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Origin and history

The royal tannery of Lectoure, built in 1752 by architect Pierre Racine for the Duclos brothers, Toulouse traders, is an emblematic example of 18th-century industrial architecture. Located at the foot of the medieval ramparts of Lectoure (Gers), it exploits an abundant spring (Saint-Clair) and the Diane fountain for its tanning activities. The site, organized on a steep gradient, includes housing, workshops and manufacturing basins ("to the French", "to the English"), connected by courtyards and a monumental staircase with double revolution.

The construction, blessed in 1752 by the bishop of Lectoure, obtained in 1754 the title of "Royal Manufacture" thanks to the support of the intendant of Etigny. This status grants tax and military privileges, attracting skilled workers from all over Europe. Production, destined for the armies (shoes, harnesses) during the Seven Years' War, declined after 1774 due to an epizootic reduction in the supply of hides. The management then moved to Druillhet and Darribeau, before a sale in 1824.

Activity ceased in the mid-19th century, a victim of industrial competition. The building, partially destroyed, then houses a distillery, a cinema and then a retirement home. Ranked a historic monument in 2006 and 2018, the site preserves its portal in triumphal arch (1754), its courtyards, and remains of ramparts. Today it is privately owned and hosts a boutique hotel, showing its neoclassical architectural heritage and its role in the economic history of Gers.

The architecture, designed for rational organization, combines functionality and aesthetics. The main building, with a clock and bells (disappeared), overlooks a terrace accessible by a staircase decorated with the mention " PARLE AV SVISE" (1754), inviting to address the guard. The convex pavilions and support walls highlight the integration of the site into the urban landscape, between the Gers plain and the ramparts. The plans of Pierre Racine, although partially realized, illustrate the progressive ideal of the Enlightenment.

The tannery is located in a historic tanner district (Hountélie), where artisanal workshops existed. By buying these structures, the Duclos brothers created a modern factory operated by nearly 200 workers during its construction. Despite internal conflicts and financial difficulties (bankruptcy of Parisian partners in 1758), the establishment survived the Revolution. Its decline began with the disappearance of the Duclos and the evolution of industrial techniques in the 19th century.

The protected elements include both courtyards, gates, wrought iron staircases, and archaeological floors. The remains of the vats and dryers, now integrated into a garden, recall the tanning processes ("at the juice"). Lectoure's royal tannery remains a rare regional example of a royal factory, celebrated in the 19th century as a model of industry illuminated by Louis Figuier in Les Merveilles de l'Industrie.

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