Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Leolienne Bollée de Saint-Jean-de-Braye, classified as Monument Historique in 1993, is a unique device originally designed to supply running water to the house and foundry of bells of the Bollée family. Sponsored by Jean-Baptiste Bolted to her brother Ernest, she dates back to 1868 and is the oldest example of Bollée wind turbines. Its absence of a flared rim and its two-piston pump, archaic characteristics, suggest that it has replaced a pre-existing noria system. This prototype illustrates the first technical experiments before the improvements patented in 1885 by Auguste Bollée, son of Ernest.

The design of this wind turbine is part of a family context of industrial innovation. Ernest Bollée, engineer and supervisor, has integrated simplified mechanisms in relation to subsequent models, such as the horizontal shaft directly operating the pistons. A notarial act of 1876 attests to its existence, confirming its pioneering role in the history of Bollée wind turbines, specialized in water extraction. Its classification in 1993 covers not only the column structure, but also the pump and its shelter, highlighting its heritage importance as a witness to the beginnings of wind hydraulics in France.

Located in 156 Faubourg Bourgogne in Saint-Jean-de-Braye (Loiret), this wind turbine also embodies the link between technical innovation and local needs. The Bollée bell foundry, a major family activity, benefited directly from this system for its water supply. Although its current location is considered "a priori satisfactory" (note 6/10), its state of conservation and accessibility reflect the challenges of preserving a fragile industrial heritage, now protected but little known to the general public.

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