Who am I ?
I am the Moulin du Vigneau, the last public Moulin Cavier in Saumur.
Get to know me better through my story.
Until the last century, windmills were part of the Saumur landscape, especially the Moulins Caviers, a particularity of Saumur.
"So I was born in the middle of the 18th century, around 1780, south of the Twins and we were two mills.
Indeed, we functioned as a couple. The first simply crushed the grain and gave the grind; it was called the mill mouturier and the second one refined thanks to its millstones to produce flour intended for bakers, it was called "fromentier".
"Don't ask me which one I was, I forgot! I like to think I was a wheather since in my story, my wings were replaced by a gas engine."
“We have had several mill owners:
From 1790 to 1825 we were in the heritage of the Mariet et fils family, then in 1851 that of Louis Brard, then Victor Davy. From 1856 to 1866 to Georges Gautier, in 1861 to Jacques Guitton, in 1872 to Pierre Gauray.
We experienced a tragedy between 1851 and 1856, the death of Victor Davy's daughter, carried away by one of my wings.
Then, in the middle of the 19th century, milling was in decline, replaced by the appearance of industrial milling. Also, in 1916 at the dawn of the 20th century I capitulated and became a mass dedicated to silence and inaction.
However, I was still occupied by Victor Davy (son) until the 2nd World War since in 1941, he became the trustee when the Syndicat corporatif agricole was set up. He organized the requisitions of crops and livestock.
After his death, during the Second World War, I saw my stones disappear, the people of Saumur took them for their house, their garden etc... but I remained standing."
"In the 1980s, I found it difficult to resist the onslaught of the diggers which were put in working order for the construction of the city which surrounds me today.
It was at this time that part of my life disappeared in a landslide.
It was without counting on the tenacity of the pharmacist of the district, said of the "Hauts Quartiers", Mr Renouard, who fought for my survival.
His efforts were rewarded and I was spared the demolition. To do this, the City bought me for a symbolic franc from the OPHLM, and I became the last public Moulin Cavier in Saumur.
In continuity, Mr. Renouard created a Safeguarding Association which aims to secure and safeguard my remains.
But it was not a success and I again fell into oblivion."
"However in 1998, a team of volunteers passionate about the life of the mills and full of goodwill decided to relaunch the Association and work for my survival with little means and a lot of resourcefulness."
"Throughout the year, they organize various events in order to animate me, to make me known in order to restore myself, to develop a project that brings together as many people as possible around me so that I do not fall from again in oblivion and that I am more than a fragment of collective memory..."
"In 2018, the volunteers of the Association decided to equip me with "digital wings".
"With the launch of my website, the deployment of my presence on social networks whether on Facebook or Instagram where I am starting, modestly, to make myself known!"
"Maybe one day I'll do challenges on TikTok or gaming streams on Twitch... I'll see..."
"Just because I'm an old monument doesn't mean I'm not up to date!"
"Do not hesitate to follow me on the various networks, to consult my website from time to time and of course and above all to come and see me!"
"As for me, I always dream of finding my wings!"
Sources:
"The Saumurois of the Mills" - Nicolas Jolivot
"The Windmills of Saumur" - Colonel SAVETTE
"At the time of the Windmills" - Jean Guilbaud