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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Gasté is an iconic building located in Grézillé, in the department of Maine-et-Loire in Pays de la Loire. Built in the 1st quarter of the 19th century, more precisely in 1819, it rises on a site already mentioned in the 15th century, illustrating a continuity of milling activity over centuries. This mill is distinguished by its semicircular structure and its preserved mechanisms, reflecting milling techniques between 1819 and the 1930s. Its present elements date mostly from the 1870s, while its transformation into a mill with a steam machine in 1905 marks a partial modernization, although few traces of this period remain today.

The mill consists of a vaulted cradle cellar opening onto a room of circular grinding wheels, where two pairs of grinding wheels are still in place. The upper part of the masserel retains key elements such as the creuse pivot (hush) and root, while the iron is cut. A mechanical transmission system, including a horizontal metal shaft operated by the steam engine installed in 1909, was used to drive the grinding wheels and the rollers located in the house built in 1892. These modifications illustrate the adaptation of the mill to the industrial needs of the time, between milling tradition and technological innovations.

Ranked Historic Monument by order of 3 February 1999, the Gasté wine mill is recognized for its heritage and technical value. It reflects the economic and social changes associated with the mechanization of milling in Anjou, between the 19th and 20th centuries. Its inscription protects, in particular, the horse mill itself (cadastre ZH 99), stressing its importance in the industrial and architectural landscape of the region. Today, the site remains a remarkable example of milling ingenuity, although its state of conservation and accessibility are not specified in the available sources.

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