Vonges

The Vonges gunpowder factory

It was founded in 1691 by Louis XIV who wanted to have a sufficient quantity of gunpowder for the artillery, without importing it. Vonges was then just a very small village.

The gunpowder factory covered 16 hectares along the Bèze River. It included two powder mills, a granulating mill, a winter drying shed, and a refinery. Today, the gunpowder factory is a privately owned business covering 307 hectares.