Glacières de Sylans, Former ice production facility in Le Poizat-Lalleyriat, France.
The Glacières de Sylans are the ruins of a natural ice operation on the shore of Lake Sylans, in the commune of Le Poizat-Lalleyriat in the Ain department. The site includes several stone buildings that were built to cut, store, and ship large blocks of ice.
The site was founded in 1864 and within a few years was sending natural ice to major cities such as Paris and Lyon, as well as to markets in Algeria. Operations stopped in 1917, when mechanical refrigeration made the whole process unnecessary.
The name "Glacières" simply means "ice houses" in French, referring to buildings designed to store ice. Walking through the remaining walls, visitors can still read how the spaces were divided to slow the melting process.
A marked trail leads around the ruins, with information signs explaining how the operation worked. The paths are fairly easy to walk, but sturdy footwear is a good idea since the ground near the lake can be damp.
The storage buildings were insulated with sawdust packed between the walls and the ice blocks to hold the cold in. This low-tech method worked so well that ice stored in winter could last through the whole summer.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
