Moulin de la Victoire

Moulin de la Victoire is a wooden windmill standing in Hondschoote, a small town in French Flanders, in the Nord department. Locals and historical records often call it by its older name, Moulin Spinnewyn, while visitors today mostly know it by the name that recalls a French military victory.

Where is the mill located?

The windmill stands on Impasse Spinnewyn, right next to the spot where its historical predecessor once stood. Hondschoote lies just a short drive from the Belgian border and from the Dunkirk coastline, in the flat, open landscape typical of French Flanders — a region long known for its dense network of canals and windmills that once powered the local textile industry and flour production.

What history lies behind this windmill?

The name "Moulin de la Victoire" is no coincidence. In September 1793, during the French Revolutionary Wars, an Anglo-Hanoverian coalition tried to push back into republican France while besieging Dunkirk. The French army, commanded by General Jean Nicolas Houchard, launched a counteroffensive precisely on the territory of Hondschoote. The decisive, daring assault was carried out by gendarmes of the 32nd division, fighting at the foot of the Spinnewyn mill. That clash is remembered as the first combat victory of the French gendarmerie, and it played a key role in stopping the invasion of republican France.

The original mill that witnessed these events did not survive to the present day — it fell into disrepair and was torn down more than a century after the battle. Its site, however, stayed alive in local memory, and as the bicentenary of the battle approached in the early 1990s, the town of Hondschoote decided to rebuild a windmill almost exactly where the old one had stood. The new mill went up in 1993, both as a tribute to the gendarmes and residents who defended the area and as a lasting landmark keeping local history visible.

How is the mill built, and what was it used for?

Moulin de la Victoire is a pivot windmill (moulin sur pivot), a design in which the entire body of the mill can rotate around a central post so its sails can be turned to face the wind. This construction type was common across low-lying regions where the wind changes direction frequently and flat terrain offers no natural shelter. The structure is built from massive oak beams, and inside it houses a full set of millstones that historically ground grain into flour. Today the mechanism is occasionally set in motion, mainly during local festivals and heritage days, when visitors can see it demonstrated in action.

Can you visit the mill, and when?

Visits to the mill have traditionally followed a seasonal schedule, running from April to September on specific days of the week and requiring advance booking through the local tourist office. It's worth checking current availability before planning a visit, since opening times can shift depending on the town's event calendar and any ongoing restoration work on the structure. The Hondschoote tourist office is the best source for up-to-date opening hours and any admission fees.

The mill itself, however — with its distinctive sails and timber frame set against the flat Flemish countryside — can be admired from the outside year-round, and it forms a popular stop on short sightseeing routes through Hondschoote, alongside the town's other surviving windmills.

Frequently asked questions

Are Moulin de la Victoire and Moulin Spinnewyn the same windmill? Yes, they refer to the same structure. Spinnewyn is the historical name of the site, while "de la Victoire" commemorates the French victory in the Battle of Hondschoote in 1793.

When was the current mill built? The windmill seen today dates from 1993. It is a reconstruction raised to mark the two-hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Hondschoote, built on the site of the earlier mill that had been demolished.

Does the mill still work and grind flour? A full set of millstones survives inside, and the mechanism is occasionally operated, mostly during local festivals and heritage events dedicated to the region's traditions.

How do you get to the mill in Hondschoote? The mill stands on Impasse Spinnewyn in Hondschoote, a town in French Flanders close to Dunkirk and the Belgian border. Arriving by car is the most practical option, and the town itself is best explored on foot, since several other historic windmills remain nearby.