moulin Sourdon

Moulin Sourdon is the oldest of the four windmills of Fontvieille, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. It stands alone on a hillside, set apart from the other mills that line the pine-tree avenue, and since 2015 has served as a viewpoint open to visitors.

What makes this windmill stand out?

Moulin Sourdon is distinguished from its neighbors by both its age and its position. It was built in 1791, making it the oldest surviving structure among the four Fontvieille windmills. Over time it was the first of the group to lose its roof and sails, which is why locals nicknamed it "the fallen mill." Following restoration, the building now stands on a hill removed from the rest of the group, making it an easy landmark to spot along the trail.

Where is it and how do you get there?

The windmill sits within the commune of Fontvieille, on a hill to the west of the pine-tree avenue where the other mills cluster together. Its coordinates are 43.721654, 4.709314. Moulin Sourdon is one of the stops on the Sentier des Moulins de Daudet, a walking trail that links the town's four historic windmills — long associated with the writer Alphonse Daudet and his short-story collection "Letters from My Windmill."

What should you know before visiting?

After its 2015 restoration, Moulin Sourdon took on a new role as a belvedere, a viewpoint from which visitors can look out over the surrounding Alpilles landscape. That sets it apart from the other windmills on the trail, which have kept a more traditional, museum-like character. It's worth planning your walk to take in all four windmills — each has its own history and state of preservation, and Moulin Sourdon, as the oldest, serves as a natural reference point for the rest.

How does the windmill fit into Fontvieille's history?

Fontvieille has long been associated with windmills, which played an important economic role in the Alpilles region during the 18th and 19th centuries. Moulin Sourdon, as the oldest surviving example of its kind in town, documents the beginnings of that tradition. Its distance from the other three mills — which stand closer together along the pine-tree avenue — suggests it originally operated independently, before the area developed into the cluster of mills that now forms Fontvieille's distinctive skyline.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Moulin Sourdon? The mill was built in 1791, making it the oldest of Fontvieille's four windmills.

Why is it called "the fallen mill"? Because it was the first of the town's four windmills to lose its roof and sails, before eventually being restored.

Can you go inside the windmill? Since its 2015 restoration, the structure functions as a viewpoint (belvedere) open to visitors walking the windmill trail.

How do you reach Moulin Sourdon? The mill stands on a hill to the west of the pine-tree avenue in Fontvieille, along the Sentier des Moulins de Daudet, which leads to all four of the town's historic windmills.