Moulin de Passe-Avant, Historical watermill in Saint-Leu district, Amiens, France.

The Moulin de Passe-Avant is a four-level timber-framed mill at 186 rue Saint-Leu, built in 1528 with wattle-and-daub panels and a slate roof. Its weathered plaster upper storeys, cracked and peeling to show beige and brown patches, sit above horizontal wooden planks pierced by two multi-paned windows. The whole structure rests on vertical posts and beams, with large wooden wheels and gears visible in the open lower frame.

The building was constructed in 1528 on the site of a medieval mill, initially serving grain processing operations. In the 19th century, it shifted to mustard production, marking an important economic change in the mill's purpose.

The mill belonged to the bishop and the cathedral chapter, like the other mills of the Saint-Leu quarter. On the moulded wall plates, the posts are said to carry masks and the chapter's arms, a silver field with a black cross. A sculpted Virgin with rays stands on the corner post.

The mill is located in the Rue Saint-Leu district, the traditional mill quarter of Amiens with direct river access. Check ahead about opening times, as this protected monument is open only periodically and access may be limited to guided visits or special occasions.

The mill's name comes from its priority right: its 40-horsepower wheel, fed by the canalized Clairons arm of the Somme, took precedence over the neighbouring Passe-Arrière mill. Look for the sculpted Virgin with rays on the corner post, and the masks and chapter arms said to decorate the moulded wall plates.