Moulin à vent de la Garde

Moulin à vent de la Garde is a historic windmill standing in Avrillé, a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department right on the edge of Angers. The structure belongs to the family of "moulin-cavier" mills typical of the Anjou region and has been under heritage protection for more than four decades.

What kind of windmill is this?

The Moulin à vent de la Garde is an example of a moulin-cavier, the distinctive Angevin variant of the windmill in which a masonry, cylindrical tower forms a fixed base while only the upper, timber-built section of the structure — together with the sails — rotates to face the wind. This design developed specifically in Anjou and is a local architectural specialty, setting the region's windmills apart from the tower mills found elsewhere in France.

What is the mill's history?

The current building most likely dates from the 17th century. It stands on the site of an earlier mill, also of the cavier type, which was feudally dependent on the seigneury of La Perrière. Surviving records show that as early as 1584 the miller on this site owed an annual rent of 30 livres tournois to the Augustinian friars of Angers. This indicates that a mill had been operating here well before the present structure was built, and that the site was part of an economic network tied to local seigneurial and religious institutions.

What does the building look like?

The mill rests on a cylindrical base roughly 4 metres high, built of coursed rubble slate. Inside this base is the cellar housing the millstones, the working heart of any windmill, used to grind grain. Mounted on top of the base is the so-called massereau, the tower section that carries the mill's rotating upper part. Unlike the base, the massereau is not built of masonry: it consists of a timber frame clad in slate, a solution typical of this type of mill that reduces the weight of the section that has to turn. The mill is fitted with Berton-type sails, an improved 19th-century version of traditional windmill sails that made it easier to adjust their surface area according to wind strength.

Is the mill a protected monument?

Yes. The Moulin à vent de la Garde was listed as a monument historique by a decision dated 5 November 1982. This listing protects the mill as evidence of Anjou's local industrial and agricultural architecture, and it also underlines the site's historical depth: through the earlier mill that stood here, its documented history reaches back to at least the late 16th century.

Where exactly is the mill located?

The windmill stands on Chemin des Vignes, in the commune of Avrillé (postcode 49240), close to Angers. Its position on raised ground, typical for wind-powered mills, makes it visible from the surrounding roads and turns it into a distinctive landmark in this part of Maine-et-Loire.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a moulin-cavier and an ordinary windmill? In a moulin-cavier, only the upper section (the massereau), together with the sails, rotates to catch the wind, while the masonry base stays fixed. This design is characteristic of Anjou and distinguishes local windmills from the tower mills found in other French regions.

When was the current mill built? Most likely in the 17th century, although an earlier mill of the same type stood on the site and is already documented in 1584 in connection with a rent paid to the Augustinian friars of Angers.

Since when has the mill been legally protected? Since 5 November 1982, when it was listed on the French register of historic monuments (monument historique).

What materials was the mill built from? The base is built of coursed rubble slate and stands about 4 metres high, while the upper, rotating section (the massereau) has a timber frame clad in slate; the mill is equipped with Berton-type sails.