Moulin à vent de l'Epinay

Moulin à vent de l'Epinay is a windmill standing on the grounds of an old farm in the commune of Loury, in the Loiret department, Centre-Val de Loire region. It belongs to the "moulin pivot" family — a wooden mill built so its whole body could rotate to face the wind. Long out of use, it remains one of the few surviving witnesses to an era when hundreds of such mills dotted the Beauce and Loiret countryside.

Where exactly is the mill in Loury?

Loury sits at the meeting point of three landscapes: Beauce to the north, Gâtinais to the east, and Sologne to the south. The mill stands on an old farm property reached by a communal path branching off the D8 road toward Rebréchien, close to the RN152 route to Orléans. Like most windmills in the area, it occupies a slightly elevated, open spot exposed to winds sweeping across the surrounding fields.

What is a "moulin pivot" and what makes this one notable?

A moulin pivot is the oldest type of French wooden windmill: the entire structure turned on a central post driven into the ground, letting the miller swing the sails to face whichever way the wind blew. The mill at Loury dates from the 19th century and still retains part of its original mechanism. It was fitted with the Berton system, a mechanism that let the miller adjust the surface of the wooden-slat sails from inside the mill, without stopping the machinery or climbing outside — a real improvement over the simpler cloth-covered sails used earlier.

What is the history behind the Epinay mill?

Like many windmills in the region, the Epinay mill fell into disuse once industrial and electric mills took over flour production, and it stood abandoned for decades. Since March 1974 it has been listed on France's supplementary inventory of historic monuments, a recognition of its value to the local built heritage. More recently, the mill was acquired by a new owner, Christian Vijende, a member of ARAM Beauce, the regional association dedicated to preserving and restoring windmills. The new owner has expressed the intention to bring the structure back to its original condition, offering a real chance of saving another example of this vanishing building type.

Can visitors see the mill?

The mill sits on private land and is not currently open for organized visits — restoration work is still only a prospect. It can, however, be viewed from outside by following the communal path off the D8 toward Rebréchien; visitors should keep their distance and respect the private property. It makes a worthwhile stop for anyone exploring the Loury area and interested in the rural architecture of the Orléanais region, especially alongside other surviving windmills in the Loiret department.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Moulin de l'Epinay still grind flour? No, the mill has been out of use for a long time. Part of its internal mechanism survives, though, making it a point of interest for anyone curious about traditional milling.

How do you get to the windmill in Loury? Take the communal path branching off the D8 road toward Rebréchien, close to the RN152 route connecting the area to Orléans.

Is the mill a protected historic monument? Yes, it has been listed on France's supplementary inventory of historic monuments since March 1974.

Who owns the mill today? It is privately owned by Christian Vijende, a member of ARAM Beauce, an association involved in restoring windmills across the Beauce region.