The municipality of Saint-Saud-Lacoussiere in green Périgord is crossed by Iin Dronne, a wild river which allowed the operation of many mills but also forges. From the Gallo-Roman period until the middle of the 19th century, Périgord was the most important region in France to produce iron and cast iron. More than 43 blast furnaces and 95 refining fires, located mainly in the North of Périgord. This industry was, by the way, _a good example of sustainable development c_is what explains to us Michel Puyribaud of the Georges Rocan association.
Iron was produced for several millennia until around 1865 based on local iron ore, abundant and of very good quality. The manufacturing was based on charcoal from the surrounding forests using the hydraulic force of the rivers to operate bellows and power hammers. Labor was abundant during the winter period.
– Marie-Dominique PRIVE
Among the forges of Périgord, one can still discover the ruins of the Maque forge in Saint Saud which in 1789 annually produced 50 tons of cast iron and hammering iron.
“The forge of the maque consumed 6000 fathoms of wood to supply its charcoal burners” explains the owner of the premises Pascal Métayer
– Marie-Dominique PRIVE
During the industrial revolution, the demand for iron became such that the forests could not have sufficed to provide the necessary charcoal. It’s an Englishman Abraham Darby who found a way to use a process based on charcoal, coal. The industry moved to the coal mines, especially to the north and east of the Franc. Farms are very competitive and the transport of raw materials greatly facilitated by the railway. This led to the very rapid shutdown in 2 decades of the Périgord forges but certainly to the safeguarding of the forests
– Marie-Dominique PRIVE