Usine de la Suze, Historical distillery in Maisons-Alfort, France

The Usine de la Suze is a former gentian aperitif distillery in Maisons-Alfort, of which only the facade and tower remain between nos 11 and 25 of the avenue du Général-Leclerc. The long light grey stone facade is divided into repeated bays by plain vertical pilasters, with "DISTILLERIE" and "USINE DE LA SUZE" carved above them. Each bay holds a tall rectangular opening, some closed by dark grilles or windows, under a flat roofline with a low parapet; a taller section on the right has wider openings and a small canopy.

The business traces back to an absinthe works founded in Paris in 1795; in 1875 the Rousseau-Laurens and Moureaux houses merged and moved part of production to the quai d'Alfort in Maisons-Alfort, with the rest following in 1891. Fernand Moureaux, joined by Henri Porte in 1884, launched the gentian aperitif Suze, officially named in 1889. In 1934 Moureaux had architect Paul Fenard modernise the facade along the avenue du Général-Leclerc, and the site operated until 1974.

The name Suze appeared officially in 1889, the year Fernand Moureaux won a gold medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle; the same date is engraved on bottles and labels. Its origin remains uncertain: either the first name of Moureaux's sister-in-law, won over by the gentian taste, or a small Swiss river near which he gathered the first ingredients. The aperitif is distilled from gentian roots growing in the Jura and Auvergne.

The building sits near the Ecole Veterinaire de Maisons-Alfort metro station, making it easily accessible. The protected facade can be viewed from outside and displays the craftsmanship of industrial architecture from that period.

The company produced a gentian-based aperitif that became known throughout France. A former owner even built a stadium for the workers, showing how prosperous the business had become.