Mormoulins mill

Moulin de Mormoulins is a historic water mill standing on the river Eure in Chaudon, in the Eure-et-Loir department of the Centre-Val de Loire region. Also referred to locally as the Moulin de Chaudon, it is considered the only fully functional and complete protected water mill left in the department.

Where exactly is the mill located?

The Moulin de Mormoulins sits in the small hamlet of Mormoulins, part of the commune of Chaudon. It was built directly on the river Eure, whose flow has powered its wheels and machinery for centuries. Its position on the river made it a natural gathering point for farms in the surrounding countryside, all of which depended on it to process their grain.

How far back does its history go?

The earliest known references to a mill on this stretch of the Eure date to the 14th century: a document from 1335 mentions "a mill on the river Eure," and by 1407 the name "mill of Chaudon" appears in the records. Like most mills of its era, it operated under a feudal lord who held the right to run it, while local peasants were obliged to bring their grain there to be ground. The mill's story ties together three threads typical of the Beauce region: water power, feudal rights, and grain production.

What technical features survive at the mill?

A valuation document from 1879 describes two water wheels at work. One, fitted with flat paddles 0.75 metres wide, turned at 10 revolutions per minute. The other, 3.20 metres across, drove two pairs of millstones used for grinding grain. Running two wheels with different jobs side by side let the mill operate several mechanisms at once, a fairly advanced setup for the period.

Why was the mill given protected status?

The Moulin de Mormoulins was listed as a monument historique in 2003. What sets it apart is that it remains the only water mill in Eure-et-Loir that is both complete and still mechanically functional - most comparable mills in the department survive only in fragments or have lost their working parts entirely. Restoration work began back in 1984 and has continued since 2020, helping the mill retain its distinctive character.

What did the heritage foundation prize fund?

In 2025, the mill received the Prix Fondation du Patrimoine et Tourisme Rural. The prize money went toward repairing and restoring the mill's main sluice gates and its "porte bateau," a lock built for cargo boats travelling along the Eure. Both structures, like the mill itself, are listed historic monuments, which made their restoration especially significant for keeping the whole site close to its historical state.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Moulin de Mormoulins located? In Chaudon, in the Eure-et-Loir department, on the river Eure, in the small hamlet of Mormoulins.

How old is the mill? The earliest records of a mill on this site date to 1335, with the name "mill of Chaudon" appearing by 1407.

What makes it stand out among other mills in the region? It is the only water mill in Eure-et-Loir that survives both complete and mechanically functional.

When was it listed as a historic monument? In 2003, as a monument historique.

What restoration work has been done recently? In 2025, a heritage foundation prize funded the repair of the mill's main sluice gates and its cargo-boat lock (porte bateau) on the Eure.