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Origin and history

The Chouzé-sur-Loire wine mills, located in the Indre-et-Loire department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, are among the last remains of a set of six mills grouped two by two. These buildings, characteristic of the Loire Valley, date back to the oldest of the late 17th century (4th quarter) and the most recent of the 3rd quarter of the 19th century. Their specific architecture, with vaulted cellars and foothills, allowed to store the wine while limiting the risks of fire associated with the friction of the grinding wheels.

The oldest mill consists of a polygonal structure reinforced by foothills, housing three arched rooms aligned, including a central cellar leading to the millstone room. The 19th century mill, square in shape, supports a cone surmounted by the remains of its hucherolle (moving roof). Its cellars, organized in three parallel vaults and a transversal cellar, served to store the wine barrels, reflecting the wine importance of the region. These mills demonstrate the adaptation of milling techniques to local constraints, including the presence of the Loire and wine-growing.

Chouzé-sur-Loire, a rural commune marked by its history of shipmaking and milling, once had many sailors and sailors. The Loire, a major river axis, favoured the transport of goods (wine, stones, slates) via gabars. The cowmills are part of this economic landscape, where agriculture, viticulture and river trade structured local life. Their inscription in historical monuments in 1993 highlights their heritage value, linked to the technical and social history of the Loire Valley.

The commune, integrated into the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Natural Park, is also exposed to the risks of flooding linked to the Loire, a river with historical floods (such as that of 1856). This geographic and climatic context influenced the establishment and design of mills, designed to withstand hazards while optimizing local resources. Their preservation offers an insight into the craftsmanship and lifestyles of the 17th and 19th centuries in Touraine.

The cowmills on Rue des Pelouses and Lecé, although disused for some (such as the windmill of Les Pelouses, arrested in 1895), remain tangible testimonies of that time. Their hybrid architecture — both mill and cellar — illustrates the ingenuity of millers and winemakers, combining flour production and wine conservation in the same space. This heritage also reflects the exchanges between Anjou and Touraine, Chouzé-sur-Loire having belonged to Anjou before joining Indre-et-Loire in 1790.

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