Unique water mill,

overflowing with character

To buyers who dream of fishing in their own waters or living a gentle bucolic life to the sound of a lapping stream, very much in the style of Wind in the Willows, this is a rare and desirable property in good condition.

This charming old stone water mill is full of character and history. Spanning the river, the house conjures up the feel of olden times with the sound of water running underneath. If you have ever imagined life on the riverbank, when the days are scorching hot and the riverbank ablaze with flowers, then this could be the property for you.

The property is set back from the road, with the river running underneath the house effectively splitting the land in two. One side is a plantation of poplar trees, and the other has bountiful fruit trees overlooking the house, garage, garden and driveway.

During the mill’s original renovation a spacious open plan living room was created downstairs, with an impressive fireplace at one end. The kitchen area has been partitioned off to separate it from the living area.

The compact kitchen is functional and separate from the living room, yet has kept some of the original features such as the arched window. The external door leads outside to the utility room in the opposite outbuilding, housing the necessities of modern life and keeping them hidden from the medieval feel of the main house.

With windows on every side, as the mill straddles the river, the sound and sight of water really is at the heart of the property.

Upstairs we find three bedrooms, an office and a large family bathroom.

Outside, the hangar provides shaded car parking, the garage houses all the garden equipment and a cellar, and the outbuilding by the kitchen provides a utility room alongside a storage room with shower.

The 1.2ha of land is split by the river itself. There is a beautiful plantation of trees on one side, and another, higher, orchard area on the other. With plenty of space for walks, fishing, and general relaxation, this is an absolutely unique opportunity for someone to own a little slice of history.

A little history

The Templar Commandery of Gimbrède owned 2 windmills and 2 watermills. The watermills are located on the Auroue River, about 400 meters apart. This one is called the “Upper Mill”; texts from the year 1635 allude to it as follows: “It was built with limestone and sand, featuring 2 millstones and a high floor with wet tiles. The miller’s accommodation was upstairs and consisted of 2 rooms, one of which had a fireplace“; “another stone building served as a barn, stable, and oven.”
A Maltese cross is carved into a stone on the west wall of the mill (1781); it seems that this part of it was rebuilt at that time.