The Moulin à Papier de Brousses et Villaret paper mill is located in Brousses, near Carcassonne. This is one of the last paper mini-mills in Europe, combining manual paper production with the organization of workshops and excursions for children and adults.
Paper Workshop
As you know, until the second half of the 19th century, paper production in Europe was from rags (shabby clothes, clobbers). The fabric used was linen, hemp or cotton.
The Moulin à Papier de Brousses et Villaret mill uses cotton fabrics today to produce colored paper (they use for example blue jeans to make blue paper in different shades). They make white paper from cellulose, flax and hemp. Dry timber contains approximately 40% cellulose. The rest of the timber contains various polymers consisting of various types of sugars, including fructose, complex substances (phenol alcohols), various tannins, salts of magnesium, sodium and potassium, and essential oils.
One can use paper that the mill produces for any graphic art: writing, calligraphy, drawing, watercolors, typography, binding, engraving, framing, typographic printing, photography, and for inkjet printing.
They make gigantic paper sheets here: 2.20 m x 3.40 m. Therefore, this place is very popular among artists, decorators, and various art projects’ designers. They can make up to three of these sheets per day. Such work requires the participation of eight to ten people. It is a real show! The sheets need several days to dry before they can be used.
Visiting: the mill hosts guided tours and workshops for children and adults.
Rates:
8.50 euro – adult
5 Euro – primary and secondary school student
7 euro – college student, student
free – children under 5 years old
Excursion + paper workshop:
(Visiting a paper mill, making paper sheets).
Duration – three hours.
16 euros – child from 5 to 12 years old
21 euros – adult (from 13 years old)
Advance reservation required.
How to get there?
From Toulouse – 1 hour 30 minutes by: A61 (tolls), D533, D33, D6113, D48
From Carcassonne – 35 minutes by: D118, D103, D48
From Andorra – 185 km along CG-2, N22, N20, D12, D119, D206, D6, D625, D119, D4, D533, D33, D6113, D48
