La Fenderie, its history

History of La Fenderie, straddling the communes of Montourtier and Deux-Évailles.

  • 1722 to J. Pavis, sieur du Tertre, inherited from the succession of Pierre Le Nicolais, who died at Bourgon castle
  • 1848, Théophile Gouin, from Dufay in La Manche.
  • 1856, sold to Pierre-Paul Le Nicolais de Bridelières, Beauvoir castle, St Jean-Froidmantel (Loir et Cher)

Sources: Abbé Angot’s Dictionary


A slitting mill played a crucial role in the pre-industrial economy, particularly in the manufacture of tools, frameworks, or metal components.

The Champ-de-Vigne Slitting Mill, dependent on Hermet forge, is mentioned in 1617, in a lawsuit concerning floods caused by the construction of the causeway.

Lawsuit of November 18, 1717:

“A request is made to the Lord of Landepoutre that he should restore the water of the pond, of the Chanvigne Slitting Mill, to its old and accustomed course, given that the water of the said pond, recently created by Jacques Vassé, sieur de la chevalerie, drowns and submerges a portion of meadow.”

In 1639, a blast furnace and its hall are reported near the old slitting mill, which was transformed into a mill.

Source: AD Mayenne, “inquiry for the Champ de Vigne slitting mill and furnace.”

Deed of August 19, 1723:

“I grant by way of ground rent, the pond, watercourse, and mill of Champdevigne where formerly were the slitting mill, the miller’s house, the oven and pigsty behind the small house, the site and ruins of the furnace being behind the causeway of the said pond, and the charcoal shed on the site where the ore and Castine are to be placed, being next to and in the vicinity of the said furnace site.”

The building was redesigned in 1840 to become a rolling mill: the rolling mill operators succeeded the founders, without fundamental changes in the tooling.

“The main pond is that of La Fendrie… This pond is unremarkable, cluttered as it is by the quantity of reeds and aquatic plants growing there. On its western side is a mill, property of Monsieur Gamard, as well as the pond.”

Source: Monograph by Monsieur Bruneau, July 1876.

  • At the beginning of the 20th century, Madame Gamard owned La Fenderie.
  • In 1933, La Fenderie became the property of Monsieur Rossignol,
    then of his son-in-law, Monsieur Jean-Louis.
    The old part of the restaurant was inhabited by the farmers who then looked after the 6 ha of La Fenderie, with the stable being on the ground floor of the current restaurant. Near the pond was a pile of slag.
  • In 1973, the SIVOM of Montsûrs purchased La Fenderie.
The bay window was added in 1987.

Quentin LEVEQUE has been established at La Fenderie since December 2014