First written entry 1750 (≈ 1750)
Stoneware pottery linked to Rouillac.
1955
End of activity
End of activity 1955 (≈ 1955)
Final shutdown of the ovens.
1982
Purchase by the municipality
Purchase by the municipality 1982 (≈ 1982)
Re-use of the site.
4e quart XIXe siècle
Construction of existing furnaces
Construction of existing furnaces 4e quart XIXe siècle (≈ 1987)
Two bottle-shaped ovens.
26 novembre 2012
Registration Historic Monument
Registration Historic Monument 26 novembre 2012 (≈ 2012)
Protection of furnaces and buildings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
The source text does not mention any names.
Origin and history
Gradignan's pottery originated in the 18th century, with a first mention in 1750 as a sandstone pottery attached to the noble land of Rouillac. This artisanal site, then integrated into a seigneurial domain, marks the beginnings of a local tradition of ceramic manufacturing, long before the construction of infrastructures still visible today.
The current ovens, recognizable by their characteristic shape in bottle, date from the last quarter of the 19th century. Two of them remain: one exposed outside, the other sheltered in the main building. Designed for wood cooking, they operated with a two-level system separated by an openwork sole. Their activity ceased in 1955, ending almost a century of uninterrupted production.
Acquised by the commune of Gradignan in 1982, the pottery was restored and returned to service, thus perpetuating historical know-how. The site, including the ovens, the industrial buildings and their plot, was listed in the Historic Monuments by order of 26 November 2012. Today, it is a municipal property that bears witness to the Gironde's artisanal and industrial heritage.
The precise location at 94 avenue de la Poterie enjoys accessibility which is considered satisfactory (note 7/10). The protected elements cover all the structures related to production, offering a rare example of the ceramic industrial heritage preserved in New Aquitaine.
