Moulin à vent de Langlade, Stone windmill in Langlade, France.
The Moulin à vent de Langlade is a cylindrical stone tower mill topped by a wooden cap that turns to face the wind, carrying four lattice sails. Inside, a wooden upright shaft and millstones occupy the tower's floors. The mill stands exposed on open ground near Langlade, in the Gard department of southern France.
The Moulin à vent de Langlade is documented from 1211, when it was recorded among the possessions of the abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. It ground the grain of the surrounding farms for centuries, powered by the winds of the Langlade plateau. The building later fell out of use before being restored in 2004.
The mill's name, Langlade, ties it to the hamlet where it stands, and locals still call the surrounding plots by their old field names. Grain from nearby farms was brought here for milling, and the miller kept a share as payment, a practice known as milling toll. Look for the worn threshold where carts unloaded sacks.
The mill sits in a quiet rural area and is reachable on foot from the village. Wear comfortable shoes when visiting, and allow time to explore the surrounding countryside at a leisurely pace.
The mill's tower is built of local limestone, and its wooden sails turn on a cast-iron axle. Look for the date 1211 carved above the entrance, marking the first written record of the mill.
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