Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles
Monument
Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles, located in Auchel (Pas-de-Calais), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Auchel, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.5023, 2.4756
- Mérimée Reference
- PA62000075
A forgotten jewel of the mining heritage, this milk drop in Auchel (1903) reveals the incredible social modernity of the mining companies: prefabricated architecture, a décor of babies and cows, a veritable manifesto of industrial childcare.
History
In the heart of the Pas-de-Calais coalfield, in the commune of Auchel, stands a discreet building that is steeped in human and social history: the former milk drop of the Compagnie des mines de Marles. Built at the very beginning of the 20th century, this modest building alone embodies a silent revolution in the care of young working-class children, at a time when infant mortality was hitting families in the mines hard. What makes this monument so unique is first and foremost its unusual history: designed as a lightweight prefabricated structure, it was exhibited at the 1904 Northern France Exhibition in Arras before being dismantled, transported and reassembled in Auchel. Few buildings protected as Historic Monuments can boast such a travelling biography. Its facade, adorned with carved cartouches depicting babies drinking milk and cows, makes it instantly recognisable and endearing. A visit here is like plunging into the world of French-style industrial paternalism, where the Compagnie des Mines was as concerned with the vitality of its workforce as with the productivity of its pits. The interior spaces - weighing room, doctor's surgery, pasteurisation laboratory - tell an eloquent story of the sanitary practices of the time, between modern hygienism and employers' concern. The building is part of the wider landscape of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais mining heritage, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. In this context, La goutte de lait d'Auchel stands out as a precious and touching reminder of the daily lives of miners' families, far removed from the big spectacular infrastructures, but as close as possible to their humanity.
Architecture
The building has a large upside-down T-shaped plan, a functional layout that clearly organised the flow between the reception, consultation and distribution areas. The horizontal part of the T housed the main entrance and administrative services, while the vertical part formed the main body of the building. This rational organisation, typical of early twentieth-century sanitary facilities inspired by hygienic principles, ensured that mothers and their babies could move around freely. The main façade is the most remarkable feature of this building. It is adorned with a decorative scheme directly linked to the building's function: sculpted cartouches depicting babies drinking milk and cows, combining nourishment symbolism with references to milk production. This naïve and touching decoration, unusual for an industrial or health building, gives the building a strong and immediately recognisable visual identity. Large windows ensured a generous supply of natural light, in line with the hygienic precepts of the time, which combined health, clean air and light. Technically, the concrete structure with brick infill represents a modern construction approach for the early 20th century, designed from the outset to allow the pavilion to be dismantled and reassembled. The interior was organised into distinct functional areas: an entrance vestibule, a room for weighing infants, the doctor's surgery, and a pasteurisation laboratory equipped with two distribution counters. Radiators maintained a constant temperature of 18 to 20 degrees, an essential medical precaution for undressed infants during consultations.
Related Figures
Charles Fournier — architecte concepteur du pavillon, auteur des plans de la structure préfabriquée présentée à Arras en 1904Léon Dufour — médecin normand fondateur de la première goutte de lait française à Fécamp (1894), dont le modèle inspira directement la création de celle d'AuchelLe préfet du Pas-de-Calais (1902) — initiateur avec le conseil général de l'appel à la création de consultations de nourrissons dans le départementLes directeurs de la Compagnie des mines de Marles — instigateurs de la politique sociale qui permit la création et le financement de cette institutionPierre Budin — médecin parisien pionnier de la puériculture et des gouttes de lait en France, dont les travaux théoriques fondèrent le mouvement national
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles located?
Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles is located in Auchel, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles built?
Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles open to visitors?
Ancienne goutte de lait de la compagnie des mines de Marles is currently closed to visitors.