Le Moulin Neuf in Angrie

Le Moulin Neuf is a historic tower windmill standing in the commune of Angrie, in the Maine-et-Loire department of western France, roughly 33 km from Angers. Also known as the Moulin de la Marmite, it is one of the last standing witnesses to the milling tradition of the Segré bocage, the hedgerow-crossed farmland of northern Anjou.

What is the Moulin Neuf?

The mill is a stone tower windmill built from rubble shale masonry, its shaft rising slightly narrower toward the top. The tower itself stands 11 metres tall and is capped by a conical roof covered in oak shingles that adds another 5 metres. Unlike windmills where the whole body rotates, here only the cap turns — a design typical of mills in this part of Anjou.

What is its history?

The mill is first documented in 1681, although some sources trace its origins to around 1600. For generations it ground grain for the surrounding farms of the Angrie countryside.

Around 1865 the mill underwent a major upgrade: it was raised to three storeys and fitted with Berton-type sails — slatted, shutter-like blades whose opening could be adjusted from inside the tower through a differential mechanism. In 1930, its output was boosted further with the installation of a 15 hp Ruston-Hornsby heavy-oil engine, manufactured in Lincoln, England, allowing the mill to keep working even when the wind failed.

The building was listed as a monument historique in France in 1975, and it underwent restoration work in 1980.

How did the milling mechanism work?

Inside the tower, a central shaft drove four Berton-type sails with a combined span of 17 metres. On the second floor sat two pairs of millstones, each 1.60 metres in diameter, geared to the shaft at a ratio of six to one. The ground floor housed the bolting room, where the ground flour was sifted. A distinctive feature of the design was the rotating cap at the top of the tower, turned by a rack-and-winch system so the sails could always be angled into the wind.

Are there other mills in Angrie?

The commune once counted as many as nine mills, including at least two watermills — among them the Grand-Moulin, thought to date back to the medieval period and the local lord of Angrie. Of all of these, the Moulin Neuf is the best preserved and the only one under formal heritage protection.

What else is there to see in Angrie?

The village itself, home to fewer than a thousand residents today, was first mentioned in written records at the end of the 11th century. Its centre features a château rebuilt in neo-Gothic style between 1845 and 1849 to a design by architect René Hodé, listed as a historic monument in 2008, and the church of Saint-Pierre, built between 1869 and 1891. Until the late 20th century, Angrie also had its own railway station on the line linking Ancenis and Segré.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Moulin Neuf located? In the commune of Angrie, in the Maine-et-Loire department, Pays de la Loire region, about 33 km from Angers.

What is another name for this mill? It is also known as the Moulin de la Marmite.

How old is the mill? It is first recorded in 1681, though some sources place its construction closer to 1600.

Is the mill a protected monument? Yes, it was listed as a monument historique in 1975 and restored in 1980.

How did the mill's mechanism work? Four Berton-type sails spanning 17 metres drove two pairs of millstones on the second floor; from 1930 a Ruston-Hornsby heavy-oil engine provided backup power.

Were there other mills in Angrie? Historically the commune had as many as nine mills, including watermills, but the Moulin Neuf is the best-preserved and the only legally protected example today.