Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Sauilly grove, located in Diges en Puisaye (Yonne), is a major vestige of the ocean industry that marked the Auserrois in the 19th and 20th centuries. Created in the second quarter of the 19th century, this family factory operated continuously until 1961, exploiting geological layers dated from the Cenomanian and the Albian (Cretaceous). Its activity was based on extraction and processing of ochre, a natural pigment used in paints, coatings and local industries. The site now maintains complete facilities: drying furnaces, dryers, settling ponds, storage stores and boarding docks, providing a clear reading of manufacturing processes.

Lauilly's Løocrerie embodies the technological evolution of small rural industries. Built between 1825 and 1838, it was upgraded on several occasions: installation of a hand mill in 1840, a steam machine in 1858, and electrified in 1926 with a transformer. These innovations reflect the successive adaptations to the production needs and technical developments of the time. The site, registered with historical monuments in 1999 and labeled "Heritage of the 20th century", is the only example preserved in situ in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, testifying to artisanal know-how and a local economic organization centered on natural resources.

The location of the grove in the northwest of Yonne is part of a historical territory marked by the exploitation of clays and pigments. La Puisaye, a natural region to which Diges belongs, was famous for its ochres, used by local artisans as well as for larger markets. The cessation of activity in 1961 coincides with the decline of small rural industries in the face of industrial competition and the evolution of materials. Today, the site offers a rare example of preserved industrial heritage, where production circuits — from extraction to marketing — remain legible, making it an educational tool to understand the economic and social history of the region.

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