Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Grand Moulin, also known as the Ferron Mill, is a windmill whose existence is attested from the seventeenth century. This wooden mill, placed directly on the ground with a "cross" touching ground, is typical of the Beauce. Mounted on a central pivot supported by four foothills, its mechanism retains wooden gear wheels and stone wheels, although modernized. Originally, it had four wings, but two were removed in 1939 due to rot affecting the head of the bearing tree. The original canvases were replaced by movable wooden blades, according to the Berton system.

Ranked a Historic Monument by order of 30 September 1941, the mill was operated until 1973 by Robert Ferron, his last miller. After its closure, it was dismantled in June 1989, then restored and re-inaugrated in September 1992. An emhyteotic lease of 60 years was signed in 1993 between the commune of Ouarville and the owner family, allowing its preservation. In 2021, its wings fell again, and its reopening to the public is scheduled for June 1, 2024.

The mill is an emblematic example of the beauceron pivot mills, characterized by their wooden structure and rotation system on base. It reflects the historical importance of milling in this agricultural region, where windmills played a central role in the processing of cereals. Today, it is part of the Route du Blé, a tourist trail that highlights the rural and artisanal heritage of the Beauce.

Ouarville, a rural commune of Eure-et-Loir in the Centre-Val de Loire region, is marked by a landscape of cereal plains typical of the Beauce. The mill, visible from the road between Chartres and Angerville, is open to Easter visit to Toussaint on Sundays and by appointment. It is a place of memory for traditional moulding techniques, while being a major visual landmark of the territory.

The restoration of the mill has kept a fragile heritage, threatened by abandonment and weather. Activities organized within the framework of the Wheat Road, such as open houses, help raise awareness of the region's industrial and agricultural history. These initiatives are part of a broader dynamic of valuing local know-how and vernacular architecture.

Finally, the mill is inseparable from the family history of the Ferron, the last millers to have exploited it. Their legacy, coupled with the commitment of the commune and the owners, saved this monument from disappearance. Today, it embodies both a symbol of the rural past and a transmission issue for future generations.

External links