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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Arthonnay's town hall and wind turbine, located in the Yonne in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, is an emblematic monument combining a town hall, a public washhouse and a Bollée wind farm. Built between the late 19th and mid 20th centuries, it illustrates the technical ingenuity of the period to meet the community's water needs. Wind turbine, model No. 2 of the Bollée catalogue, with its 3.50 m rotor and 1.5 m3/h capacity, supplied the washer from 1897 to 1939 with a 3,000-litre tank.

In 1894, the municipality of Arthonnay decided to raise the washbasin and ordered a wind turbine from Auguste Bollée, renowned builder of Le Mans. The installation, completed in 1897, includes a storm safety mechanism and a rudder for automatic orientation. The total cost of the works, including the wind turbine and the reservoir, is 12,672 francs, financed by the municipality.

In 1931, the town hall was raised above the existing wash, marking the second major phase of the works. Wind turbine, functional until 1939, is one of the last three of this type still in place in the Yonne. The ensemble was listed as historical monuments in 2003 and labeled "Twentieth Century Heritage", highlighting its heritage and technical importance.

Wind turbine, 18 meters high and covered by 10 iron cables anchored in concrete, is accessible by a 56 steps metal staircase. Its cast iron cartridge bears the manufacturer's mark, recalling its Mansian origin. A rare example of pumping machines installed between 1880 and 1930 is the sommital platform, which is protected by a guardrail decorated with cardinal points.

The architect F. Courtois, of Tonnerre, supervised the work in 1896-1897, while a geologist from Périgueux, Mr. Rougier, evaluated the water resources of the basement. The initial project is aimed at solving the water supply problems, whose insufficient slope prevented optimal flow. The inauguration took place on 29 November 1897, marking the culmination of an ambitious project for this small rural commune.

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