The best walks and hikes around Boulogne-Sur-Helpe

Old water mill in Grand-Fayt on the river L'Helpe Mineure

The Helpe Majeure crosses in Flaumont-Waudrechies an old flour mill dependent on the Hautmont Abbey, whose existence is attested since the 15th century and which was transformed into a marble sawmill in 1883 (in operation until 1990). The current visible buildings date from the 18th century and were probably built when the mill was sold by the abbey in 1745. Before 1905, the mill was purchased by the Maybon family who, instead of the mill, installed armored saws to cut the marble, using the river to provide the necessary energy. After the First World War the mill belonged to the Cordier family.

The square de la Madeleine is a square on one of the bastions of the city walls. You have a view of the steep Helpe valley.

Using the power of moving water to drive a mill wheel is an ancient invention that dates back to pre-Christian times. Thanks to such a construction, human or animal muscle power could simply be replaced by a natural or artificially created watercourse, for example to grind grain grains into grain. There are essentially two different types of drive for water mills: either the water simply hits the blades of the water wheel from below to set it in motion; or the watercourse is guided above the wheel and falls on the blades, with this design the natural gravity gives a higher efficiency.

The abbey mill spanning the little Helpe is a beautifully renovated 17th-century building. On the door lintel we read the motto of Abbé Frédéric d'Yves "Adh (a) erere Deo bonum", which means "It is good to cling to God". A title from the 11th century mentions that it is an ordinary mill of the abbey, which was rebuilt under the abbey of Frédéric d'Yves and enlarged in 1634 under the reign of Dom Simon Bosquier, then adapted in 1770 at the time of Maurice d'Offergnies. Became national property during the French Revolution, was sold several times and finally awarded to Pierre-François Boucher on January 23, 1792.

Many centuries ago, our ancestors discovered the possibility of harnessing the power of the elements - which on the one hand could be helpful and useful, but on the other hand could also be a threat as untamed forces of nature - for various purposes and thus be able to do without human or animal muscle power. Mills like these are a good example of the human engineering skills of earlier generations: the heavy millstones used to grind grain into corn or press oil, for example, could be powered by the wind or - as here - water.

Former Moulin de Maroilles to discover, the place is ideal for taking a break.

pretty mill