Moulin du Nord

Moulin du Nord is a wooden post windmill standing in Steenvoorde, in the Nord department of French Flanders. Its Flemish name, Noordmeulen, literally means "north mill," and locals still use both names interchangeably. The mill sits along the road that bears its name, on the edge of town, and is one of several historic windmills preserved within the Steenvoorde municipality.

Where is Moulin du Nord and what does it look like?

The windmill stands on a slight rise beside its namesake lane, in the open, windswept landscape typical of French Flanders — flat farmland well suited to milling by wind. The structure is built almost entirely of wood: the body rests on three wooden crossbeams set on brick pedestals, a classic "post mill" design that lets the entire upper structure pivot to face the wind. The lower part of the mill body is wrapped in a hexagonal weatherboard skirt covered with wooden shingles (tavaillons), shielding the internal machinery from rain and wind.

What is the history behind this windmill?

During restoration work, a date carved into one of the mill's timber beams came to light, indicating the mill was most likely built in 1576 — making it one of the oldest surviving windmills of its kind in the region. For centuries it served the local farming community, equipped with two pairs of millstones: one for grinding wheat into flour, the other for producing feed grain mixtures for livestock. The mill remained in working order until 1959, when commercial-scale milling there came to an end.

After a period of disuse, the building was listed as a historic monument in 1977. The municipality of Steenvoorde took ownership of the mill in 1975, which paved the way for a major restoration carried out between 1978 and 1983. That work restored the mechanism to working condition while preserving the original sixteenth-century construction.

What can visitors see today?

Moulin du Nord now functions as an educational and tourist landmark, included on local walking and cycling routes, notably the "La Ronde des Moulins" (Round of Mills) trail that links several historic windmills across the Steenvoorde area. Visitors can get a close look at the post-mill frame, the wooden sails, and the internal milling gear, with on-site information explaining how a sixteenth-century miller would have worked the machinery.

It's worth noting that Steenvoorde is home to more than one historic windmill — Drievenmeulen is a separate, distinct mill within the same municipality. Both windmills belong to the same tourist trail, but each has its own construction and history, so they shouldn't be confused with one another.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Moulin du Nord? A date carved into one of its structural beams, uncovered during restoration, points to 1576 as the most likely year the mill was built.

Is Moulin du Nord the same as Drievenmeulen? No. They are two separate historic windmills in Steenvoorde, each with its own structure and history. Moulin du Nord (Noordmeulen) and Drievenmeulen sit within the same municipality but should not be confused with each other.

What was the mill used for? It is a post mill fitted with two pairs of millstones — one for grinding wheat into flour and another for preparing feed mixtures for livestock. It stayed in operation until 1959.

Is the windmill a protected monument? Yes. Moulin du Nord has been listed as a historic monument since 1977, and it underwent a full restoration between 1978 and 1983, funded by the municipality, which had become its owner in 1975.