Reconstruction of the blast furnace 1780 (≈ 1780)
For Count Morgier de Fougières, steel company of Ancien Régime.
vers 1834
Construction of casting hall
Construction of casting hall vers 1834 (≈ 1834)
Vestiges north of blast furnaces.
1843
Double blast furnace
Double blast furnace 1843 (≈ 1843)
Example of the first industrial revolution.
2006
Protection by decree
Protection by decree 2006 (≈ 2006)
Registration of hydraulic components and buildings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The hydraulic system: the dam and roadway, the water intake and its couriers, the gaze, the ore washer, the weir; the two blast furnaces; the coal hall to the west; the remains of the casting hall to the north; the neo-classical hall and its workshops to the west and south; the courtyards of the plant and their fence walls; remains of the coal hall near the pond; the stable near the pond; employee and blacksmith housing; the courtyard, gardens and fence walls of employees' and blacksmiths' dwellings (see Box C 349, 350, 353 to 358, 362 to 364): entry by order of 20 January 2006
Key figures
Comte Morgier de Fougières - Sponsor
Reconstruction of the blast furnace in 1780.
Origin and history
The metallurgical factory of the Fourneau, located in La Guerche-sur-l'Aubois, illustrates the evolution of the steel industry in the Berry between the late 18th and the first half of the 19th century. The forges of Val d'Aubois are among the oldest in the region, with production dominated by cast iron from the end of the 14th century. A seigneurial blast furnace, used until the early 18th century, was rebuilt in 1780 for Count Morgier de Fougières, marking the transition to a modern steel industry under the Old Regime.
In the 19th century, the site industrialized with the construction of a second blast furnace around 1843, reflecting the first industrial revolution. The adjacent buildings, such as the iron and coal stores (transformed around 1840) or the casting hall (post-1834), testify to this expansion. The neo-classical decoration of the blast furnaces and the hall, as well as the dwellings of the workers and the manager, characteristic of the 18th century forges, underline the social and technical organization of the site.
The hydraulic system (barrage, pavement, water intake) and the vestiges of the halls (coal, casting) were protected by decree in 2006, preserving a representative set of early industrial architecture. The site, partially open to the visit, preserves traces of the metallurgical activities that shaped the Aubois valley, between seigneurial heritage and technical innovation.
The location, noted as satisfactory a priori (level 6/10), places the factory near the Fourneau pond, a strategic location for water and ore supply. Protected elements also include courtyards, fence walls and housing, providing a comprehensive overview of life and work in a 19th century forge.
