Sucrerie d'Eppeville, Art Deco sugar refinery in Eppeville, France
Sucrerie d'Eppeville is a sugar refinery built from brick and metal with Art Deco features including rounded forms and decorative details across its main facade. The complex spans multiple connected buildings designed as an integrated industrial facility.
The factory was founded in 1828 and destroyed during World War I. It was completely rebuilt starting in 1920 and became one of Europe's largest sugar production facilities.
The streets around the plant carry the names of director Edme Sommier and his nieces, the daughters of Jean de Vogüé: rue Germaine, rue Alice, rue Henriette, rue Lucie and rue Sommier. The workers' housing was planned from May 1920, before the factory itself, at a cost of fourteen million francs, and Georges Lisch drew its plans too.
The site is located near rail lines, roads, and waterways that made transporting sugar beets and products practical. The complex remains largely as it was rebuilt and is best viewed from outside to appreciate its full scale and design.
Around 600 Czech workers were brought to France specifically to assemble this factory during its 1920s rebuilding. Their labor was essential for completing the massive industrial complex in a relatively short time.
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