Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Andé mill, located in Andé in the Eure (Normandy), is a rolling wheel mill whose first records date back to the beginning of the 15th century, although its presence is assumed from the 12th century. Its two stone piles date back to this medieval period, while the present structure, in strips of wood, was built in the middle of the eighteenth century. This type of mill, where the wheel is immersed under the floor and adjustable via cylinders, is exceptionally well preserved and is a unique example in Western Europe. Its activity finally ceased in 1875 after the construction of the dam of Poses, which changed the level of the Seine.

In the 20th century, the mill became an emblematic place of artistic creation thanks to Suzanne Lipinska. The latter, after having inherited it in 1949, founded in 1962 the Association culturelle du Moulin d'Andé, transforming the premises into a space dedicated to arts, literature and music. The site welcomed major figures such as François Truffaut (who shot scenes of the 400 Coups and Jules and Jim), Eugene Ionesco, or Georges Perec. In 1998, the Centre for Cinematographic Writing (Céci) was created, strengthening its role in supporting creation.

Ranked a historic monument in 1995 for its mechanism and medieval piles, the mill preserves its mill room intact with its wooden system (finish, toothed wheel, millstones). Its 15 hectare park, registered in 2008, now houses an orange theatre, 35 rooms, meeting rooms and a summer music academies. This hybrid place, both industrial heritage and cultural pole, illustrates the reinvention of historical sites at the service of contemporary creation.

Architecturally, the mill is distinguished by its wooden panels structure based on stone-cut piles, which are built on stilts. The pendant wheel, a rare characteristic, is operated by a pull-out system allowing its adjustment to the water level. The miller's house, next to the mill, shares the same torchi frame. The whole, preserved in its original state, bears witness to the ingenuity of pre-industrial milling techniques.

The estate is also part of a protected natural landscape, between the Seine valley and the cliffs of Andelle. Its park, with its gardens, greenhouses and gazebos, has been designed to harmonize built heritage and environment. Successive protections (1995 for the mill, 2008 for the park) highlight its heritage value, while the 20th century Heritage label recognizes its cultural transformation as a dynamic model of preservation.

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