Moulin Saint-Roch

Moulin Saint-Roch is a historic windmill standing on a hilltop above Grimaud, a picturesque hilltop village in the Var department of Provence, just a few kilometers from the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.

Where does the mill's name come from?

Records place a windmill on this hill as far back as the 16th century, when it was known as the moulin de la Gardiole. The name changed in the 17th century, after a small chapel dedicated to Saint Roch was built a few hundred meters away — from then on, the mill carried his name.

What was the windmill used for?

During Grimaud's milling heyday, several windmills operated at once on the hills around the village, and Saint-Roch was one of them. In front of the building sits a threshing area, where horses once trampled sheaves of grain to separate the kernels from the straw. The cleaned grain was then carried inside the mill and ground between two stone wheels into flour for the villagers and nearby farms.

What happened to it in the 20th century?

The mill fell out of use in the early 20th century and was left to decay for decades. Restoration only came in the 1990s, when skilled craftsmen — compagnons du devoir — rebuilt the roof, the sails and the internal mechanism. During a subsequent attempt to restart the mill, part of the masonry was damaged, and to this day the sails no longer turn and the mill can no longer produce flour.

Can visitors go inside?

The grounds around the mill are open to visitors year-round, and the view over the Gulf of Saint-Tropez from up here is one of the best in the area. The interior, however, can only be seen during free guided tours organized by Grimaud's Culture and Heritage department. Once a year, at the end of June, the village holds its Mill and Local Heritage Festival, when old techniques for threshing wheat and grinding grain are demonstrated on site.

How do you get to Moulin Saint-Roch?

The mill sits on a rise just above the old village of Grimaud, reached by a short but steep climb from the historic center. It works well as a lookout point in its own right — pair a visit with a stroll through Grimaud's narrow, flower-lined lanes, and try to time it for late afternoon, when the light over the gulf is at its best.

Frequently asked questions

Does Moulin Saint-Roch still grind flour? No. Although the roof, sails and mechanism were restored in the 1990s, damage to the masonry during a restart attempt means the sails no longer turn and the mill no longer produces flour.

Where does the name come from? The mill was originally called moulin de la Gardiole. It took its current name in the 17th century after a chapel dedicated to Saint Roch was built nearby.

Can you visit the inside of the mill? Yes, but only through free guided tours run by Grimaud's Culture and Heritage department. The grounds around the mill are open year-round.

Is the view worth the climb? Yes — the hilltop the mill stands on offers a clear view over the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, which is why many visitors make a point of stopping here while exploring Grimaud.