Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches

Origin of the name Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches

Name origin: the site is named after the Col-des-Roches, west of Le Locle near the French border, where it lies. The sources consulted do not explain the origin of the pass's name.

Founding of Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches

The mills lie at the Col-des-Roches, in the municipality of Le Locle, where the Bied, the river of the Le Locle valley, disappears into a sinkhole with a drop of several metres. In 1652 the Council of State granted three millers, Daniel Renaud, Isaac Vuagneux and Balthazard Calame, the right to use the last stretch of the Bied; they installed two water wheels driving a mill and a fulling mill. Around 1660 Jonas Sandoz, a wealthy tax collector, obtained the concession for the whole course of the Bied between Le Locle and the Col-des-Roches, compensated the first operators and had the cave dug out to install five water wheels: mills, sawmill, fulling mill and oil press, with underground channels and galleries for maintaining the machinery.

History of Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches

1652. The Council of State authorises Daniel Renaud, Isaac Vuagneux and Balthazard Calame to use the last stretch of the Bied; two water wheels drive a mill and a fulling mill.

1660. Jonas Sandoz obtains the concession for the Bied from Le Locle to the Col-des-Roches and installs five water wheels in the cave (mills, sawmill, fulling mill, oil press).

1690. Ruined, Jonas Sandoz sells the site.

1780s. Successive owners have simplified the installation, reduced from five to three wheels.

Early 19th century. The Bied is channelled as far as the Col-des-Roches, where it drives the underground mills.

1844. Jean-Georges Eberlé, a baker from Württemberg, buys the mills and modernises them (mills, grain cleaning and bolting).

around 1854. Eberlé replaces a water wheel with a turbine and drives a relocated sawmill through a 50-metre transmission shaft.

1884. The municipality of Le Locle buys the mills from Eberlé's heirs.

1898. End of milling; the site is converted into a border slaughterhouse for veterinary inspection of livestock, and the cave is used as a dump.

1966. The slaughterhouse closes; the sinkhole is heavily polluted.

1973. History and caving enthusiasts, united in the Confrérie des Meuniers, begin cleaning the cave and restoring the machinery.

2001. The permanent exhibition opens.

2007. A working hydraulic circuit is put into service.

Historic sites in Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches

The mill cave. Natural cave with a constant temperature of about 7 degrees, where visitors see the remains of 17th, 18th and 19th century installations and a multi-level flour mill driven by water power. The site is listed as a Swiss cultural property of national significance.

The museum. The permanent exhibition covers agriculture, milling, baking, water power, electricity and the border.

The prehistoric rock shelter of the Col-des-Roches. Nearby, the Col-des-Roches rock shelter yielded the first known pottery of the canton of Neuchâtel and many tools.

Remains in Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches

Wheels, channels and galleries. The underground installations dug from 1660 (channels, maintenance galleries, wheel pits) and the machinery restored since 1973 bear witness to three centuries of harnessing the Bied.

Sources

• Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches, « Histoire »
• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Locle, Le »
• Musées suisses, « Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches »
• Wikipédia, « Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches » (à recouper)
• Wikipedia (EN), « List of cultural property of national significance in Switzerland: Neuchâtel » (à recouper)

Other villages near Moulins souterrains du Col-des-Roches

• Le Locle (NE)
• Les Brenets (NE)
• La Chaux-du-Milieu (NE)
• Saut du Doubs (NE)
• Le Cerneux-Péquignot (NE)