Montmorillon

Sister cities

• Safané
• Putna
• Gościno
• Medina del Campo
• Gmina Gościno
• Wadern

History

The town was once known for paper making, but in the nineteenth century the mill and its plentiful supply of clean water were repurposed to making the "Beer of Montmorillon". The beer was made from 1848 and sold to drinkers who rejected the usual drink of red wine. The family-run business continued to 1963, leaving several abandoned buildings. In 2015, the brewery opened again. The clay mineral montmorillonite was named after Montmorillon after its discovery there in 1847. Montmorillon is branded as the "City of Writing" as it has had museums and bookshops with that theme since 2000. The idea that Montmorillon should be a Book town came from Régine Deforges, a local councillor who was a successful, and controversial, author. The town had a history of paper-making, and her idea received local and international support. The old medieval quarter of the town attracted six million euros of funding. who are the oldest macaron bakery in Montmorillon, dating back to 1920. The Coopération pédagogique range of educational posters were produced in Montmorillon, in the 1950s by Éditions Rossignol.