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Origin and history

The Rome mill, located in Fontvieille in the Bouches-du-Rhône, is a 19th century flour mill, also known as the Ribet mill. It was part of a set of windmills including the Ramet and Tissot mills. These buildings, typically Provencal, are distinguished by their structure in stone and coated, with rotary conical roofs. The mill in Rome, unlike its neighbours, preserves its restored wings in 1931 and 1988, as well as an iron mechanism dating back to 1777, re-used in its structure.

Acquired in 1923 by Hyacinthe Bellon, the mill was transformed into the Alphonse Daudet museum to celebrate the writer who immortalized, in his works, the decline of traditional mills in the face of industrialisation. This place symbolizes the transition between artisanal milling techniques, based on wind-operated wheels, and modern methods using steam and cylinders. The mill, a conical roof tower type, has been classified as a Historic Monument since 1931 for its ruins and technical heritage.

The Daudet mill today embodies a double heritage: that of Provencal milling techniques and that of literature, thanks to Alphonse Daudet. Its architecture, restored wings and iron dated 1777 make it a rare testimony of pre-industrial engineering. Although the nearby mills have lost their wings, the one in Rome remains a preserved example, offering a concrete overview of the rural and technical history of Provence in the 19th century.

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