Moulin à vent de Lignerolles

Moulin à vent de Lignerolles is a wooden windmill standing on the open Beauce plain in the commune of Coinces, in the Loiret department. Rising alone above the wheat fields, it is one of the region's most distinctive pieces of industrial heritage in Centre-Val de Loire.

What makes this windmill different from others in Beauce?

The Beauce plain, stretching south of Paris, once counted more than two thousand windmills. Almost all of them have disappeared, and the moulin de Lignerolles is one of the last surviving examples of a "post mill" or "moulin sur pivot" — a type also known locally as moulin chandelier. Instead of only the cap rotating, as in tower windmills, the entire wooden body of the mill pivots around a central post to face the wind. This makes it mechanically distinct from the more common tower mills found elsewhere in France.

The four sails are of the Berton type, fitted with movable slats that slide over one another. A miller operating the mill could open or close all four sails at once, or fine-tune how much they opened, entirely from inside the building — adjusting to changes in wind strength and direction without stepping outside.

What is the history behind the mill?

The windmill was built in 1848 and remained in operation grinding grain for local Beauce farms until 1933. After it stopped working, it passed into the care of the Soulas family: it belonged to Louis-Joseph Soulas (1905–1954), a native of Lignerolles who went on to direct the School of Fine Arts in Orléans. That family stewardship kept the building standing, even as it gradually fell into need of serious restoration.

In 2008, the artist's family transferred the mill to the commune of Coinces for a symbolic one euro, securing its future under public ownership. Its rarity and heritage value had already been recognized decades earlier, when it was listed as a Monument Historique in 1942 — well before the commune took charge of it.

Who looks after the windmill today?

Since 2017, the Association des Amis du Moulin de Lignerolles has led a sustained restoration effort that has returned the building to its original appearance and working condition. The volunteers maintain not just the timber frame but also the Berton sail mechanism, which demands specialized carpentry skills to keep functional. That local commitment is precisely what has kept this mill standing while hundreds of others across Beauce vanished from the landscape.

When can visitors see it?

The Moulin de Lignerolles opens to the public on the third Sunday of every month, from 2 pm to 6 pm. Groups and associations can also arrange a visit on other days by prior appointment with the association that manages the site. That flexibility makes it a practical stop for school outings, local clubs, or anyone who wants to see the mechanism up close without the crowds of a regular open day.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the windmill located? In the commune of Coinces, in the Loiret department, on the Beauce plain in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

How is this windmill different from a typical tower windmill? Its entire wooden body turns around a central post to face the wind, rather than just the cap rotating as on tower mills — a design known as a post mill or "moulin sur pivot."

Is the mill still used to grind grain? No — it operated until 1933. Today it is preserved as a historic monument and open for visits.

Is there an entrance fee? Check with the association that manages the mill before visiting, since arrangements for group visits differ from the regular open Sundays.