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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The sawmill of Plaimbois-du-Miroir, also known as the Girardot Mill, is a water mill built around 1884 by Émile Girardot on the foundations of an old 15th century mill, then owned by the priory of Laval-le-Prieuré. Originally, this mill was used to grind wheat and treat hemp (ribe), before diversifying into oil production and sawing at the end of the 18th century. The site, located on the right bank of Dessoubre, illustrates the adaptation of rural infrastructure to emerging industrial needs.

In 1884, Émile Girardot completely rebuilt the sawmill and added a dwelling to the east. Installation of two hydraulic turbines Douge in 1912 modernized its operation, while a drying hangar, built in 1918, marked its specialization in the wood trade. In the 1950s, an electric saw replaced one of the vertical wooden saws, reflecting the progressive electrification of industrial tools. The activity ceased permanently in 1988, followed by the partial destruction of the mill after a fire in 1989.

The building, characteristic of industrial rural architecture, combines limestone bellows, wood panels and planks. Its long-paned roof and mechanical tiles housed both production spaces (sawmill, stable, barn) and a living area. The site also includes a loading dock, a railway line, and a turbine channel, all of which have been listed as historic monuments since 2004. The restorations (vane in 2012, frame in 2016) preserved this unique testimony of the technical and economic history of the region.

The history of the mill dates back at least to the 15th century, when it belonged to the priory of Laval-le-Prieré and served as a wheat and hemp mill. Passed into the hands of several families (Guyot-Renaud, Girardot, Revillot), it evolved over the centuries: François Xavier Girardot built a house there in 1772, while in the 19th century the Revillot family modernized the installations and specialized in sawing. The sawmill, the last vestige of this complex, now embodies the transition between traditional mills and the industrial era in rural areas.

Ranked a historic monument in 2004, the sawmill of Plaimbois-du-Miroir is distinguished by its hydraulic system ( Douge turbines, canal derived from Dessoubre) and its spatial organization, typical of small family production units. Its abandonment in 1988 and partial restoration make it an educational heritage site, illustrating the challenges of preserving industrial heritage in rural areas. The mechanical transmissions still visible offer a concrete overview of traditional sawing techniques.

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