A History
Maison de Textile has been a building of importance in the village of Montolieu from medieval times.
Montolieu is believed to have developed as two villages, one around the church to the north and the other to the south west where an abbey was built on the river Dure. Fire destroyed the original wooden buildings around the abbey in the middle ages until stone construction became the norm. Maison de Textile's position on the bridge over the river Dure opposite the convent has led local historians to conjecture it could have been a toll house from medieval times.
The house was extended around the 1740's to accommodate textile production that developed around Carcassonne at the decree of King Louis XV. In particular dyeing and finishing of cloth is believed to have taken place at Maison de Textile. The house was ideally situated on the river as water from the river Dure would have been diverted into dyeing sinks in the basement - one can still be seen today - and huge flagstones tilt towards the river to allow waters to return.
From the 1930's one family occupied the house for over 60 years where livestock was kept in the basement and water flowed through the cave to the adjoining river Dure. In 2000 a bookshop opened with offices of the local prosecutor on the first floor. Consequently it was then used as a book depository to support the ongoing development of Montolieu as a book village.
Montolieu is believed to have developed as two villages, one around the church to the north and the other to the south west where an abbey was built on the river Dure. Fire destroyed the original wooden buildings around the abbey in the middle ages until stone construction became the norm. Maison de Textile's position on the bridge over the river Dure opposite the convent has led local historians to conjecture it could have been a toll house from medieval times.
The house was extended around the 1740's to accommodate textile production that developed around Carcassonne at the decree of King Louis XV. In particular dyeing and finishing of cloth is believed to have taken place at Maison de Textile. The house was ideally situated on the river as water from the river Dure would have been diverted into dyeing sinks in the basement - one can still be seen today - and huge flagstones tilt towards the river to allow waters to return.
From the 1930's one family occupied the house for over 60 years where livestock was kept in the basement and water flowed through the cave to the adjoining river Dure. In 2000 a bookshop opened with offices of the local prosecutor on the first floor. Consequently it was then used as a book depository to support the ongoing development of Montolieu as a book village.