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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Cerdon flour mill, also called the Bolliet mill, is a hydraulic building located on the banks of the river La Suisse (formerly the Veryon), in the department of Ain. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, it replaces or modernises an older mill attested from the beginning of the 19th century, then owned by Antoine Clerc. The current building, sober and functional, houses both the miller's housing, the flour mill, and an oil mill equipped with a Couineau press made in Bourg-en-Bresse. Its discreet architecture, close to a village house, masks a complex internal organization: vaulted cellar, garage for ploughs, and forced driving fuelling the wheel from the river.

The history of the mill is marked by remarkable family continuity: exploited by the same milling line for nearly 150 years, it ceased its professional activity in 1979, although oil production continued until 1986. The latest modernization dates back to 1947, and all the equipment — wheels, wheel, bief, basketry, and oil equipment — remains in an exceptional state of conservation. These elements illustrate the evolution of milling techniques from the beginning to the mid-20th century. The mill is representative of the rural mills still in operation in the 1950s-1970s, and is part of a local tradition of hydraulic energy exploitation, as evidenced also by the nearby copper mill of Cerdon, also classified.

The site was listed as a historic monument on 18 September 2015 for its completeness and state of conservation, but also for its role in Cerdon's economic history. The protection covers the entire mill (building, bief, equipment), as well as the plot on which it is located. The Bolliet mill thus bears witness to the importance of agro-food activities in the Ain, where nuts — once abundant before the destruction of walnuts in the 18th century — were imported from the Land of Gex for grinding. Its imposing gate, street side, and its visible wheel from the river La Suisse recall its dual use, both domestic and artisanal.

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