Moulinet Silk Factory

Moulinet is a silk factory in a wooded valley in the Ardèche region, which was known for raising silkworms and making silk fabric. The ancient town of Largentière grew with many silk mills in the nineteenth century. The museum is in a factory that was built in 1795 on the site of an earlier corn mill. The exhibition traces the importance of the silk industry to the region, from the peasants who bred the silkworms to the life of children who started working in the factory at less than 8 years old. It shows all the steps of silk making, from the cocoon to the weaver’s loom. The vaulted cellars of the factory are a particularly impressive sight. The museum also has a shop with silk products, a tea room and the terraced garden of the factory owner.