Urban Exploration - The Entre-Deux-Guiers paper mill

We received photos from a traveler and compiled them into a historical summary.

Status of the paper mill: Demolished in 2024. Status of the worker housing: All renovated.

This is the urbex visit of the former abandoned paper mill in Entre-Deux-Guiers. As of today, the structure has been completely demolished.

This mill saw five different owners throughout its long history. Opened in 1865, it operated for over a century as an annex for major Grenoble-based companies such as Blanchet Frères and Kléber in Rives, as well as Lafuma-Navarre in Voiron. Logically, the original facility was established on the river to house a mill, taking advantage of hydraulic power and the water supply essential for papermaking.

The company specialized in the production of folding and packaging paper, as well as small-sized cardboard.

Bankruptcy and Demolition
The paper mill closed in January 2009 following a widespread state of bankruptcy. Liquidation proceedings took place, yet the company was never officially dissolved. While the buildings had relatively low levels of chemical pollution, they contained a massive amount of asbestos. The collapsed state of certain roofs made several areas quite dangerous. The demolition process proved extremely difficult due to the staggering quantities of concrete and steel reinforcement.

Following the demolition, the economic plan for the site is to develop a business and artisanal zone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vincent Tchorski

This article was written by Vincent Tchorski, who is passionate about the history of forgotten places and describing unusual locations. He has been documenting industrial and religious heritage since 1996. Specializing in the study of mines and underground structures, he is committed to preserving the memory of these sites through rigorous documentary research and immersive photography.