Moulin à vent

Moulin à vent is a historic windmill standing on the edge of a plateau near Châtellenot, a small village in the Auxois area of Burgundy, France. The circular stone tower rises alone above the surrounding fields and pastures, one of the last physical traces of an era when windmills ground the grain for local farms in this corner of the Côte-d'Or.

Where does the windmill stand and what does it look like?

The tower stands a short distance from the village itself, right at the edge of the plateau, with views opening onto the rolling hills of the Auxois. It is a round masonry tower 8.3 metres high and 6 metres in diameter, built with walls a full 70 centimetres thick. Two doors and six square windows pierce the walls, three on each of the two floors, which are separated by a wooden floor. A stone spiral staircase set into the wall leads up to the first floor, continuing as a wooden staircase to the second.

When was it built and how long did it operate?

The present tower dates from 1854, replacing an earlier windmill that had fallen into ruin. Its milling mechanism, older than the tower itself, was bought from the mill at Arconcey and installed here — a common practice in the region, where expensive mechanical parts were reused when a new mill was raised. The windmill kept working until 1958, making it one of the longest-running windmills in the Auxois. It originally carried four sails; only two remained by the mid-20th century, and today the tower stands with none at all. Its last millstones were moved to Montceau-Écharnant.

Why is it a protected monument?

Given how rare and well preserved this type of structure has become, the windmill was listed as a monument historique by decree on 27 December 1945. It now belongs to the Rouxel family, who carried out a complete restoration between 2011 and 2013. The work was backed by the Regional Conservation of Historic Monuments in Dijon, the Côte-d'Or General Council, and the local heritage association ASRU.21.

What should visitors know before going?

The windmill sits in open countryside at the edge of the plateau, so the best way to see it is a short walk out from the village — the views over the surrounding Auxois hills are as much a draw as the tower itself. It is privately owned by the family that restored it, so visits are generally limited to viewing the exterior. Sturdy shoes are worth packing, since the approach runs across fields and unpaved paths.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside the windmill? The windmill is privately owned by the Rouxel family, so interior visits are not routinely offered — it is mainly seen from the outside.

Does the windmill still have its sails? No. It originally had four sails; only two remained by the mid-20th century, and none survive today.

Where did the milling mechanism come from? The mechanism, older than the 1854 tower itself, was purchased from the mill at Arconcey and moved here.

When was the windmill last restored? It underwent a complete restoration between 2011 and 2013, supported by the Regional Conservation of Historic Monuments in Dijon, the Côte-d'Or General Council, and the ASRU.21 association.