Moulin de la Brée, Windmill ruins in La Brée-les-Bains, France
This 17th-century windmill features a well-preserved cylindrical stone tower with traditional grinding mechanisms and two millstones that remain visible to visitors today.
First documented on Guerrier's map in 1686, this windmill operated continuously until 1920 before being abandoned and later restored by the local community.
It represents the era when Oléron Island was known as 'the island of a hundred mills', symbolizing the importance of traditional grain milling in island agriculture.
The site is open Monday through Sunday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, offering guided tours with a mediator to explore ancient milling techniques.
It stands among the few mills on the island to have preserved its original two-millstone mechanism, enabling superior quality flour production.
Location: La Brée-les-Bains
Address: Moulin de, 17840 La Brée-les-Bains, France
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 14:00-18:00
Phone: +33517250549
Website: https://moulin-de-la-bree.fr
GPS coordinates: 46.00842,-1.36059
Latest update: October 24, 2025 10:51
Oléron Island, the largest island in mainland France after Corsica, features a military, maritime, and natural heritage reflecting its strategic position facing the Atlantic Ocean. This Charente island, connected to the mainland since 1966 by a nearly three-kilometer-long bridge, houses fortifications built under Louis XIV, such as the Citadel of Château d'Oléron and Fort Louvois, as well as the famous Fort Boyard positioned on its sandbank offshore. The Chassiron Lighthouse, standing at forty-six meters high, marks the northern tip of the island and guides ships through the waters of the Pertuis d'Antioche. Beyond its defensive legacy, the island offers various natural areas where sandy beaches, pine forests, and salt marshes alternate. Saint-Trojan-les-Bains extends its wooded shoreline to the south, while Boyardville features a protected coast on its eastern side. Visitors also observe oyster farming along the La Baudissière channel and explore the colorful huts that house artist workshops at the port of Château d'Oléron. The Saltworks Museum traces the history of salt extraction, a resource that shaped the local economy for centuries.
Train touristique du Phare de Chassiron
5.5 km
Chassiron lighthouse
5.7 km
Plage de la Brée
1.5 km
Maison des aïeules de Pierre Loti
8.4 km
Lanterne des morts de Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron
8.2 km
Église Saint-Pierre de Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron
8.4 km
Château de Bonnemie
8 km
Musée de l’Île d’Oléron
8.4 km
Plage de la Gautrelle
5.6 km
Église Saint-Denys de Saint-Denis-d'Oléron
3 km
Plage des Huttes
2.7 km
Plage de Boyardville
10.4 km
Église Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Nicolas de La Cotinière
8.4 km
Plage naturiste
7.5 km
Plage de La Biroire
8.7 km
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de La Brée-les-Bains
1.3 km
Plage de la Boirie
2.9 km
Les Placelles
7.5 km
Plage des Sables Vigniers
5.5 km
Plage de Soubregeon
3.9 km
Temple de Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron
8.3 km
Scenic viewpoint
3.2 km
Ecluse à poissons
5.9 km
Les Jardins de la Boirie
9.1 km
Colorful beach cabins
3.1 km
Clapotis
8.4 km
Fort Boyard
10.2 km
Work of art
9.2 kmReviews
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