Registration Historic Monument 16 mars 2023 (≈ 2023)
Total site protection and mechanisms.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The mill of Gennebrie, in its entirety, comprising the mill building, the whole mechanism and the machinery, and the hydraulic system (deversor, bief, locks), is situated: on Parcel No. 357, shown in the cadastre of the commune of Melle, section 173 C and on the uncadated public domain of the commune of Melle, section C and of the commune of Périgné, section ZO, as shown on the plan attached to the decree: inscription by order of 16 March 2023
Origin and history
The mill of Gennebrie, located in Melle in the Deux-Sèvres department (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), is a mill whose recent history is marked by its integral protection. Classified as a Historical Monument by order of 16 March 2023, it includes the main building, all the machines, as well as the associated hydraulic installations (bief, locks, weir). These elements, spread over the municipalities of Melle and Périgné, testify to the technical and heritage importance of the site.
The site is characterized by a precise location, although considered "passible" (note 5/10) in the geographic databases. The official address, 1 Route du Moulin Pt Beauvais, and the cadastral parcels (section 173 C for Melle, ZO for Périgné) confirm its territorial anchor. Milling, a mixed property (municipal and private), illustrates the challenges of preserving rural industrial heritages, often linked to local economic activities such as milling.
Although the available sources (Monumentum, Mérimée base) do not specify its construction period, its recent inscription underscores the desire to value a technical and architectural heritage representative of water mills. These buildings played a central role in local economies, transforming cereals into flour and structuring exchanges between villages. Their decline in the 20th century, in the face of industrialization, makes them fragile witnesses to artisanal and community know-how.
