Moulin de La Fleuristerie – Artamin’

by Abdon FLORES

The Haute-Marne is a department in the East of France famous mainly because champagne is also produced there. But, as other French regions, it possesses hidden treasures that are worth to be visited. The Moulin de la Fleuristerie, for instance, which is an ancient mill transformed into a workshop where artificial flowers are made. These flowers are special because they are the ones used in the prestigious fields of haute couture and high end ready-to-wear. Nowadays La Fleuristerie, as it is best known, is the last purveyor of this so called métier d’art d’exception.

This facility was the fruit of industrial revolution. Built in 1898, it was designed as a typical mill: wheat was milled in order to render flour. Its antique wheel was propelled by a clear stream coming from La Dhuy. Symbol of eternal time, the wheel is spinning relentlessly, turning the force of water into something different than flour. Since 2008, the new owners managed to adapt the mill to generate electricity (110 V).

 

 

But the main surprise lies inside the centenarian structure. Dispersed among a bunch of wood gears, bobbins, molds, looms, pulleys and leather belts there is a constellation of petals and pistils shining as real flowers. Strange that such beautiful and delicate ornament is produced in such a rustic environment. But probably that’s why this entrepreneurship is considered as “living patrimony”. Of course, everything at La Fleuristerie is handmade, a savoir-faire that rivals with nature. Also, we can say that there is an essence in all this craftsmanship: the electricity in the facility, comes from the mill.

 

 

At the beginning only pistils were produced. But as flower suppliers workshops began to disappear, La Fleuristerie managed to cover the demand by up-scaling its craft in order to create many sort of flowers, leaves and even small fruits. Brand clients are as important as Chanel, YSL, the Moulin Rouge or even the Royal Theater. Emmanuel Geoffroy and his Swedish wife Annette, owners of the site, have managed to get for La Fleuristerie the EPV label, a certification stating that the artisan craft done here is a living patrimony.

 

 

The site is located in the borders of the future Champagne-Bourgogne national park; hence, it has a fair tourist potential. Apart from visits to the mill, the Geoffroys organize flower handmade workshops and they have a well assorted boutique that sells accessories made with flowers and local products like the famous Choue beer. One of the ancient warehouses has been transformed into a reception venue that, due to the idyllic landscape, has a steady success. If in 1903 the mill was a hostelry accommodating up to 40 young ladies, nowadays La Fleuristerie proposes chambres d’hôtes that can host up to 14 people.

The closest villages are Orges and Châteauvillain; the capital of the department, Chaumont, is just 30 km away. With the opening of the national in a few months, La Fleuristerie emerges as a pivotal spot on this region.