Moulin à vent de la Pinsonnerie

Moulin à vent de la Pinsonnerie is an 18th-century windmill standing in the village of Faye-d'Anjou, part of the commune of Bellevigne-en-Layon in Maine-et-Loire, roughly twenty kilometres south of Angers, right in the middle of the Coteaux du Layon wine country.

When was it built and what was it used for?

The mill went up in the closing decades of the 18th century as a working flour mill for the surrounding farms. It belongs to a construction type typical of Anjou known as a "cavier" — a stone-built, cone-shaped tower mill, quite different from the timber post mills found in many other parts of France. That solid masonry form is a big part of why the structure has survived for well over two centuries with its core shape largely unchanged, even as the machinery inside evolved.

How did the mechanism work, and when did milling stop?

The windmill was fitted with Berton sails, a self-regulating shutter system that let the miller adjust to changing wind strength without having to halt the whole structure — a design that spread widely across Anjou's windmills during the 19th century. Grinding continued here until 1926, when large-scale industrial milling finally made small wind-powered mills like this one commercially obsolete across the region.

What does the inside look like?

Inside the stone tower are two parallel cellar chambers. The main one leads through to the grinding room: records from 1867 mention a single pair of millstones, but the mill was later equipped with two pairs, boosting its output. This layout, unusual for a mill of its size, is one of the reasons the building is valued as a piece of regional milling heritage rather than just another rural landmark.

Is it protected, and can visitors go inside?

The Moulin à vent de la Pinsonnerie has been listed as a monument historique since 22 May 1978. After decades of inactivity it was restored around the late 1980s and brought back into partial working order. Today the property belongs to winemakers Dominique and Anita Leblanc, who run the Domaine des Closserons estate, and the mill now doubles as a tasting cellar for their Coteaux du Layon wines. It remains private property, but it opens to visitors year-round by appointment, and it can also be seen — sometimes even turning — during the various festivals held in Faye-d'Anjou.

Why is it worth a visit?

It is a rare chance to see an 18th-century cavier windmill up close — one that has not just survived but stayed genuinely useful, now as a place to taste wine grown on the very slopes it once served. The combination of old milling history and living Angevin winemaking tradition makes a stop here more than a quick look at a heritage plaque: it is a small window into how this corner of the Layon valley has worked the land for centuries.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the windmill located? At 17 la Pinsonnerie, in the village of Faye-d'Anjou, part of the commune of Bellevigne-en-Layon (Maine-et-Loire), about 20 km south of Angers.

Can the windmill be visited? Yes. It is privately owned but opens to visitors year-round by appointment, and during festivals held in Faye-d'Anjou.

What is the mill used for today? It serves as a tasting cellar for Coteaux du Layon wines, run by the winemakers of Domaine des Closserons.

Since when has it been a protected monument? It was listed as a monument historique on 22 May 1978, and an earlier restoration brought its mechanism back into partial working order.