Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Verger Mill, located in the Eaux Claires valley in Puymoyen, is one of the oldest paper mills in Charente. Founded in 1539 under François I, it was completely rebuilt in 1635 by Dutch paper merchant Deric Jansen. This site illustrates the paper tradition of Angoumois, a major region for this industry in Europe thanks to its exchanges with the countries of the North.

In 1669 the mill had four wheels with blades and two vats, and in 1761 the Marquis de Montalembert experimented there with the Dutch battery, a rotary cylinder revolutionizing papermaking. This system, adopted in 1762 at the Petit-Montbron stationery, marked a key step in the modernization of local techniques.

In the 19th century, the mill produced cardboard with a round-shaped machine, while maintaining an artisanal manufacture of luxury paper, thanks to a hydraulic turbine. Registered as a historical monument in 1991, it remains open to the public and in 2020 received aid from the Heritage Lotto (€110,000) for its preservation.

The site preserves private archives and protected elements: the manufacturing workshop, the employer house, the valves, and the hydraulic system. Its architecture, with its banners pierced with regular bays, bears witness to its historical importance in French paper production.

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