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QR Manglieu 4

The pathways

with Nénesse the wheelwright

Nénesse is the last wheelwright in Manglieu. Heir to his ancestors’ techniques, he made and repaired the many animal-drawn vehicles needed to transport people, goods and materials. Carts, barrows, bench wagons and wheelbarrows all left his workshop, as did the hearse that carried the villagers on their final journey.
The wheelwright had to select the trees to manufacture their goods, dry the wood and cut, shape and assemble the many parts to create their vehicles. Then came the most delicate and spectacular operation, which gave the vehicle its sturdiness: the hooping of the wheels, which involved lining the rims with a thick ring of iron, reddened by fire, while spraying the wood thoroughly to prevent it from burning. As the metal cooled it contracted and held the various components of the wheel together. The carts were then ready to tackle the bumpy roads of Manglieu.

Image captions

  • A horse-drawn carriage in the early 20th century
  • From the Encyclopédie by Diderot and d’Alembert, article « Charron », illustration. 5, 1777-1778

 

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