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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Moulin de la Roche, located in La Possonnière in Maine-et-Loire, is a windmill built in the second half of the 17th century. It once belonged to the land of the castle of Serrant and then had only one pair of grinding wheels, with a web wing, typical of the mills before 1850. Its cylindrical tower structure in masonry, with a swivel conical roof, makes it a typical example of the Anjou tower mills.

Around 1860, the mill was enhanced to accommodate board wing wings, invented by engineer Berton, as well as a second pair of wheels and a ball regulator. This modern system improved productivity until its final stop in 1914. The tower, built in slate shale, is 8 meters high for 6 meters in diameter, with thick walls of 90 cm at the base. Two metal frets, added in 1906, strengthen its structure.

Ranked a historic monument in 1977, the Moulin de la Roche was restored in 1980 thanks to a collaboration between the Moulins de l'Anjou association, the Monuments Historiques, the department of Maine-et-Loire and the municipality of La Possonnière. Re-established on December 17, 1980 by the carpenter-moulder M. Croix, however, he lost his wings in a storm on February 13, 2016. Its internal mechanism, including a 13-degree inclined oak engine shaft and grinding wheels on the second floor, testifies to its historical engineering.

The mill once depended on Serrant's seigneury, highlighting its link with local history and the rural economy of Anjou. Its architecture and successive modifications reflect the technical developments of windmills between the 17th and 19th centuries, as well as their central role in the production of flour for the surrounding communities.

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