Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Moulin Bleu in Bourgueil is a 16th century windmill built in the region, showing the ancient use of windmills. The Benedictines of Bourgueil Abbey used this type of mechanism as early as the 12th century, a technique probably introduced by the Crusaders. Its structure combines a round masonry buttock, a stone vault and a dome surmounted by a cone, housing a grinding mechanism supported by an internal frame.

Over the centuries, the mill evolved to meet local industrial needs. In 1873 he stopped grinding the wheat to grind the bark and produce tan, essential to the tanneries of Bourgueil. A battery of eight pins replaced the wheels. In 1875 a tornado destroyed its wings and cap, while in 1933 the upper part and Berton wings (patented in 1845) were rebuilt. During World War II, the Germans installed a battery of DCA, adding a slab of concrete to the vault.

Ranked a Historical Monument by order of 24 May 1974, the Moulin Bleu illustrates the adaptation of medieval techniques to pre-industrial needs. Its hybrid architecture — combining cutting stone, masonry and wooden mechanisms — and its history of tanneries make it an emblematic heritage of Bourgueil. Today, there remains a testimony of the artisanal know-how and economic transformations of the region.

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