The cotton mill installed in the Abbey of Royaumont closed in 1812. It became a camp for English and Prussian soldiers in 1815, during their march on Paris. The spinning mill was later sold to a Belgian industrialist, Joseph Van der Mersch, who brought in 300 Flemish workers and created new technical processes for weaving Indian shawls, then highly popular. He also added a laundry near the latrines. Despite this, his business slowly declined and closed its doors in 1863.