He never stopped....
He is the only one in this case, a symbol of tradition. He could have made his own the famous motto "I will maintain"! There were about 15,000 of them, and today, alone, he continues as he did on the first day!
And yet it's a long way off that first day! It is located around 1555! It then belonged to Jacques DE LA TOUCHE, lord of the Garnache...
Around 1840, he became a member of the BARRETEAU family, operating about twenty mills in the North Vendéen marsh. One of the successive millers persisted, around the 1930s, in keeping it unchanged.
The friends of the Moulin de Rairé
Around 1963, a group of friends created a defence association, but, of the 14 that were still operating in the town, 13 gradually stopped.
And finally, there is only him left, alone in France, alone to have never stopped turning since 1555, and by the sole force of the wind... the Rairé mill.
Other mills remain, but have stopped for long periods of time, sometimes. Others are also running, but the various restorations have introduced the electric motor...
He, unusual by his solitary obstinacy, he turns, he always turns, he turns again, he turns again, in the wind....
To go and see him is to meet the story, alive, unchanging....
Rairé's Windmill
Le Moulin à Vent de Rairé
85300 Sallertaine
Phone : 06.37.77.69.57 & 06.82.26.88.82
moulin-de-raire@wanadoo.fr
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