Moulin à vent de La Landronnière

Moulin à vent de La Landronnière is a 19th-century windmill standing on the outskirts of Bécon-les-Granits, in the Maine-et-Loire department. This tall stone tower rises above the surrounding fields beside the old road linking Segré and Cholet, in an area known as Landes d'Asnières — and even without its sails, it remains one of the most recognisable landmarks in this part of the Anjou countryside.

Who built this windmill, and when?

The mill was completed in 1872 by a miller named René Couet. He chose to build it beside the road from Segré to Cholet, which had only recently been opened through the Landes d'Asnières — a spot that made it easier to move grain and flour to nearby villages. Its construction reflects a broader pattern across 19th-century Anjou, where windmills sprang up on open, wind-exposed ground to serve as an affordable, wind-powered alternative to watermills.

What does the tower look like?

The Moulin de La Landronnière is a three-storey tower mill, or moulin-tour — the design typically used in the region for larger, more productive mills. Its façade is broken up by two bays of tall window and door openings, each capped with a segmental brick arch. This wasn't purely decorative: the arrangement let daylight reach every floor of the mill, which mattered a great deal at a time when the interior had no other source of light. The thick stone walls give the tower a solid, almost fortress-like presence, built to withstand decades of continuous milling work.

What has become of it since?

The tower has survived to the present day, though it no longer carries its sails — what remains is the stone shell of the mill, stripped of the external mechanism that once caught the wind. Even so, the structure is in good condition and still tells the story of an era when wind power drove the local milling economy. At the time it was granted heritage protection, the mill's internal mechanisms were reportedly still intact, adding to its historical significance.

Why is the windmill protected?

The Moulin à vent de La Landronnière was listed as a historical monument (inscrit aux monuments historiques) on 13 October 1975. The protection covers the tower itself as evidence of local milling craftsmanship and 19th-century industrial architecture in Anjou. The listing shields the building from unsympathetic alterations and secures its place in the cultural landscape of the commune of Bécon-les-Granits.

What else is worth knowing nearby?

A second windmill, known as the Moulin Blanc, stands nearby along the D963 departmental road. It is privately owned and not open to visitors. Together, the two mills show that the countryside around Bécon-les-Granits was once an active centre of wind milling, thanks to the open, breezy terrain of the Landes d'Asnières.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Moulin de La Landronnière built? It was completed in 1872 by the miller René Couet, on the road connecting Segré and Cholet.

Does the windmill still have its sails? No — today only the stone tower remains; the sails are no longer in place.

Is the Moulin de La Landronnière a protected monument? Yes, it was listed as a historical monument on 13 October 1975.

Can visitors go inside the windmill? Available sources do not mention regular opening hours for the public, so it's best treated as a landmark to admire from the surrounding countryside rather than a site with guaranteed indoor access — check locally before planning a visit.