1/ Place de l'hôtel de ville: The Town Hall is the symbol of the ambitious municipal policy implemented in the 19th century by the heads of the millstone companies and reflects an unequalled golden age. It was built on the site of the "grand dauphin couronné", a 16th century inn which became the Town Hall in 1762 under the aegis of Simon Gueuvin, the then Mayor and a millstone maker. In 1880, an architectural tender was launched for the construction of the new building, and plans were made for every detail, from the materials (foundations in gritstone, bricks from Reuil-en-Brie) to the window handles. Paul Héneux's project was chosen. He joined forces with top artists of the period: Glaize, Bouché, Meslé, whose canvases can still be seen in the salons of the Town Hall. The new building was inaugurated in 1885. Today, visits are organised on the first Tuesday of every month, between May and October, by appointment with the Tourist Office.
Continue towards Charles de Gaulle bridge along Rue des Pelletiers.
2/ Rue des Pelletiers: The name "pelletier" comes from the leather and fur trades. Since the Middle Ages, the proximity of country fairs and sheep breeding in Brie favoured the development of textile crafts in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, alongside the millstone industry. For a time, this activity was even quite prosperous. In the 17th century, any town, whether large or small, located on a waterway had a community of master tanners. Although it was a small-scale activity, tanning did require relatively large capital because tanning operations were long and sometimes lasted two years. In La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, cloth merchants organised themselves into a corporation, had two shops in the town centre and took part in many fairs and markets in Meaux, Melun and Provins. The names of the oldest streets in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre bear witness to these trades: Rues des tanneries, Rue des étuves, Rue des Cordeliers, etc.
Continue straight ahead and cross Charles de Gaulle bridge.
3) Charles de Gaulle bridge: Up until the end of the 18th century, Charles de Gaulle bridge was one of the only passages over the Marne in the region. In a sudden spate in 1784, the bridge was destroyed. Mr Regnard de l'Isle and Mr Bouchon (large millstone merchants) undertook to build a new toll bridge. This project caused a revolt among millstone workers who had to cross the Marne every day to get to the quarries. It would have cost them most of their salary to do so. In the middle of the 19th century, navigation requirements led to the Marne being widened: the export of particularly heavy goods around the world explains the importance of the logistics implemented. It marked the start of the major works which modified the town: construction of the millstone port, elevation of the ground level, blocking of the old arm of the Marne (located on the present-day Boulevard de Turenne). In 1865, Boulevard de Turenne took shape and the "Pont de Fer" was opened to traffic.
Just after Charles de Gaulle bridge, turn right on to Quai des Anglais and continue to the workshops (located along the Marne).
4/ Quai des Anglais: Turn right on to Quai des Anglais and continue to the old workshops of the Gueuvin-Bouchon-Dupety-Orsel company. In the 18th century, the trade in millstones escaped the control of the main merchant families, such as the Gueuvin, Bouchon, Dupety, Regnard, Himbert families... In the second half of the 18th century, these families had acquired huge fortunes (one millstone cost the price of a house). They were behind the first companies in La Ferte, such as the Gueuvin-Bouchon-Dupety-Orsel company, which, in the 18th century, was the first company owned by shareholders. It stretched from the present-day library to "Leader Price" and formed a triangle with Rue de Condé as far as Île Caquot and Avenue Franklin Roosevelt. In the 19th century, these companies were joined by more modest entrepreneurs new to the world of millstones. In 1835, La Ferté-sous-Jouarre had 23 different companies. The largest employed about 600 workers and exported thousands of millstones every year all over the world. The neighbourhoods on the left bank concentrated most of the millstone production activities after quarrying. In 1849, the arrival of rail led to a great change in the geographic distribution of the millstone industry. New companies were built near the railway lines, which greatly reduced delivery costs. Today, on Quai des Anglais, it is possible to see the remains of the old 19th century workshops. The large Halle de la corderie and the Atelier de cerclage were located on the site of the present-day supermarket. Behind the very contemporary aluminium facade, the 19th century walls of the old millstone works are still there. Certain elements are still visible in the modern building. The house of the works manager, at No.50 Rue de Condé, is in excellent condition. This private property converted into a house, offers five windows on the facade, three of which are upstairs, beautiful features and is decorated with a semi-circular lintel.
Turn around at No. 57 Quai des Anglais and walk down the small stone staircase to the Marne.
5/ The Millstone Port: Up until the 19th century, the millstones, once cut and stored, were loaded from beaches prepared especially for the purpose on the riverbank. The boats lined up along the beach and an empty space was prepared at the rear in order to store goods while awaiting loading or for manoeuvring. The real birth of the millstone port, unique in the world, dates back to 1860-70. The increase in production attracted increasingly larger boats. The development of the wharf enabled heavy stones to be loaded on board, even when the river was in spate. Remember that a millstone weighed between 1 and 5 tons. The port consisted of 500 large monolithic millstones stacked up over eight levels, forming a wall about 4 metres below the Gueuvin -Bouchon and Compagnie workshops. This structure never failed to impress visitors, especially when they emerged from an underground passageway and found themselves in front of a column of huge millstones...
Walk up Quai des Anglais along the slope laid out on the banks of the Marne, Cross the street to the municipal theatre and take Rue du Port aux Meules.
6/ The Pâtis de Condé: In the 16th century, Louis of Bourbon, Prince of Condé, Lord of La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, granted residents the right to use two pieces of meadow, one on the Reuil side and the other on the Condetz Islands side: the "Patis de Condé". The inhabitants of La Ferte grazed their cattle there. At the time, the finishing of millstones and the assembly of tiles was still carried out near the quarries. The completed millstones were brought down to the ports of the Marne and the Petit Morin in order to be shown to customers and were then loaded on to ships. Those which had been damaged on the way were abandoned in a corner of a meadow, in particular in the Pâtis de Condé. After the end of the Revolution and following the abolition of privileges, the Pâtis de Condé became national property. Tile assembly, the finishing of millstones and storage was moved to the Faubourg neighbourhood. A number of long buildings, workshops, were built there at the far end of the Pâtis de Condé but also around the present-day Condé roundabout and along Avenue Franklin Roosevelt as far as Haute Borneu
The municipal theatre can be found on the Pâtis de Condé .
7/ The Municipal Theatre: The theatre was built in 1892 and was inaugurated in 1896. It was called "Eldorado". Like many buildings of this period in the Paris basin, it is in gritstone. Its massive and imposing architecture reflects the vanity of its sponsors as well as the wealth of the town at that time.
Turn around and make your way to the bandstand.
8/ The bandstand: Opposite the theatre, it was inaugurated in 1903 with a bequest from a generous donor, Alfred Cocu, a former butcher in La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, who died in 1900. He donated 10,000 Francs to the town for the construction of the bandstand on the Pâtis de Conde. It has recently been restored and is characteristic of the Belle Epoque.
Take Rue du Port aux Meules towards Faubourg.
9/ Rue du Port aux Meules: In the 19th century, millstone factory owners and merchants settled on Rue du Port aux Meules, near their workshops. The rich mansions to be found in the street symbolise what was called the "encastellement" dynasties. At No. 22: a product of the "conquest of the Pâtis de Condé", dating from the second half of the 19th century, this house, in an English Renaissance style, was the last one inhabited by the descendants of its founder, Henri Dupety. At No. 15: this beautiful 19th century mansion belonged to the Bouchon family who used to live at No. 15 Rue de Conde. This important element of the millstone heritage in La Ferté does not appear on the 1829 cadastral map, at the time being no more than a large enclosed garden opposite their former home. At No. 13: Belonging to the Dupety family, this house was known in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre for its weathervane in the shape of a millstone, which has since disappeared.
Turn around, walk around the bandstand via Rue du Pâtis de Condé then take Rue de Condé.
10/ Rue de Condé: In the 17th and 18th centuries , most major merchants lived on Rue de Conde, the "Champs-Elysées" of millstone manufacturers, which had a large number of beautiful buildings. In the 19th century, the old mansions were gradually abandoned in favour of manors and castles built on the Pâtis de Conde and in the outskirts of the town, in Condetz, Les Bondons, Fontaine aux Pigeons and Haute Vue. At No. 35: on the site of this school, Lagny Castle was to be found. Two towers stood at each end of the building, which had a farm, a dovecote and a large park. It was destroyed in 1940. At No. 29-31: Old houses belonging to the Gueuvin family. No.31 has been modified, but No. 29 is very similar to its original appearance. Outside these houses is a royal milestone dating from the 18th century, which served as a landmark for the transport of millstones. At No.18: The former owner, François Henri Dupety, was the founder of one of the workshops on Quai des Anglais. Apart from the addition of dormer windows, the appearance of the building has changed very little since the early 19th century. At No.15: The former owner was Jean Louis Bouchon. He also had a workshop on Quai des Anglais. This beautiful mansion was probably built in 1734 for the Houdrichon family, an important family in La Ferte-sous-Jouarre (the mayor of La Ferte-au-Col for many years, alderman and millstone merchant). It was bought in 1770 by the Bouchon family, who were also millstone merchants. At No. 9: Owned by Simon Gueuvin, the former mayor of La Ferte-sous-Jouarre and Departmental Councillor of Seine -et-Marne, this house is the birthplace of one of the largest and oldest millstone merchant families in the town. It is a key element of the national millstone heritage. At No. 3-7: Former properties of the Himbert de Flegny family. No. 3 was probably the former home of the family before the construction of Bondons Castle, whereas No.7 is more modest and probably housed one of their employees.
Turn left and take Rue du Faubourg.
11/ Rue du Faubourg: Walk to the town centre via Rue du Faubourg. The Faubourg neighbourhood is the old neighbourhood of traders, millstone workers and merchants' clerks (aides and assistants). In the workshops, each manufacturing step required special skills: "dresseurs" used to polish the surface of the millstone, the "fabricant" chose the pieces for the tile millstones, "assembleurs" adjusted and sealed them, "cercleurs" placed red-hot iron hoops around the stone, "chargeurs" filled the other side, and, finally, "rayonneurs" carved out the radiuses. In around 1850, the millstone industry employed 3,000 people, from owners down to humble carriers. The houses in La Ferte, offering a range of modest houses and imposing estates, reflect these social disparities. At No. 39: The former owner, Louis Pierre Joseph Bertrand, was a millstone merchant. In 1876, he received a medal for his millstones at the International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The author of a book about millstones, his work was published between 1867 and 1875. At No. 21 (corner with Rue du port aux meules). Former property of Antoine Pigeon, a millstone trader's assistant. The facade on Rue du port aux meules was modified following the extension of the road and the destruction of the "traboule" (passage through the residence's courtyard which ensured access from one street to another). However, the back facade is well preserved. At No. 10: The former owner, Auguste Blazy was a millstone merchant's assistant. This house, very similar to its original appearance, is an important part of the millstone heritage in La Ferte. Most merchants' assistants lived in the town centre. However, some were based in the outskirts of town, such as in Limon. But, the " blue hands " (name given to millstone workers whose hands turned blue with the flint flakes), lived in hamlets (Les Bondons, Mourette , Saint Martin, Favières or Bécart) near the quarries. From the second half of the 19th century, Rue Pierre Marx and the area around the station became a bourgeois residential area
Return to the starting point via Rue des Pelletiers.
