The lime oven is a part of the heritage linked to a local craft production. Its construction was over in 1860.
The lime is obtained by calcination of a limestone rock; according to the nature of the used limestone, the cooking allows the making of several types of lime (aerial, magnesian, hydraulic). Its great variety of uses ranges from small-scale applications to the very sophisticated industrial processes : to dry a wall, improve the fertility of a garden, drain a cellar, coat a wall, treat waste water…
Most of the time the lime ovens can be found in the vicinity of quarries , standing against hills or mounds in order to facilitate the access when filling them as the lime-maker performed all operations by hand.
The structure is made out of limestone and mortar with a square shape. The walls are thick in order to stand the heat. The oven was supplied through an opening at its base.
The local lime making followed three phases :
• Check the condition of the oven : a vault was built in its lower part and the raw material was supplied in the vicinity : stone and wood
• Load the oven : stones were introduced through the upper part of the oven, then it was lit and fed progressively
• Empty the oven : the ashes were removed and the rock lime kept in barrels away from the humidity.
At that time, the limited means of communication : the cart could explained this type of operation. Besides the utility of this construction for the inhabitants, the debris saved from its exploitation were spared by the town hall and used to maintain the squares and paths. The exploitation of the oven stopped in 1900.
Its restoration was achieved in 1996.