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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Savignac Press is a stone work located in the commune of Saint-Affrique, in the department of Aveyron (Occitanie region). This press, of the type "in shield", is distinguished by its massive cubic structure: a main stone carved at its top forms the Maye (receiving tank), while lateral cuts suggest the location of the wooden elements operating the mechanism. In the vicinity, a stone counterweight, also cubic, has an upper cavity and lateral grooves, essential to the functioning of the whole. These technical characteristics make this a rare testimony of old wine or agricultural practices in the Rouergue.

The building was listed as historic monuments by order of 7 August 1980, thereby recognizing its heritage value. Although the exact period of its construction remains undetermined, its style and invoice evoke medieval or post-medieval presses, collective tools often installed near the wine estates or community farms. Its current location, near the road from Peret to Saint-Affrique, could indicate a link to historical local agricultural activities, although the available sources do not specify its exact use (wine, oil, cider).

The protection of historic monuments underlines the importance of this press as an example of the rural heritage of Aveyron. The descriptions from the Mérimée and Monumentum bases emphasize its rarity and relative conservation status, despite a geographical location deemed "a priori satisfactory" (note 6/10). No information is available on its current accessibility to the public or possible restorations, but its official registration makes it a key part of the physical heritage of Aveyron, alongside other protected agricultural monuments in the area.

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