The houses and farmhouses in the village are a reminder of the mill, while the green landscapes in the surrounding area take you on a journey towards Margeride. Situated just over 1000 metres above sea level, the local people have managed to tame the winds and turn them into a source of strength!
The village of Celoux boasts some beautiful stone houses and restored traditional farmhouses. Dressed stone and thick lintels give structure to the buildings in the village, and their craftsmanship also creates an astonishing decorative effect. The buildings are a surprising blend of Cantalien and Haute-Loire architecture.
This centuries-old mill stands proudly in the middle of a grassy esplanade It is reminiscent of the nearby mills at Saint Poncy and Lastic (the latter being a watermill).
Built at an altitude of 1,100 m, it was abandoned in 1883, before being restored in 1993 and 1994. It was a mammoth task to build a structure almost 6 metres high, with walls 1 metre thick!
Windmill of Celoux
The 7-tonne roof is mounted on a rail, allowing the blades to be oriented according to the direction of the wind. Its system, which is pinned entirely in wood, creaks when it operates: this is the resistance to the force of the wind. This is the real treasure of the Celoux windmill. As every part of the system is accessible, you can follow the grain’s journey from the sack to the sieve, where the flour is graded and sorted. What’s the most important detail? A windmill always turns in the same direction! In this case, it turns anticlockwise.
Windmill of Lagarde
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