This mill, immortalized by literature and the writer Alphonse Daudet, stands as a landmark of Provençal culture.
A literary landmark in the Alpilles
It rises on the western edge of the Alpilles. Here, Alphonse Daudet found the inspiration to compose his famous "Letters from My Windmill." In truth, Daudet never actually lived in this mill; he resided in Fontvieille at the "Château de Montauban," hosted by his friend Ambroy, while the mill remained a realm of his imagination.
In this place, the breeze still whispers the writer’s words:
« A lovely pinewood, sparkling with sunlight, tumbles before me down the slope. On the horizon, the
Alpilles outline their fine ridges… No noise. Only, from time to time, the sound of a fife, a curlew
among the lavender, a mule bell on the road… All this beautiful Provençal landscape exists solely for
the light. »
Alphonse Daudet – Letters from My Windmill.
Around Fontvieille and Daudet
It is amidst these sun-drenched landscapes that Daudet set "The Secret of Master Cornille," a story recounting the decline of windmills, supplanted by steam-powered mills. Built in 1814 on the hill overlooking Fontvieille, the Saint-Pierre Mill, also called Ribet Mill, operated for a century, with its last miller, Ribes, grinding grain there. Rescued from oblivion, the mill was restored in 1935 by the "Friends of Alphonse Daudet" association.
A Provençal walk among windmills
A gentle, scenic walk leads through hills and pine groves to discover three other mills, ending at Château de Montauban, where a small museum pays tribute to the writer. The mill itself can be visited, its preserved mechanism offering a journey back in time. Fontvieille is a village made for leisurely strolls.
From literature to landscape
A place of memory and transmission of Provençal culture and French literary genius, Daudet's Mill attracts many visitors, all seeking the magic of a bygone era, immortalized by Daudet's pen.
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