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Origin and history

The Melin Vor, or sea mill, is an iconic tidal mill located in Plouezoc'h, Finistère. Built in the late 16th century, it illustrates Breton tidal technique, combining a horizontal wheel (operated by fresh water) and a vertical wheel (entered by sea water). This rare system, still well preserved, bears witness to the ingenuity of local millers in exploiting natural resources.

Archives of 1671 confirm its existence, although its construction probably dates back to the late 16th century. The site also includes an unprotected dike and miller's home (1861). The mill, formerly seigneurial, was a local economic pillar, transforming the cereals thanks to its millstones under archures. Its mechanism and dike were listed as historical monuments in 1988.

The mill is distinguished by its stone-cut architecture, foothills and rough flooring. It symbolizes the adaptation of Breton coastal communities to geographical constraints, combining agricultural exploitation and hydraulic control. Today, there remains a rare testimony of tidal mills, once widespread on the Atlantic coast.

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