Urban Exploration - The Silk Factory

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

Oh, goodness, but this is dangerous! To get into this factory, you have to pass through a corridor where the roof has largely collapsed. If only everything had fallen... but no, there are objects remaining in states of dubious levitation. There would certainly be other possible entrances, but well, it’s summer: the brambles are very happy—very. Well then, let’s say a prayer…

This is a former moulinage, which is to say, a silk thread factory. More precisely, it should be called a twisting mill (retorderie), as "milling" refers to the twisting of the thread. Several threads were taken and wound together like a braid. Very surprisingly, I found no documentation on this factory, even though it undoubtedly brought wealth to the valley. It closed in 1987—that is the only reliable date. It’s a meager lead.

Most of the buildings have lost their roofs, which has led to heavy architectural losses. However, all the milling machines are in the basement, which has allowed for their preservation, marvelously enough. It’s a short visit that brought a sparkle to my eyes, thinking of all the women who worked here, amid a web of interlacing threads.