The region of the Pointe des Ardennaises, from Return to Givet passing through the surrounding towns and villages, has a rich industrial past marked by varied activities such as metallurgy, textiles, and miningThe industrial past of this territory is part of its identity, even if some of these farms are no longer in operation, there are still traces of their passage.
A town with an industrial past, Revin.
Initially based on the forestry, Revin experienced a industrial growth in the 19th century thanks to the development of roads and railways (Charleville-Givet line). On the eve of the First World War, the commune had 21 factories employing about 3 workers. Notable industries included foundries such as E. Hénon and establishments such as Martin and Faure.
Today I will introduce you to thehistory of the Faure family. She played an important role in thelocal industry and their house is today a cultural site, the Rocheteau Park.
It all starts when Theodore Faure, having done a good job, finds a job in the very new Ardennes Railway Company belonging to Baron Seillière. In 1854, he settles in Returned and becomes entrepreneur by creating its 1st factory. It begins with fmake nails. Thanks to the arrival of the train in Revin, his company is in booming. He will be elected mayor City from 1865 to 1876. At that time, he owns 3 factories, Saint Joseph, la Tamisiere and l’Ardennaise. He decided to create his family home in Revin. It was bought by the town of Revin in 1972 and became the Maison du parc Rocheteau.
At the end of 1936, the Faure family inaugurated the Sartnizon Garden City, it was built at the company's expense with seven blocks of housing estates made available to employees and a chapel.
Following the death of Théodore Faure in 1891, it was the turn of his son Henri to take charge of the business, followed by his grandson Louis and his great-grandson Bernard. The Faure family has lasted for 4 generations.
Le industrial past is still visible through various elements of heritage of the municipality:
- Today you can still see workers' houses when you pass through Revin.
- La spanish house : Organized on 3 floors, this house will immerse you at the heart of a family's life in years 1920 on the ground floor. In an exhibition room on the 1st floor and finally, on the top floor, you will be immersed in the industrial past of the town of Revin.
- Le Rocheteau municipal park : formerly owned by the Faure family, today it offers a haven of peace with a walking area, children's play area, and much more...
- other factories are still running today in Revin.
Now let's talk about one of the largest farms from the Ardennes.
A slate past.
The slate city: Fumay
Fumay has long been one of the cbeating hearts of slate mining in the Ardennes. His schistose basement, typical of the Ardennes massif, allowed the development of intense mining activity since the Middle AgesFrom the 15th century onwards, the arrival of traders from Dinant, Namur and Liège encouraged the structuring of the slate trade and contributed to the prosperity of the town.
The extraction took place in particularly difficult conditions : the workers, called “scailleteux”, worked in flooded galleries, lit only by candlelight. Despite this, the slate industry is experiencing its golden age in the 19th and early 20th centuriesThe Sainte-Anne slate quarry, the largest in Fumay, then produced up to 45 million slates per year.
But from the end of the 18th century, the activity starts at decline. The small quarries close, then the First World War completely stopped production. A tentative recovery took place after 1945, but it was not enough to halt the decline. In the 1960s, the remaining sites were consolidated, delaying an inevitable closure. Extraction stopped permanently in 1971. , marking the end of an industrial era which shaped the city's identity.
Nowadays, several sites and monuments remind us the importance of slate in Fumay. Here are the ones you can see and visit during your visit in the Ardennes Valley.
- Rochettes Square: En plein center de la ville, don't miss the entrance to a slate quarry, a slate bench, as well as stairs and steps cut into the shale. Currently, the slate quarry entrance is closed by a gate because the galleries are flooded.
- Saint George's Church: THEchurch dating from the 19th century, more precisely from 1876, dominates the town of Fumay. Because of its size, the building seems to dominate the town below.
- The Saint-Roch chapel: This chapel is located at the end of Place du Baty, was built during the 17th century and has its own history. In addition, there are other representations of Chapel in honor of Saint Roch in many other towns and villages in the Val d'Ardenne region.
- The fresco of the scailleteux: In order to pay tribute to the workers, the town of Fumay asked the artist G. A Favaudon to do a fresco in slate and concrete. This is located in the Fumay center, rue Jean Jaurès.
- Le slate museum: Discover the slate worker's trade… This old carmelite convent has been restored as a museum to allow you to discover the follow-up slate workers. Dive in underground thanks to an elevator in order to experience the day of a slate worker with a reconstruction scenes: a kitchen, the work of the bottom and the surface and discover upstairs the history of the city and the slate workers
- TerrAltitude Park: This park was created on the site of a former slate quarry, that of Saint-Joseph. He proposes a wide range of activities like paintball, tree climbing...
The town of Fumay has retained its 19th century appearance, the typical houses of Fumay remind us of the slate mining past on every street corner.
A slate treasure: Haybes
Just like its neighbor Fumay, Haybes has been deeply affected by slate mining. From the 16th century, the commune became one of the the most dynamic centers in the territory in terms of production. At its peak, there were nearly fifty extraction sites. Among the most emblematic are the slate quarries of Fond d'Oury, Belle Rose, Saint-Antoine or even l'Espérance.
It's also the latter, founded in 1839, which best symbolizes the industrial influence of Haybes. It will employ up to 400 bivouac workers and its production is widely exported: in 1913, 45% of the slates produced were destined for the French market, 20% for Belgium and the rest for other European countries. In 1894, the commune reached a record with 28 million slates produced.
However, as in other industrial basins, the economic crisis of 1929 marks a turning point. The closures followed one another between 1932 and 1953The Nouvelle Espérance slate quarry, the jewel of the town, has ceased operations permanently.
Even today, the slate past de Haybes remains visible. numerous remains are still present:
- The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul: this église was rebuilt after the First World War, only its bell tower is topped with slatee. The rest of the church was rebuilt with other types of stone, such as Givet blue stone and Lérouville stone.
- The Hope district: Street of Hope there are remains of the old slate quarry “La Nouvelle Espérance”, the largest slate quarry in the commune. It had a gallery of 820 meters with works on each side. Buildings are still visible, such as the village hall, a cinema, an infirmary and the Saint-Pierre chapel.
- When visiting Haybes, look everywhere around you because roofs, facades, paving and land boundaries, all were made with slate.
If you want observe the evolution of the slate quarries and discover all the current slate heritage, go read our article appointed “The history of Fumay and Haybes slate”.
The metallurgical industry
In the village of Vireux-Molhain
Au nineteenth century, the village of Vireux-Molhain transforms with thegrowth of coal mining and metallurgy, it attracts a large working population, the commune then becomes a major industrial center. Edmond Gonthier requests permission toinstall a factory iron in 1856. This was initially named Wilmot, Mineur, Gonthier and later Mineur frères and Wilmot following Gonthier's departure in 1858. It evolved rapidly with the construction of 6 furnaces, two reheating furnaces and rolling mills. Becoming the SA of the Forges of Vireux-Molhain, the factory reached its peak in 1914, producing up to 120 tons of steel and employing nearly 1,000 people.
La World War I destroyed the production tool of the factory, but it restarted in 1920, subsequently integrating large industrial groups, such as Usinor and SA des Hauts Fourneaux de la Chiers. In 1984, the crisis in the automobile sector caused its closure and later the demolition of many buildings.
In 1982,,announcement of closure causes a social movement in the region, marked by spectacular actions and a strong mobilization of unions, elected and population. However, it is a failure, the factory is not saved but social compensation was obtained for employees, including salary maintenance, social benefits, training, assistance with business creation and redeployment. This conflict remains a milestone in the industrial and social history of the village.
Today, some remains are still occupied by several companies.
In Aubrives
From 1858, Aubrives becomes a major industrial center with the creation of the Metallurgical Limited Company of Aubrives and Villerupt, specialized in cast iron and steel production thanks to its blast furnaces.
During the First World War, the factory is occupied by the Germans, but it still remains at center of the local economyIn 1915, the village was annexed to Belgium along with Fumay. This allowed the commune to benefit from American supplies and trade with the south of Belgium.
However in 1916, the situation becomes complicated when the director and mayor of the village, Edmond Bertin, refuses to restart the factory for the enemy. This refusal led to his arrest and that of his deputy Masson. They were imprisoned for three months in the fortress of Namur.
En 1917, Aubrives must also welcome 300 evacuees from disaster-stricken regions. In all this chaos, a good thing spring, the occupier did not have time to destroy the factory. It's at the end of the conflict in 1918 that the factory regained a certain stability with the return of French troops in November. In 1919, Father Paubon, involved in the intelligence network La Dame Blanche, was appointed parish priest, marking the return to civilian life.
After the war, life gradually returned to normal. In 1919, Father Paubon, a former priest of Fépin and a member of the White Lady's intelligence network, was appointed parish priest.
So, the story ofaubrives at the beginning of the 20th century is marked by strength of its metallurgical industry and resilience of its inhabitants in the face of occupation.
Givet's industrial past.
Textiles: from artificial silk to viscose
Au Twentieth century, more precisely in 1902, Givet also becomes a important center of industry, that of textile with the implementation of a artificial silk factory. It will become the factory Cellatex, and it is part of the innovation movement in the textile sector, marked by the search for substitutes for natural silk. After adopting different processes, the factory specialized in the manufacture of viscose, a synthetic fiber made from wood cellulose. Before the First World War, the activity is experiencing a rapid expansion, it has nearly 800 employees.
After Second World War, the factory adapts to the market developments, but must face the competition from synthetic fibers such as nylon and tergal. Despite several restructurings and changes of ownership, the activity is gradually declining. 2000, the closure of Cellatex check the end of industrial activity in Givet.
Pipe making: a renowned ceramic tradition
Au 19th century, Givet is distinguished by the quality of its pipe bowls of terracotta and its pipes. Many manufacturers make the city known beyond the department, notably the famous Gambier House. Founded in 1780 At its peak, it employed nearly 600 bivouac workers. In addition, his pipes are exported worldwide.
The pipes from Givet, recognizable by their finesse and the diversity of their forms, become prized objects smokers and collectors.
Chooz, the nuclear industry.
To learn more about thenuclear industry from the Chooz power station, go read our article released last week. “Chooz: discover the nuclear power plant”.
Although the industrial past of the region has experienced ups and downs, he left an indelible mark on his identity and his cultural heritage..
So, don't hesitate any longer, come and explore the industrial remains of the Pointe des Ardennes!
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