Construction of blast furnace 1842 (≈ 1842)
Initiated by the Marquis de Travanet.
1849
First interruption of activity
First interruption of activity 1849 (≈ 1849)
Stopped after seven years of operation.
1862
Final closure
Final closure 1862 (≈ 1862)
End of industrial exploitation.
18 juin 1991
Partial registration in MH
Partial registration in MH 18 juin 1991 (≈ 1991)
Façades miller house and machine room.
31 août 1992
Ranking of blast furnace
Ranking of blast furnace 31 août 1992 (≈ 1992)
Protection of bellows and casting hall.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roof of the old miller's house as well as the remains of the old chamber of machines adjoining the old bypass canal; facades and roof of the old mansion (cad. BE 73, 201; BC 73): entry by order of 18 June 1991 ; Lavoirs blast furnace, including the bellows' chambers and the casting hall, excluding the concrete staircase on the north facade (see BE 201): classification by order of 31 August 1992
Key figures
Marquis de Travanet - Sponsor
Founded the factory in 1842.
Walter de Saint-Ange - Mining Engineer
Manufacturer of the blast furnace model.
Origin and history
The former metallurgical factory of the Lavoirs, located at Saint-Florent-sur-Cher in the Cher, was built in 1842 on the initiative of the Marquis de Travanet. Placed on a site rich in iron ore, it operated a nearby beef to supply its blast furnace with hydraulic energy. Originally designed to work with coke, the oven finally used a mixture of coke and wood, reflecting the technical adaptations of the emerging industrial era.
The blast furnace, inspired by the models of engineer Walter de Saint-Ange, incorporated innovations such as three stone bellows chambers, a casting hall, and superimposed housings for founders. Its architecture, marked by a set of bricks and neo-classical stone, contrasted with operational challenges: a bypass channel too far away caused energy losses, and the factory experienced repeated stops between 1842 and 1862. Despite these difficulties, the site also included a master's house (1842) and workers' housing, testimonies of the social organization of the time.
Partially classified at the Historical Monuments in 1991 and 1992, the factory of Lavoirs today illustrates the industrial heritage of the 19th century in the Centre-Val de Loire. The protected elements include the miller's house facades, the vestiges of the engine room, and the blast furnace itself, with its bellows chambers and casting hall. These protections underline the historical and architectural importance of the site, despite its intermittent operation and technical limitations.
The site is part of a regional context marked by the exploitation of local resources (iron mining, hydraulic energy) and the challenges of the industrial revolution. The presence of an adjacent mill and a bypass channel reveals the ingenuity of the industrialists of the time, while highlighting the energy and economic constraints that have rhythmized its history. The Lavoirs factory remains a concrete example of attempts at industrialization in the province in the mid-19th century.
