Forge Neuve
MonumentHidden Treasure
Forge Neuve, located in Javerlhac-et-la-Chapelle-Saint-Robert (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Javerlhac-et-la-Chapelle-Saint-Robert, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.5746, 0.5511
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082589
A major remnant of the metallurgical industry of the Ancien Régime, the Forge Neuve de Javerlhac cast the cannons of the French royal Navy in the 18th century, setting its blast furnaces roaring over the waters of the Bandiat.
History
In the heart of the Périgord Vert region, where the River Bandiat meanders through meadows and oak woods, the Forge Neuve de Javerlhac-et-la-Chapelle-Saint-Robert stands out as one of the most striking testimonies to the French metal industry of the Ancien Régime. Listed as a Historic Monument in 2021, this former large hydraulic forge tells the story of the golden age of Périgord metallurgy, closely linked to the military and naval ambitions of the Kingdom of France. What makes the Forge Neuve truly unique is the coherence and scale of its preserved industrial facilities. Its twin blast furnaces, built in 1751, are a rare survival in France of the architecture of the great hydraulic metallurgy of the 18th century. These monumental structures, powered by the waters of the Bandiat river, are a powerful reminder of the industrial power of a time when iron from the Périgord region was exported to the royal arsenals. The forge buildings, with their grey stone walls, massive frameworks and visible traces of each stage of production - from the blast furnace to the hydraulic hammers and the bocard - invite you to immerse yourself in the daily life of the metal workers. The layout of the volumes and the hydraulic engineering of the site also reveal the implacable logic of a production line designed to supply cannons to the King's fleet. The natural setting amplifies the emotion: the Bandiat still flows close to the buildings, the surrounding woodlands form a green setting typical of the Périgord Vert, and the silence, punctuated by the rustle of the water, contrasts with the deafening din that must have filled these premises at the height of their activity. La Forge Neuve is a place for those curious about industrial history, lovers of authentic rural heritage and anyone looking to get off the region's beaten track.
Architecture
The Forge Neuve is typical of the large hydraulic forges of 18th-century France, whose architectural logic was entirely determined by the imperatives of metallurgical production. The building, constructed from locally quarried limestone and sandstone, is made up of several sections linked by an elongated, functional layout, allowing raw materials to flow from the blast furnace to the hammers and refinery fires. The twin blast furnaces, built in 1751, are the centrepiece of the complex. These masonry towers, whose thick, squat architecture testifies to the thermal and mechanical stresses to which they were subjected, are topped by protective frameworks and pierced by their characteristic louvres. The management of water, the absolute driving force of the site, was reflected in the organisation of sluices, reaches and waterwheels that transmitted the energy of the Bandiat to the bellows of the furnaces and the drop hammers. The bocard, designed to crush the ore before smelting, completed this coherent industrial system. All in all, the hydraulic engineering of the Périgord region was a masterpiece, on a par with the finest Catalan or Burgundian forges to be found anywhere in France.
Related Figures
François Lapouge — maître de forge, commanditaire des deux hauts fourneaux jumelés construits en 1751Blanchard de Sainte-Catherine — maître de forge locataire, directeur de la fabrication des canons de la Marine Royale entre 1751 et 1772M. de Roffignac — propriétaire de la forge en 1766, bailleur des installations à Blanchard de Sainte-CatherineLe marquis de Montalembert — directeur de la fonderie royale de Ruelle, client stratégique de la Forge Neuve pour l'armement navalBlanchon-Lasserve — repreneur de l'usine après le règlement d'eau de 1832, dernier exploitant important du site
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Forge Neuve located?
Forge Neuve is located in Javerlhac-et-la-Chapelle-Saint-Robert, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Forge Neuve built?
Forge Neuve dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Forge Neuve open to visitors?
Forge Neuve is currently closed to visitors.