Development of milling 1815 (≈ 1815)
Ten factories listed in Dunières.
2e moitié du XIXe siècle
Construction of house
Construction of house 2e moitié du XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Period of construction by the Malartre family.
1871
Local milling peak
Local milling peak 1871 (≈ 1871)
Twenty-nine factories in operation.
18 novembre 2002
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 18 novembre 2002 (≈ 2002)
Registration of the house and its outbuildings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The house in its entirety, including interior decorations (marked parquets, panelling, false marbles, fireplaces, stuccos, washbasin and recessed buffet) of the vestibule, stairwell, dining room, yellow living room, white living room, oval living room, white room, vineyard room, bishop's bedroom, as well as the access aisle, courtyard, gardens, gate, bridge, commons and milling with its facilities (see Box. AI 249, 253; AH 263-269): registration by order of 18 November 2002
Key figures
Famille Malartre - Milling industry
Homeowners and builders.
Jean Ploton - Local historian
Author of a study on milling (1966).
Famille Rouchon - Associated industrial
Partners in milling in Dunières.
Origin and history
The Malartre House is an industrial residence built in the second half of the 19th century in Dunières, Haute-Loire. It embodies the typical model of factory owner houses, reflecting the social and economic status of the Malartre family, intimately linked to the development of silk milling in the region. Its rectangular architecture, sober and consistent with local houses, contrasts with the richness of its interiors, exceptional for the period and the region.
The milling of silk, a major activity in Dunières, experienced a significant boom in the 19th century, carried by industrial families such as Malartre and Rouchon. In 1815, ten factories already existed, and their number reached twenty-nine in 1871. These plants transformed a raw material often imported for manufacturers in the Loire and Ardèche, illustrating the integration of Dunières into a wider regional economic network.
The Malartre house is distinguished by its preserved decorations: marked parquet floors, panelling, false marbles, fireplaces, stuccos, as well as rooms with evocative names (oval lounge, bishop's room). These elements, protected since 2002, demonstrate the bourgeois refinement and central role of the family in local industry. The whole also includes outbuildings such as a mill, commons, and a garden, highlighting its residential and productive character.
The listing of the house as historical monuments, by order of 18 November 2002, covers not only the building but also its surroundings (aisle, courtyard, gate, bridge) and its industrial facilities. This classification recognizes its heritage value, both architectural, historical and social, as a symbol of the golden age of milling in Auvergne.
Available sources, including the work of Jean Ploton (1966), highlight the impact of the Malartre and Rouchon families on the local economy. Their legacy continues through this monument, which sheds light on the industrial dynamics and social hierarchies of the 19th century in Haute-Loire.
