The old lime kiln

This house is the last still bearing the inscription recalling the lime kilns. There were three of them in Serrières which received stone from Bugey or Cruas by boat and produced lime for the Annonean industry.

Before the 19th century, this district did not exist. There were only fields and orchards and Saint-Sornin and Serrières were two distinct towns. During the Revolution, this district was called "Champ de Mars". In the 19th century, with the construction of the district, the two "communes" were united by taking the name of La Fondalin.
Rue de La Fondalin was a hydraulic fat lime factory which was used for the Annonean industry. The manufacturers imported the raw material from the Ain by bringing it down the Rhône (Sot-Brenaz quarry in the Bujet). Lime is a binder (mortar) which replaces cement, it is a disinfecting agent. It was used for bleaching stables. It was also used to neutralize the effects of copper for the treatment of vines against mildew (Bordeaux mixture).
There were 3 lime kilns in Serrières. The last was closed in 1914.