Moulin de l'Ingratitude

Moulin de l'Ingratitude is a wooden post mill on the edge of Boeschepe, a small village in the Monts de Flandre hills of France's Nord department. Locals and tourism guides also call it Ondankmeulen, the Flemish version of the same unusual name — "the mill of ingratitude."

Why is it called the "mill of ingratitude"?

This is the question every visitor asks first. Local tradition tells of a falling-out between the mill's owner and the carpenter who built it, with the owner allegedly failing to properly credit or pay the craftsman's work — hence "ingratitude." The name is not a modern invention: old regional maps already marked a mill at this exact spot under the same name back in the 16th century. The building visitors see today is therefore the latest in a long line of mills that have occupied this hilltop for centuries.

How did the mill end up in Boeschepe?

The structure standing today was not originally built here. It was raised in 1802 at La Motte-au-Bois, near Hazebrouck. In 1884, a new owner named Benoît Houvenaghel decided to relocate the entire mill to a hilltop in Boeschepe. Moving a wooden windmill piece by piece was no small feat — a convoy of six carts had to pass through the neighboring town of Bailleul three separate times before every part reached its new home.

What kind of mill is it, and how did it work?

Moulin de l'Ingratitude is a classic example of a northern French post mill: a stone base supports a wooden cabin that pivots on a central post so the sails can always be turned to face the wind directly. The whole structure weighs over 55 tonnes. Inside, a pair of millstones ground grain for the surrounding farms. When the wind wasn't strong enough, the mill leaned on an auxiliary gas-powered engine — a common fix millers adopted around the turn of the 20th century to keep production going regardless of the weather.

What did the mill go through during the First World War?

Perched on the Monts de Flandre with a commanding view of the surrounding countryside, the mill served as a British artillery observation post during the Great War. It was shelled and mined by the retreating German army, yet the wooden structure survived the German withdrawal in April 1918 — something locals still regard as a stroke of luck, given how easily a wooden tower could have burned or collapsed under such conditions.

What happened after milling stopped?

The last working miller kept the mill running until 1958. Six years later, in 1964, ownership passed to the commune of Boeschepe. A local association, the "Friends of the Ondankmeulen," took on the task of restoring the mill, bringing it back close to its historic appearance. In 1977, Moulin de l'Ingratitude was added to the supplementary inventory of French Historic Monuments (inscrit aux Monuments Historiques), a formal recognition of its value as a witness to the region's milling heritage in French Flanders.

Can visitors see it today?

The mill no longer grinds grain commercially, but it still stands as a preserved landmark, open for viewing through visits organized by the association that cares for it and by local tourism offices in the Hauts-de-France region. It's a popular stop on walking and cycling routes linking Boeschepe with the nearby hills of Mont Noir and Mont des Cats, giving many visitors a close-up look at a mill typical of the Flemish landscape before they continue toward the surrounding peaks.

Najczęstsze pytania / FAQ

What makes a "post mill" different from other windmill types? In a post mill, the entire wooden cabin and its sails rotate around a central post set into the stone base, letting the miller turn the sails to face the wind from any direction.

Is the mill the original 16th-century building? No — the current structure dates from 1802 and was moved to Boeschepe in 1884. The name and the site's milling tradition, however, trace back to mills that stood here as early as the 16th century.

Where exactly is the mill relative to Boeschepe's village center? It stands on the edge of the village, on one of the hills of the Monts de Flandre, close to Mont Noir and Mont des Cats — an area known for its network of walking and cycling trails.

Is admission to the mill free? Visit terms, including opening periods and any fees, are best confirmed directly with the association that manages the mill or with the local Hauts-de-France tourism office, since access can vary by season.