Can you imagine a horse powering a machine that hauled eight-ton stones? That’s the Treuil de la carrière Auboin in Châtillon. This remarkable winch is a unique industrial relic. It’s the last surviving witness to a bygone era of limestone extraction in the Ile-de-France region. The Treuil de la carrière Auboin isn’t just a machine. It’s a testament to the hard work of the quarrymen. It’s a symbol of the history of Châtillon.
The Treuil de la carrière Auboin dates back to 1850-1870. This was the time of the great Haussmannian works in Paris. The winch enabled the extraction of massive limestone blocks. These blocks were crucial for the construction projects transforming Paris. The Treuil de la carrière Auboin allowed workers to lift these enormous stones 35 meters from a two-level underground quarry. Imagine the sheer power required. The winch consists of two large stone piles supporting a drum. This drum wound the cable that hoisted the blocks. Ingenious gears connected to a horse-driven mill amplified the pulling force.
The Treuil de la carrière Auboin operated until the early 20th century. It ceased its activity at the dawn of the 20th century. Then it was eventually restored by the PICAR association. This association is a member of the Union REMPART and the Ile-de-France REMPART Group. This tireless effort preserved a significant part of France’s industrial heritage. The Treuil de la carrière Auboin is listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments.
The limestone and gypsum extracted from Châtillon’s soil since 1762 are essential to the story. The “Entrepreneurs de la Madeleine” used this stone extensively. These entrepreneurs built the Madeleine church in Paris. They opened more than thirty extraction shafts in Châtillon between 1770 and the French Revolution. The Treuil de la carrière Auboin played a crucial role in this story of construction. It is a direct link to the construction of many Parisian buildings and monuments.
The horse’s steady circular motion powered the Treuil de la carrière Auboin. This movement hauled stones weighing between four and eight tons. This was a labor-intensive process. A single extraction could take as long as an hour and a half. The horse would cover approximately four kilometers during that time. The Treuil de la carrière Auboin is more than a simple machine. It represents human ingenuity and the powerful connection between rural extraction and urban development. It’s a vital link to the history of construction in Paris. A story etched in stone and powered by a horse. It’s a reminder of the past. It’s a piece of living history here in front of us the Treuil de la carrière Auboin.