VENDEE (85) – Located on Mont des Alouettes at an altitude of 231 meters, a chapel stands nearby. These two mills are believed to have been built in the 16th century. One of them belonged to the Lord of Ementruère and was acquired by Jean des Herbiers, Lord of Etenduère, in 1564.
On September 18, 1823, the daughter of Louis XVI, who was married to the Duke of Angoulême, donated a huge sum of money to enable the chapel to be built. On July 5, 1828, when the Duchess of Berry visited Mont des Alouettes, the chapel was barely out of the ground.
The eight mills of the time did not benefit from the system developed by engineer Berton because the wind was already blowing strongly enough. Five mills were destroyed during World War I, and the two survivors were recently restored by the municipality of Les Herbiers and the Vendée Departmental Council. The second mill was given the roof of a mill from Les Ardilliers de Beaurepaire.
The mills have been listed as historic monuments since May 27, 1975.
to be seen from the outside
illustration By Raphael Toussaint