Sallandrouze

The family Sallandrouze has a long history in Aubusson, dating from the 18th Century.  As the surviving architectural heritage still bears witness to today the Sallandrouze were amongst the wealthiest and most illustrious families in the carpet, rug and tapestry industry in Aubusson.

The Sallandrouze de Lamornaix branch of the family was the first to achieve significant success in the carpet and tapestry industry. Jean Sallandrouze de Lamornaix in association with the Mayor of Aubusson, Guillaume Rogier, had a succesful factory in Aubusson and later opened a factory in Paris.

His son Charles took over the company in 1826. Being very much involved in politics Charles was a councillor of Creuse and eventually became Mayor of Aubusson. On his death his son Octave took over the running of the company.  Although the family enjoyed great success in the industry, after the defeat of France against Prussia in 1870,and the ensuing economic crisis, the Sallandrouze factory in Aubusson closed in 1872.

Another branch of the Sallandrouze family, Jean-Jacques Sallandrouze Lemoullac, enjoyed resounding success in a business he created with Charles Sallandrouze.  They won silver medals at the Universal Exhibitions of 1855 and 1867.  They industrialised the production of rugs and carpets, thanks to the installation of steam looms supplied by water from the river Creuse.  Their new factory built in 1855 in Aubusson employed 800 workers at the end of the 19th century, producing rugs and carpets on mechanical looms.

In the twentieth century the plant was powered by energy from the Croix Blance hydroelectric power station and the Combes dam. In July 1944 the factory was partially destroyed during World War II.  The Sallandrouze frères company ceased it's activity in the 1990's and became Manufacture Royale du Parc.  The factory buildings were completely destroyed and razed to the ground in 2014.

The Sallandrouze company specialised in the reproduction of 18th century French rugs but they also produced rugs with a Persian or oriental inspiration in the second half of the 20th century.

In Aubusson you can still see the Château Sallandrouze, transformed for a few years into a luxury hotel, the Château Saint-Jean, which currently housed the retirement home of Aubusson and the Villa Saint-Jean on Rue Saint Jean. These buildings still bear witness today to the wealth and importance of the Sallandrouze family.