers 1950
End of operation
End of operation vers 1950 (≈ 1950)
Discontinuation of industrial activity.
16 juin 1998
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 16 juin 1998 (≈ 1998)
Official site protection.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Former lime kilns (Case I 385): classification by decree of 16 June 1998
Key figures
Compagnie des Dombes et des Chemins de Fer du Sud-Est - Manufacturer and operator
Company responsible for the furnaces.
Origin and history
The lime ovens of Vendenesse-lès-Charolles are industrial installations built between 1870 and 1880 by the Compagnie des Dombes et des Chemins de Fer du Sud-Est. Located in the department of Saône-et-Loire, these three cylindrical ovens of 6.50 meters in diameter at the base, surmounted by conical brick chimneys, testify to the limestone activity of the region. Their operation ceased around 1950, marking the end of a local industrial period.
Classified as historical monuments since June 16, 1998, these furnaces illustrate 19th century utility architecture. Their structure, made up of stone and bricks, includes a cargo lift still preserved. Installed on an old wharf, they recall the importance of rail transport for the industry of the time, linked to the extraction and processing of lime.
The site, now protected, offers a remarkable example of the French industrial heritage. Although their precise location is estimated as "a priori satisfactory", these furnaces remain a tangible remnant of Burgundy economic activity, reflecting the technological and social changes of the second half of the 19th century.
