Sloping Roof Mill

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 Our two Camargue horses used to roam the beautiful 'garrigue' with wild lavender and thyme, olive trees and other Mediterranean vegetation.    mills include our own little vineyard where we grow the 'grenache noir' grapes and make our own wine the old fashioned, artisinal way. It is actually greatly appreciated by our professional viticulteur friends in the village. Just enough for ourselves unfortunately!  

The ancient millers' house where we live, is right next to the mill. 

The 10 acres surrounding the house and mills include our own little vineyard where we grow the 'grenache noir' grapes and make our own wine the old fashioned, artisinal way. It is actually greatly appreciated by our professional viticulteur friends in the village. Just enough for ourselves unfortunately!

Extremely peaceful unpolluted setting unspoilt by tourism, with a timeless French countryside ambiance. Just perfect for vacation rentals.Beautiful countryside all around the house, with marked hiking routes. The region is rich in historical sites and gastronomic opportunities. Mediterranean climate with around 10 hours of sun per day in July. The area can be windy, but the 1000 trees we planted decades ago give great protection. The medieval walled city of Carcassonne is reached in 25 minutes, Narbonne is half an hour away. Spain and the Pyrenees in just over an hour. 

The small wine producing village has a essential shops, a small supermarket, bakery, pharmacy, butcher and post office. The village organises walks, excursions and village open air dances during the summer. Horses can be rented locally for riding. Ours were not suitable for riding. The village is in-between Carcassonne and Narbonne. The Mediterranean beaches are reached in 35 minutes. At Gruissan, near Narbonne, you can windsurf in the salty Lake of Mateille, an 'etang'. 

                                                                                                                 HISTORICAL

The windmills date from the Cathar period (1266) and are probably the first windmills in the South of France. The historic interest of this property is well documented in an ancient book in which an entire chapter is dedicated to La Couscouillette. The period is important in the history of France. 

The two mills, and maybe part of the house were built in the 13th cent. by Simon de Melun, one of the Northern conquerors of the South of France. He had them built so the villagers would no longer have to grind their corn and maize manually and individually. The windmills were new to France then, only watermills were well known. 

It is said that Simon de Melun, well known in the history of France, brought the knowledge of the East concerning windmills (Crusades) to the S. of France. He purchased a piece of land called 'La Couscouilede' (the name of the hill) to build the mills on. 

In the 14th cent. the windmills were destroyed, probably by the 'Black Prince' who had also burned down the town of Beziers, killing 20.000 people. 

In the 16th cent. the Comte de Malacoste acquired 'rights on the wind' from the French king. He restored the two mills and became rich due to his monopoly position on the grinding of corn

 After that he was given his title by the king. In those days farmers lived mainly from growing corn, not grapes. 

Over the centuries the house was constantly changed and extended. Millers lived here up to the beginning of the 20th century. Around 1930 grinding the corn was no longer economically interesting. A shepherd moved into the house and mills with 300 sheep. He left around 1950 and the house stood empty, falling to ruin till we bought it in '77.

renovating