Le Moulin de Citole is situated at the crossroads of the communes of Sadillac, Razac d’Eymet and Singleyrac in the south of the Dordogne and is a treasure. The windmill was built in 1765 by stone mason, Pierre Gaiman, whose name is engraved on the lintel above the northern door. In 1805 Jean Bouchilloux and his wife Marie Mortemousque acquired the mill along with a water mill at Singleyrac (le Moulin Rouge) in order to become millers. The mills were used to mill flour to make bread. Their descendants, Pierre and Jean Bouchilloux carried on operating both mills until 1862. After that, the mills ceased any activity and fell into abandon.

In the 19^th century the Bergerac region boasted 166 windmills. Imagine the countryside with so many windmills and so much activity. Today, the Moulin de Citole is one of the few remaining windmills in the region. It must have been a sad sight to see it as a ruin. But in 2012 the windmill was acquired by the commune of Sadillac and an association “Les Amis du moulin de Citole” was created with the goal of restoring the windmill to its former glory. Slowly but surely, the mill was restored and was opened to the public just over ten years later in 2023. Guided visits are available by appointment only. The visits are run by volunteers and are free. But be aware, there is only room for 5 people plus a guide inside the mill where the complex mechanisms can be viewed.

The Dordogne is full of small heritage sites like this. Close by is Le Puits des Gavaches. Intrigued? You can read about this in my book, My Dordogne Life, available on Amazon.