Moulin de Tercey

Moulin de Tercey is a historic water mill in the commune of Boischampré, in the Orne department of Normandy, set on the banks of the Orne river. The building stands in an isolated spot on the grounds of the former village of Saint-Loyer-des-Champs, which merged with Marcei, Saint-Christophe-le-Jajolet and Vrigny in 2015 to create Boischampré.

Where exactly is the mill located?

The mill sits along the Impasse du Moulin, on land that belonged to the former commune of Saint-Loyer-des-Champs, now absorbed into Boischampré (postcode 61570). Like many mills along this stretch of Normandy, it drew its power directly from the flow of the Orne river.

How old is the mill, and what happened to it over the years?

Records of a mill on this site go back to 1809, when it turned out roughly 7.5 quintals of flour a day from wheat, rye, barley and oats. The building seen today dates from a rebuild carried out in 1811 by a builder named Frin-Cormeray. Its operation was first regulated by a prefectural order on 14 November 1811, later revised on 7 June 1830.

Growth through the nineteenth century

A second wheel was added in 1832, lifting output considerably. The mill's operating conditions were revised again in 1860, and by 1888 daily production had climbed to 15 quintals of flour — double the figure recorded at the start of the century.

When did milling stop?

The mill kept running until around 1950. Once flour production ended, the building was converted into a private residence, a common fate for water mills across the region once industrial milling declined.

What has survived to this day?

Of the two original wheels, one is still in place — an undershot wheel, driven by water passing beneath it rather than over it. Alongside the wheel, the mill retains its original gearing and millstones, the core mechanical components of the old operation, now preserved inside what is a private home.

Is Moulin de Tercey a protected monument?

Yes. The façades, roofing and interior machinery were registered as a historic monument (monument historique inscrit) on 1 June 1995. The listing covers not just the exterior structure but also the surviving wheel, gears and millstones — the elements that document the site's industrial past.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside Moulin de Tercey? No. The mill is privately owned and used as a home, so it is not open to the public. It can be viewed from outside the property, with respect for the residents' privacy.

Which commune is the mill part of? It lies within the commune of Boischampré, on land that formerly belonged to the village of Saint-Loyer-des-Champs, merged into Boischampré in 2015.

How much flour did the mill produce? About 7.5 quintals a day in 1809, rising to 15 quintals a day by 1888 after a second wheel was installed and the operation modernized.

When was the mill listed as a historic monument? Its façades, roofing and interior equipment were registered as a historic monument on 1 June 1995.

What machinery remains on site? One of the two original undershot wheels survives, together with its original gearing and millstones.